This isn´t new...

campo di fiori

What I mean with this title is that my idea isn't a new one.
The idea? To make an album of just bike photos...See? I told you... not new...
Nevertheless it´s a good one, is it not?
Really, walking in the streets of cities like Rome and London every minute you see a good picture, but as everyone that took that kind of photo knows, it´s so hard... they don´t stop moving!
But once in awhile you get it.

All you need

Book

The holidays are over, the summer is not, but still I can smell the autumn even if you tell me that I´m wrong!

One of the things that I enjoy the most during the holidays is the time that I have to read. The beach is really one of my favorite spots, but to be honest wherever it's calm, is good for me too...

This picture is special because it was taken in Algarve near a stream  not far from the beach, but far enough to feel a completely different environment, and the book I was reading at the time is very important to me, even if it´s not a easy  book.

Someone told me that the Japanese bind their book covers, because they thing that what a person is reading is a  private matter. This is not my case, but since that book is huge, paperback and I planned to take some time to finish it - like in fact I did - at lest it could keep the shape...

I put the book down in the chair, went for a walk, and when I returned I saw this.
I thing it´s a very good image.

(in case you are wondering, it's Robert Fisk-The battle of civilization)
 

This is London.

London

This is London,

Why? 

Because they say this city is a true metropolis, but for me it doesn't have to do with the size, but more with diversity.

Diversity in people, shops, cultural offer and even traffic.

The traffic part I think is very interesting, because in areas like Shoreditch you see more bikes than in Amsterdam!! Ok...maybe not as much...

But what has struck me most lately? 

Buildings....All kinds of them, from all eras, sizes, and shapes.

Some may say there is no respect for old buildings, but the multiplicity of styles is one of the things that make me say this is a great city!

Hello!

Simple pleasure

There you have me, I was lost but now the pictures found me again!!!

This one in particular just jumped from my archives to let me know it was time to be published, since it's beach season.

I know that most of us, when thinking about beach, think bikini, sunscreen, maybe a book and for certain sand!

But beach season can mean just holidays, relax time and enjoying the sun.

For sure for me it means water, not that I dive very often in it but I have to see it.

Living in the countryside made me be certain that green is not enough, even if its seas of green, it doesn't reflect the light and that, that is the true horizon that I want to live by.

How many colors?

Berry

The post process, for me anyway, is not very consistent. Sometimes I remember a photo and just post, other times I have to go thought the albums and one picture pops up that the previous week hadn't. 

Strange isn't it?

Maybe not, some say it's called mood....

Anyway, these berries just popped up today! Aren't they beautiful? 

Exception 2

This is spring

Hello spring!!
So:  book,  landscape, clear sky, what else can we ask for?
A good picture would be nice...
But the camera stayed at home... I never learn...
The phone was once again there, so click...with the most ordinary technology available I took a picture, and was still amazed with the result. Good light and specialty  the depth that I saw was captured.
Please old old Nikon don't be sad ok?

Should I post this?

The guy

Every one that sees this picture loves it!
But to post in a photo blog....risky. There's no quality in it. Nothing...Bad light, bad focus, even the framing!
But the guy in the back....I could't resist sharing it.
It was one of those moments when in order to have a better photo I coul risk having no photo at all..."If I just move more to the left...if I get more close...if..."
If all that, it would be the perfect portrait, but it's not.

Faith?

Quiet

 

 

 

 

There it is....a difficult subject in a photo blog? I don't think so.
I have always considered myself a non religious person, but that doesn't mean that I don't like churches. Is is exactly the opposite. I love churches. The quietness, silence, peace...all that.
Of course I have my favorites! In my home town I can say that it is more emotional, but a strange thing happened when I lived in Rome.
I was having a hard day, homesick mix with a sense of non belonging, loneliness...ok the general term is homesick and I walked into a small church in one of those beautiful streets in Rome.
What happened? Peace, and sense of belonging. From that day on I felt the need to go there once in a while to feel more "me".
Is it religious? I would say more spiritual, and even that was a huge surprise to me.
This picture however was taken in London some time ago, in very different circumstances, but  I can say that me and my friend felt exactly the same peace that you can find in some special places.

Blue, White and Yellow.

Shadow

Hello! Back to Portuguese scenery....
It's spring time, the light is much brighter, all the colors seem sharper and in my eyes every thing looks nicer.
At first glance there's nothing special with this view. A part of a building, straight lines, white walls, but then... then you see the warm light and  you can remember the feeling of the sun in your skin, and think that that wall must feel the same comfort that it provides us.

Don't you just want to lay in the sun, like a lizard?
Simple pleasures...

It's been too long!

Carciofi

Hello, first of all the justification for this absence. It was not a magnificent holiday in Rio de Janeiro.... unfortunately....
My pc broke down...you know what it means? Panic!!!
But now I have a new one, and hope for longer than the other...

The picture: Artichokes in Rome.
 What can be more roman than that?
 I swear that they were in a stand in the sidewalk just like that, some one took care of setting them in a  way that they look like that.
This is the Italian way...to look good...simple as that!
And don't they?

Paparazzi 2

Espresso

Is there much to say?
Doesn't the picture speak for itself?
Was impossible not to notice this pose, and belive when I say it was natural.Some people have a inherent look, some thing that can not be explained, just emerges from them, and then what you do?
Just take the picture...

Back to Portuguese light

Sunset

I was walking slowly...The rocks were tricky, I had my eyes glued to the ground, so what did I see?

The sunlight doing what it does beter, enlighten and embellish the things that it strikes, I had to take it!

"STOP, don´t move, stay still!" 

So, from that beautiful ride that we took at the sunset, at the edge of a quiet dam with astonishing views, what is left are rocks... and feet...

Is it so strange? I don't think so, because when I finished the film, and thought about the pictures in there, this was the photo I was more eager to see printed...

Spring?

Garden Roses

Some say it's spring. I don't believe it, since outside it's snowing!

For me spring is flowers in different colors and shades even white, but not the snowy white, maybe lisianthus, my favorite...

Keeping this in mind, I decided to show you how all  garden roses should look like.

Isn't it a dream?

What many of you don't know, is that that photo was taken in a very, very special autumn day... The marriage of a very, very special pair...

I'm sure that I wasn´t the only one to catch that image that day, but this is mine, and I wanted to share it with you, to see if any luck comes out of it and the spring blossoms with all its strength!!

In the Portuguese countryside

Care

From the vibrant city of London in the previous post, to the Portuguese interior...
This is what you get from wandering around with your eyes open to your surroundings in a  new year's day. I was watching the boy for a long time, caring his herd through the fields, slowly, carefully  and his care didn´t change. His eyes were tender, focused in the task that he was doing on a holiday.
Can you see all this in the picture?
If so I'm very pleased, because more than a photo, this is a tribute...

Lucky

Pause

It was lunch time in a grey London spring day. Fortunately it was not raining when I passed by this spot, otherwise the workers would't be there, and I would miss this unique view.

So, I was lucky!! Very lucky, because one minute later the rain began to fall and the deckchairs were empty, and all that was left was a bunch of striped chairs with no interest at all...

Don't they look much better this way?

Person vs People

Wisdom

When I printed this photo and notice the other guy in the fountain, I said $%&%$##"!

I remember that I had to be quick taking the shot, otherwise the "signore" would pass by me, and no proof of the encounter would remain, and I needed the proof.... The  curved back, the weight on the sholders, some tiredness maybe? And wisdom, is there any? I think so, because I always think that old people are full of wisdom, and since I'm a greedy person, I look at them and think: Why can't we have it all?

Photo wise, in the end, I liked the other guy, it made the portrait less perfect, it gave more movement, because you have the slow cadence in the front, and the static imbalance in the back. Not bad.....

Home

Lisbon, Portugal

Living abroad makes you feel homesick, day yes....day yes. Not quite so, but almost. And the winter in England doesn't help... Am I repeating  myself? Have  my "saudade" been noticed before?

Anyway, since this is a photography blog and not a diary, let me tell you about this photo. The colors there are real, no need to edit it.

Are there many capitals in the world that have those colors and contrast? Maybe many more, but this is mine!

paparazzi

Café

What can I say? It is without question a paparazzi photo. You know when you are walking and see an image, and then imediatly want to frame it?
Like I said in the previous post...people....my new thing!

But dad!

Red ball

It´s good to change...change taste, change focus, change goal, I think it means that you are growing, discovering other things that give you pleasure, or satisfy you in any way. I'm sounding very philosophic and it's not what I want!
Ok, what I want to say is, that in terms of photography, every day I'm enjoying more taking pictures of people that I see in the streets. I wasn't like that at all, if I look at my old films, it's hard to find any portraits, it´s mostly landscape, which I still do.
But portraits....it's my new thing.
My problem is, that since I don´t carry my big, heavy camera with me all the time there is a lot of portraits that are captured only by my eyes...
But this one, I didn't miss. Red boots, red ball, the kid's face... love it!

Tired of winter

Italian summer light

I know, that I used to say that, I've nothing against winter, in fact the truth is that I love living where I can feel four seasons... But enough is enough, and the lack of light is killing me!
So, I don't know if in a masochist, or inspirational way, I found myself thinking about the light in Italian summer, and there it is. The color of the photo looks fake, but I can assure you that it isn´t. It was exactly like that!
Isn´t it gorgeous?
I hope, that if you are in need of light, like I am, this will help...