Summertime And the Livin' is Easy

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Fundação Champalimaud, Algés

Ribeira das Naus, Lisboa

Terreiro do Paço, Lisboa

Cais das Colunas, Lisboa

 

Montemor-o-Novo

Coruche

 

Universidade de Coimbra

 

Alcochete

 

Belém

 

 

Estoril

Paredão

 

All photographs made with Leica M9

(June and July 2014)

 

 

 

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Eles não sabem que o sonho...

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Sinto-me esventrado,
Sugado e esvaído,
Traído!

Dos tremoços já as cascas nos levam,
A matança continua, o festim prossegue...

Os sonhos, esses, nunca mos hão-de entaipar!







“Pedra Filosofal” - António Gedeão

Eles não sabem que o sonho
é uma constante da vida
tão concreta e definida
como outra coisa qualquer,
como esta pedra cinzenta
em que me sento e descanso,
como este ribeiro manso
em serenos sobressaltos,
como estes pinheiros altos
que em verde e oiro se agitam,
como estas aves que gritam
em bebedeiras de azul.

eles não sabem que o sonho
é vinho, é espuma, é fermento,
bichinho álacre e sedento,
de focinho pontiagudo,
que fossa através de tudo
num perpétuo movimento.

Eles não sabem que o sonho
é tela, é cor, é pincel,
base, fuste, capitel,
arco em ogiva, vitral,
pináculo de catedral,
contraponto, sinfonia,
máscara grega, magia,
que é retorta de alquimista,
mapa do mundo distante,
rosa-dos-ventos, Infante,
caravela quinhentista,
que é cabo da Boa Esperança,
ouro, canela, marfim,
florete de espadachim,
bastidor, passo de dança,
Colombina e Arlequim,
passarola voadora,
pára-raios, locomotiva,
barco de proa festiva,
alto-forno, geradora,
cisão do átomo, radar,
ultra-som, televisão,
desembarque em foguetão
na superfície lunar.

Eles não sabem, nem sonham,
que o sonho comanda a vida,
que sempre que um homem sonha
o mundo pula e avança
como bola colorida
entre as mãos de uma criança.

In Movimento Perpétuo, 1956



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Let the Sunshine In

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I see a very dark cloud obscuring this land,
Wind of Change blow away all these sick lies,
Clear up the sky!

Let the sunshine in!

"Aquarius"
When the moon is in the Seventh House
And Jupiter aligns with Mars
Then peace will guide the planets
And love will steer the stars

This is the dawning of the age of Aquarius
The age of Aquarius
Aquarius!
Aquarius!

Harmony and understanding
Sympathy and trust abounding
No more falsehoods or derisions
Golden living dreams of visions
Mystic crystals revelations
And the mind’s true liberation
Aquarius!
Aquarius!

When the moon is in the Seventh House
And Jupiter aligns with Mars
Then peace will guide the planets
And love will steer the stars

This is the dawning of the age of Aquarius
The age of Aquarius

Aquarius!
Aquarius!


“Let the Sunshine In”
We starve, look at one another, short of breath
Walking proudly in our winter coats
Wearing smells from laboratories
Facing a dying nation of moving paper fantasy
Listening for the new told lies
With supreme visions of lonely tunes

Somewhere, inside something, there is a rush of
Greatness, who knows what stands in front of
Our lives, I fashion my future on films in space
Silence tells me secretly
Everything
Everything

…

Singing our space songs on a spider web sitar
Life is around you and in you
Answer for Timothy Leary, dearie

Let the sunshine, let the sunshine in
The sunshine in
Let the sunshine, let the sunshine in
The sunshine in
Let the sunshine, let the sunshine in
The sunshine in


“I Got Life”
I got life, mother
I got laughs, sister
I got freedom, brother
I got good times, man

I got crazy ways, daughter
I got million-dollar charm, cousin
I got headaches and toothaches
And bad times too
Like you

I got my hair
I got my head
I got my brains
I got my ears
I got my eyes
I got my nose
I got my mouth
I got my teeth
I got my tongue
I got my chin
I got my neck
I got my tits
I got my heart
I got my soul
I got my back
I got my ass
I got my arms
I got my hands
I got my fingers
Got my legs
I got my feet
I got my toes
I got my liver
Got my blood


I got my guts
I got my muscles
I got life
Life
Life
Life
Life
LIFE!

And you got a lot of nerve baby!

And I'm gonna spread it around the world, mother.
Yeah, I'm gonna spread it around the word, sister.
Yeah I'm gonna spread it around the world, my brother.
So everybody knows what I got.

From the musical "Hair" - The American Tribal Love-Rock Musical (1968)
Lyrics: James Rado & Gerome Ragni
Music: Galt MacDermot





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Leica R5 + Leitz Elmarit 135mm - First Photographs, October 2010

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Three decades ago, when I started getting involved with photography, the 135mm focal length was very popular among photographers. Following that trend, I also bought one such lens for my Minolta equipment, the fine Minolta Rokkor 2.8/135mm. If you visit this blog every now and then, you most likely saw some images shot with that lens.

As some of you also might recall, I later on traded my Minoltas for Leicas, so the Rokkor made place for the canadian built Leitz Elmarit 2.8/135mm in my bag (the model with view and rangefinder attachment, the so called goggles, that improves focusing and framing. Primarily made for the M Leica, I read that the most "recent" version - mine is from 1979! - serial no. 2 600 000 and up, is optically identical to the Leica R lens. While I can't claim that for sure, you should please take note of the missing M in its nomenclature...).

I already posted some images of that lens with goggles directly mounted on a Leica M, as well as with the lens head removed and attached to the focusing mount 16462, to allow the use with the Visoflex reflex housing. In case that you should be interested on this subject, please check my former post about it.

What I want to show today, are some photographs made with this same lens, but this time still done on a different way: I did them with a Leica Single Lens Reflex camera, and Leitz adapter 14167, to allow the use of Visoflex lenses on the Leica R. The combination keeps on needing, of course, the aforementioned focusing mount 16462 (the goggles can thankfully be left at home!).

Yes I know, lots of (very well made) Leitz adapters and focusing mounts, no automatic aperture, darkening viewfinder...
But believe me, if you already own such a lens, it is well worth the hassle.
I just love the combination!

But please, take a look for yourself...

Above photographs made in Faro, October 2010


Trends come and go, like anything else, and this kind of focal length seems to be out of fashion. The evolution and the public's widespread preference for the Zoom lens, have condemned the 135mm prime lens to a certain obscurity...
Lamentably so, as I believe that most photographic systems have produced outstanding 135mm lenses along the years. Just think about Carl Zeiss Sonnar, Carl Zeiss Tele-Tessar, Schneider Tele-Xenar, Pentax Takumar, Nikkor, Jupiter...
Moreover, the 135mm can be a true bargain these days...

For me, such a lens is a very fine balance between portability (all images were shot handheld) and pronounced telephoto effect. Besides, I don't need to be close to the nose of my model if I wish to do a head and shoulders portrait, as I don't need to go to the other side of the street yelling...

I enjoy the shallow depth of field, without too much loss of plasticity, what enables me to achieve a pleasant perspective without sacrificing the three-dimensional sensation!
I also find the 135mm lens to be a very interesting choice for close up photography, by just adding some extension tubes to it, between the lens and the body of the camera.

I suppose that I can honestly say: the 135mm is a true winner for my taste!

Photographs shot in Montemor-o-Novo, October 2010

This post should have its emphasis on the Leica R5...
I actually made this pictures while testing the camera, principally its exposure meter (fantastic!).

Now it is six in the morning and I am getting very tired, the rain is pouring outside, my legs are cold, my eyes are shutting, my brain is coming to a standstill...

Will you please excuse me, but I must be on my way... to bed...
Don't worry, I will come back to the subject... I promise!


Technical data:

Camera - Leica R5
Lens - Leitz Elmarit 135mm (Leica M/Visoflex type) + Leitz 14167
Film - Agfa APX 100
Developer - Rodinal, diluted 1+50
Location - Faro and Montemor-o-Novo, Portugal
Date - October 2010
Scanner - Epson 4990 Photo


HAVE A NICE AND HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

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The Family of Zé Preto and the Horse - Montemor-o-Novo, March 2010

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All photographs were made using a Rolleiflex SL 35 (Rollei Singapore) equiped with german made Carl Zeiss lenses, namely the Planar 1.4 / 50mm HFT and the Sonnar 2.8 / 85 mm. A Rollei yellow filter was also used with both lenses.

Fomapan 200 developed in Kodak D-76 1+1.

I would like to dedicate these modest photographs to someone that I very much respect and admire for many years: JOSEF KOUDELKA.

His book "Gitans - La Fin du Voyage" (copyright 1975 by Josef Koudelka, Delpire éditeur Paris and Aperture, Inc. New York) has been a true companion of mine since many years now, and a true source of inspiration.
I wish I could have the genius and the integrity of Mr. Koudelka's vision...

A special thank you goes also, of course, to the portrayed family!

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Montemor-o-Novo, Portugal, seen with an 8x10 inches Gandolfi Precision camera (Part 2)

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Rodenstock Apo-Ronar 9/480mm, Fomapan 100 in Rodinal 1+50,
October 18, 2009

Let me put it straight: I don't care if my photographs look old-fashioned; I don't mind if the cameras (and film) that I utilize to expose them may be considered by some as obsolete.

I don't give the smallest damn if some may think that I start looking and smelling like a dying dinosaur...

Just let me be me, because I get a kick out of it!

Rodenstock Apo-Sironar-W 5.6/210mm, Fomapan 100 in Kodak D-76 1+1,
November 16, 2008

Rodenstock Apo-Ronar 9/480mm, Fomapan 100 in Kodak D-76 1+1,
November 16, 2008

Largo General Humberto Delgado. The small monument honours the Portuguese soldiers fallen in World War I.

Schneider G-Claron 9/305mm, Fomapan 100 in Rodinal 1+50,
August 30, 2009

Schneider G-Claron 9/305mm, Fomapan 100 in Rodinal 1+50,
August 30, 2009

Schneider G-Claron 9/305mm, Fomapan 100 in Rodinal 1+50,
August 30, 2009

All three photographs above were made in Largo Alexandre Herculano, not more than a hundred steps or so from my studio.

The nearness was rather welcomed that day, as it was very hot and dry. Schlepping such a heavy camera (and its paraphernalia) under such heat is not always delightful...

You gotta dig it!

Schneider G-Claron 9/305mm, Fomapan 100 in Rodinal 1+50,
October 19, 2009

Everyday I walk this street (I did it again tonight), bringing our dog Charley for a walk (I named the dog so, after reading the travelogue by John Steinbeck "Travels With Charley").

The two ladies are actually neighbours. On warm winter days they like to bring their small chairs and sit outside, chatting and knitting, watching who passes by.
Their homes are so small, they must enjoy the fresh air and the sun warming their bones.

Rodenstock Apo-Sironar-W 5.6/210mm, Fomapan 100 in Rodinal 1+50,
October 24, 2009

This is Teatro Curvo Semedo. That's where I made the color photographs of "Sevilhanas" on a former post. The church in the back is Igreja do Calvário.

All sheet film was rotary processed in a Jobo CPP2, and scanned in an Epson Perfection 4990 Photo.

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