How many roads...

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My second son, Luís, is flying to Germany today.

Frustrated with life conditions in this country and wishing to try a new life with his german girl-friend, he decided to go back to Heidelberg, his place of birth.

I have the consolation to know that Sara Joana waits for him. Her parents are long time friends from the years we lived over there. I know that he can count on some good and trusty people.

A sad day for me and his brothers and sister, hopefully a new sunny begin for Luís.

The photographs above were taken on Wildpark Frankenhof, near Reken.

On that cold winter day, there was no one else around, silence was only disturbed by our footsteps tracking our way through the snow.

We spent that winter (2003/2004) together in Reken. It was a very hard time for us, as Luís mother (the mother of all my four children) was struggling between life and death, after suffering a stroke.

We would sit at night eating Brezels with butter and cheese, drinking Veltins, watching some stupid TV channel, mostly thinking about that very thin line that separates life from death.

Sometimes we would cook a Griessklösschensuppe to keep us warm, and whenever we found the energy for it, we would try to laugh as much as we could… Laughing to keep from crying!

Often we would dress our warm coats in the middle of the night and go for a walk in the woods or through the fields, the only waken souls in the region.

Although I knew Reken for some decades, I felt kind of strange there: me and Luís’s mother were already divorced, somehow I didn’t belong no more there…

Looking back, I sometimes think that those hard times contributed for us to learn a lesson, albeit a hard one; we grew spiritualy for sure… And we got very close friends!

“I wish you well my son, I hope that you find your way, and that your way is a good one!”.

“Blowing in the Wind” – Bob Dylan

How many roads must a man walk down
Before you call him a man ?
How many seas must a white dove sail
Before she sleeps in the sand ?
Yes, how many times must the cannon balls fly
Before they're forever banned ?
The answer my friend is blowin' in the wind
The answer is blowin' in the wind.

Yes, how many years can a mountain exist
Before it's washed to the sea ?
Yes, how many years can some people exist
Before they're allowed to be free ?
Yes, how many times can a man turn his head
Pretending he just doesn't see ?
The answer my friend is blowin' in the wind
The answer is blowin' in the wind.

Yes, how many times must a man look up
Before he can see the sky ?
Yes, how many ears must one man have
Before he can hear people cry ?
Yes, how many deaths will it take till he knows
That too many people have died ?
The answer my friend is blowin' in the wind
The answer is blowin' in the wind.

 (From the album “The Freewheelin’”, 1963)

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Travels With Color Film - Alcácer do Sal, Portugal, October 1998 (Ektachrome 100S)

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Maybe some of you had the chance to watch the wonderful movie “The Bridges of Madison County”, adapted from the novel by Robert James Waller.

Clint Eastwood plays the role of a not-so-young photographer (Robert Kincaid) on assignment for National Geographic magazine, shooting a photographic essay on some covered bridges in Madison County, in the U.S. state of Iowa, not far from Des Moines.

Robert, the photographer,  meets Francesca (Meryl Streep), a somewhat-frustrated and lonely-also-not-so-young-but-still-very-attractive lady, italian war bride, who runs a farm with her husband. She happens to be alone for a couple of days, as her husband and kids are away at the 1965 Illinois state fair…

This chance encounter rapidly evolves to a very intense and dramatic once-in-a-life-time love affair. One can hear the deep voice of Johnny Hartman sing ballads in the background, and the whole story is described and interpreted with astounding artistry. The ambiance is very passionate and tasteful.

An overwhelming movie!

Besides picking up his beer from a cool box in the back of his green pick-up truck, Robert also stores in there his color films, subsequently changing them to Francesca’s refrigerator, when the growing lady’s hospitality permits him to share her house and bed comfort.

 Yes, Iowa in Summer can be a hot place! I have experienced it myself. I also went to Des Moines to photograph some buildings by Mies van der Rohe, although I must have to concede that I didn’t know about the covered bridges back then.

What a pity!

Those of you old enough to remember the existence of color reversal film, probably know what I am talking about: great care is needed to avoid excessive heat  on your films, or you risk to get back home from your dreamtrip only to find out that the colors have changed and shifted.

Yes, color film is heat sensitive and prone to surprises (black and white too, altough to a lesser extent).

Packing 30 or 40 rolls for a trip is also common procedure, taking most room on your bag, albeit with lesser weight than your photographic equipment. Despite the big volume and all the trouble, one also has much less shots at one’s disposal than in some small memory cards…

Well, having a cool-box with you is a good excuse to bring along some fresh beer. You don’t need nobody’s freezer!

The pictures that I show on this post where shot on Kodak Ektachrome 100S reversal film, with Canon gear. I was on assignment for the defunct magazine “Portugal Português”, which was associated with the better-known, but also defunct, “Casa Decoração”.

I made some assignments for both magazines for a while, before it was adieu, farewell.

Obviously, it was some celebratory date in Alcácer do Sal, but I don’t have a clue about what or why. I was too much busy (or too much lazy for notations?), back in those days, so I was happy when the client had his/her images and I could jump to the next spot, very often on the other side of the country.

The notations often got lost somewhere along the way, only the images and the feelings remained...

I would like to say thank you to all the people who have been supporting this blog.

You give me strength to keep going on!

Technical Data:

Camera - Canon EOS 1n

Lenses - Canon EF 17-35mm f/2.8 L USM + Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8 L USM

Filme – Kodak Ektachrome 100S

Location – Alcácer do Sal, Portugal

Date – October 1998

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Happy birthday Sara! (22nd of September)

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“Birthday”

You say it's your birthday
It's my birthday too, yeah
They say it's your birthday
We're gonna have a good time
I'm glad it's your birthday
Happy birthday to you.

Yes we're going to a pally party
Yes we're going to a pally party
Yes we're going to a pally party

I would like you to dance (Birthday)
Take a cha-cha-cha-chance (Birthday)
I would like you to dance (Birthday)
Dance

I would like you to dance (Birthday)
Take a cha-cha-cha-chance (Birthday)
I would like you to dance (Birthday)
Dance

You say it's your birthday
Well it's my birthday too, yeah
You say it's your birthday
We're gonna have a good time
I'm glad it's your birthday
Happy birthday to you.

(Words and music Lennon / McCartney)

From the album “The Beatles” (aka “White Album”) by THE BEATLES, 1968

Canon EOS 1n + Canon EF 1.4 / 50mm

Kodak Ektachrome Film

Sara pictured on April 2003 with our puppy Charley.

The photograph was made in Gouveia / Fontanelas.

In those days, I was living alone with Charley, and Sara came with her brother Mário for a visit.

As usually, we drove around in the Land Rover and strolled in the nice fields that surrounded the small village where I used to live.

We tried to pretend we didn't feel the pain of separation...

Canon EOS 30D + Leitz Telyt 6.8 /400mm

(enjoyyourcamera adapter)

September 2010

Sara will be fourteen today.

She is the youngest of my four children, and she also has the honour of being the only girl.

She now lives with me and Maria Helena in Alentejo.

We made these photographs last Sunday afternoon, not far from Montemor.

Not long ago still a baby, Sara will forever be the Princess of the family...

So, please, allow me to say:

"Happy birthday my dear daughter, wish you all the best in the world, all the luck and happiness that you can have.

I am sure that everything is gonna be alright!

I love you very, very much!!!"

For my little baby a sweet lullaby:

“Golden Slumbers”

Once there was a way to get back homeward
Once there was a way to get back home
Sleep pretty darling do not cry
And I will sing a lullabye

Golden slumbers fill your eyes
Smiles awake you when you rise
Sleep pretty darling do not cry
And I will sing a lullabye

Once there was a way to get back homeward
Once there was a way to get back home
Sleep pretty darling do not cry
And I will sing a lullabye

(Words and music Lennon / Mc Cartney)

From the album “Abbey Road” by THE BEATLES, 1969

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Central Tejo, Lisbon, July 1996.

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I have yet to meet a photographer who, in a way or another, doesn't feel fascinated by old and abandoned industrial sites.

Doubtless, there seems to be a certain kind of magic inherent to such locations, rendering very inspiring and photogenic material for many creative minds.

In small, medium or large format, analogic or digital, you will be rewarded with some appealing images if you enter such an environment with open eyes and a curious mind.

Some others prefer to simply use it as a backdrop for their creativity: fashion photographer Peter Lindbergh has produced some memorable shots in those places where the machines have long stood still.

I had just switched my main 35mm SLR equipment from Nikon to Canon when I made these shots, way back in 1996. I had decided to "modernize" and go auto-focus, with the help of some exposure automation, for my "bread and butter photography".

In those times I was exceptionally busy, so I thought that it was maybe clever to simplify my life a little and leave some heavier equipment in the studio: for many assignments (when transparency size was not of primordial importance) I started leaving the Hasselblad and brought the Canon stuff along. So I also could save on film expenses and rescue us from too many E-6 developments, which we used to do by ourselves.

I had already enough jobs to do in 9x12/4x5", my back was needing to take a break!

All shots with Canon EOS-1n + EF 70-200mm f2.8 L in Ektachrome film.
(older version, without Image Stabilization)
Close-focus capability with extension tube EF-12.

It was not an option then, but I never missed Image Stabilization, as you can find in the newer model (the photographs above were shot with the camera on a solid tripod, making IS unnecessary).

In any case, there is still a strong argument in favor of the newer lens: it is weather-sealed!

You could find very wet conditions where I used to live before I have moved to Montemor-o-Novo, so my lens got some nice fungus inside, after I had it at home for some monthes...

I suspect that weather seal could have avoided it.

In any case, stupid me! I should have known better...

Gonçalo Byrne, some works

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Mr. Byrne in his atelier on the 17th of November 2006.

I always felt a very high respect for Mr. Gonçalo Byrne.
He is not only a great architect, but before anything else he is a very valuable human beeing.
I used to think that he was my kindest client.
On location, he invariably took care that I enjoyed the best possible accommodations, that I got served the best food and wine.
Sadly, somehow along the way, our paths drifted away and I seldom see him these days.

In spite of that, I will forever maintain that he is a very cordial and polite person, a true gentleman!

Caixa Geral de Depósitos, Arraiolos, 1993.

Caixa Geral de Depósitos, Arraiolos, 1993.

Caixa Geral de Depósitos, Arraiolos, 1993.

The above photographs actually mark the very first time that I got an assignment from Gonçalo Byrne. I made most images in color, but I choose to show some black and white for the time being.

Faculdade de Informática e Electrónica, Pólo II, Universidade de Coimbra, 1994.

Edifício da Capitania, Marina de Lagos, 1994.

Edifício da Capitania, Marina de Lagos, 1994.

Palácio Nacional da Ajuda, Lisbon (project).

Palácio Nacional da Ajuda, Lisbon (project).

I can't exactly recall the equipment that I used to make the images shown above, but I guess that most, if not all, were made with a Sinar f2 camera in 4x5 inches/9x12 cm.
I enlarged the photographs in the traditional wet darkroom. The scanning was produced from the gelatin silver prints using the Epson 4990 Photo.

I made the portrait of Mr. Byrne using a Canon EOS 1n + Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8 L USM.
(I hate these long and complicated names!!!).

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Landscape Photography

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All photographs shot in Portugal on various occasions along the years.

Canon EOS-1n + 17-35mm f 2.8, Almograve

Canon EOS 1n (crop), Castro Laboreiro

Horseman SW612P, Meadinha, Serra da Peneda

Canon EOS 1n, Pitões das Júnias

Gandolfi 8x10 inches, Branda da Aveleira

Sinar F2 + Horseman 6x12 back, Serra da Peneda

Horseman SW612P, Branda da Aveleira

Horseman SW612P, Branda da Aveleira

Canon EOS 1n + 17-35mm f 2.8 (crop), Castro Laboreiro

Horseman SW612P, Castro Laboreiro

Horseman SW612P, Serra da Peneda

Horseman SW612P, Castro Laboreiro

Gandolfi Variant + Horseman 6x12 back, Serra da Peneda

Minolta XM (?) + Rokkor 21mm, Vilarinho das Furnas

Gandolfi Variant + Horseman 6x12 back, Rio Sado

Canon EOS 1n, Almograve

Me and my trusty "Defy", celebrating my birthday a couple of years ago.

Since several years now, she helps me travel to such beautiful places.

Good to mount a tripod or lay a sleeping bag...


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