Tuesday 29 December 2009

[ Stairway to Heaven ]




This one was taken on December 20th, the same day I took the [ Happy Holidays ] photo for the SG Representations blog and Christmas card. We were driving around, sightseeing and relaxing a bit before going home...

It's the Arrábida bridge over the Douro river, seen from an unusual perspective (although it is beautiful seen from any perspective - but of course, I'm biased). I love the way it seems has you can reach it with your hand, and just climb away...

I should tell you that I'm not really a fan of photoshop enhancement of photos, other than a turn for black and white - like this one - or an occasional exposure correction. I show them has I take them, and for me, a part of being a photographer (even an amateur and lousy one), is to catch the right moment and the right light...

Monday 28 December 2009

[ Friendly Fire ]

Fire as fascinated humanity from the early ages. First a question of survival, then a question of power, now a question of comfort...

This picture was taken last sunday, December 20th, in the middle of a nice welcome home dinner for our cousins in Cutelo, Viana do Castelo. Even though we are many times distant, this roaring Friendly Fire will always be in our minds, a warm and welcoming place, just like the ones we have in our hearts for each other.

Welcome home Bárbara and Romeu, we wish you the best holidays ever, thank you for sharing Christmas with us, and godspeed for the trip back home.


Thursday 24 December 2009

[ Merry Christmas ]




Todays picture was taken on December 8th in Lisbon, while taking a walk in the busy Chiado neighborhood. It's a scene by an artist called Joana Vasconcelos from 2006 called "Happy Family", with the figures covered in hand knitted cotton. It's all about fashion, and all about Christmas.

Christmas is a time of understanding, of love, joy, family and sharing. It's a season where we put aside our differences, cherish our friends, and forgive our enemies... And no one understands these feelings better than the Irish! Today, in this Christmas evening, instead of the traditional christian blessings, I leave you with an Irish curse that has never made more sense to me:

    May those who love us love us. 
    Those that don't love us, 
    may God turn their hearts. 
    And if He doesn't turn their hearts, 
    may he turn their ankles, 
    so we'll know them by their limping.

Merry Christmas!

Tuesday 22 December 2009

[ Golden Heart ]




Some people have asked me about my profile picture... It was taken last July during an exhibition in Porto called "T-Man" that took place in the Av. dos Aliados, next to the City Hall. Artists from different places got together and decorated dozens of real sized dolls. It's a bit of a Cow-Parade look-a-like, but the final effect was really pretty cool.

About the choice as a profile picture, anyone who knows me also knows it's just perfect. For those who don't, let me just say that sometimes you give your heart away to cause, a job, or a mission, just to find out in the end that the chess player doesn't mind sacrificing a pawn for a tower... And that is the Golden Heart: faceless, precious, but still blood red, and above all, alive.

"Steady seas don't make a skillful saylor", African proverb

Monday 21 December 2009

[ Happy Holidays ]




We were thinking about what should we send to our clients and partners for Christmas, and we are actually kind of tired of the trees, reindeers and ribbons, so I went out to Vila Nova de Gaia, chose my spot, and got a set of pictures of beautiful Porto in 3ºC. This was the chosen one!

[ Barajas ]




Funny how sometime the most unlikely places produce great images.

This one is a personal favorite. It was taken on May 25th 2009, on the #2 terminal of Barajas airport in Madrid, Spain. It's delicious to discover how human ingeniousness and creativity, together with the right amount of craftsmanship come together in place so broad, and yet so welcoming.

Sunday 20 December 2009

[ Candle Light ]




I was preparing for the first serious post yesterday, setting up the header image (we'll talk a bit about that later), got tired and started fooling around with some candles at home. A decent set if pictures came out, and since it's Christmas season it seamed appropriate...

Here is the first serious post for Light Persists, and I simply called it Candle Light.

Plato once said that "at the touch of love, everyone becomes a poet". This one goes to my one and true love, my harbor, my fortress. She inspired and motivated me for this and many other journeys. Sonia, thank you, I love you.

Monday 16 November 2009

A new photo blog is born..

Strength does not come from physical capacity. It comes from an indomitable will.

Mahatma Gandhi


Every journey begins the same way: one step out of the door.


This is the first step. Let the journey begin...