Friday 31 December 2010

[ Happy New Year ]

 

Friday 24 December 2010

[ Happy Holidays II ]

Another year goes by, and as always, the search for the perfect Christmas Greeting begins. I've been thinking about it for about a month, and suddenly, while putting up our Christmas decorations at home, it all became clear.

This is our Christmas star, hanging proudly in our living room, and the light effect it gives out in the wall is so absolutely gorgeous, and pretty hard to be faithful to it when trying to capture it on camera.

I couldn't be prouder of the result. Here is the original photo: 


And this is the way it turned out after some graphic composing:


Merry Christmas to all of you.

Tuesday 30 November 2010

[ Happy Birthday Edit Mag ]

I've talked about Edit Mag before. They throw the original Edit Hours events every now and then (by the way, the next one will be on December 2nd), an opportunity for the fans and staff to get together in a relaxed environment, talk for a bit, and above all, have great fun!

This post is actually way overdue, considering they celebrated their first birthday on September 30th! Well, I'm tired of saying how crazy these past few months have been, so I wont say it again, and I guess it's better late than never...

So, about the party: like the magazine itself it was superbly organized and original. Francisco really took advantage of the venue, placing the fashion show in the overhead windows...




... and of course, the beautiful people having a great time...



... the Hotel da Estrela at it's best, with the lighting fixtures giving it a cool abstract look...



... and above all, a huge funny night to remember.

Happy Birthday Edit Mag!

Thursday 18 November 2010

[ Pipe ]

 

Can you believe the craftsmanship that went into this stencil? I really can't stop looking at it and enjoying all the small details, the depth, the texture, and amazing work of art.

Yes, graffiti can be an art form, I won't get tired of trying to demonstrate it!

Wednesday 17 November 2010

[ Broken ]

 

Amazingly, this was taken in the very heart of Porto. A gutted broken down old house.

Wind blows through it, shakes it, puts it to the test, and yet, it still stands. Rain pours down, soaking the plaster fitted walls, and yet, it still stands. The scorching noon sun burns through it, and yet, it still stands. People walk by, move to the opposite sidewalk, and say "this should be brought down", and yet, it still stands. Sometimes is looses pieces, it gives in just enough to become stable again, and keeps on standing...

Why? For what reason? Why doesn't it just give in to the overwhelming gravity that pulls it relentlessly to it's demise? Maybe because some things, just like some people don't know how to give up. It's not in their nature. It doesn't make a difference if it's a hard day or an easy one, if we're happy or if we're sad, if we feel like the sun is going to shine again, or if we feel like it's going to slip away in an never ending eclipse, it's just up to you and your strength.

Even in the darkest hour, you know that light will shine again. And the people that walk by and say it should be brought down, may they life long and strong, to witness your glorious victory in helpless despair.

Sunday 14 November 2010

[ Just breathe ]

 

"Yes I understand that every life must end, aw huh,..
As we sit alone, I know someday we must go, aw huh,..
I’m a lucky man to count on both hands
The ones I love,..

Some folks just have one,
Others they got none, aw huh,..

Stay with me,..
Let’s just breathe.


Practiced are my sins,
Never gonna let me win, aw huh,..
Under everything, just another human being, aw huh,..
Yeh, I don’t wanna hurt, there’s so much in this world
To make me bleed.

Stay with me,..
You’re all I see.


Did I say that I need you?
Did I say that I want you?
Oh, if I didn’t now I’m a fool you see,..
No one knows this more than me.
As I come clean.

I wonder everyday
as I look upon your face, aw huh,..
Everything you gave
And nothing you would take, aw huh,..
Nothing you would take,..
Everything you gave.


Did I say that I need you?
Oh, Did I say that I want you?
Oh, if I didn’t now I’m a fool you see,..
No one know this more than me.
As I come clean.

Nothing you would take,..
everything you gave.
Hold me till I die,..
Meet you on the other side."

Video and lyrics by Pearl Jam

Wednesday 10 November 2010

[ Three chairs ]

 

"Please leave your message after the bip"

Yeap, that's it, this a pre-recording. By the time you read this, three chairs will be taken, and important decisions will be made. I suppose they wont be comfortable or classy like these ones (taken in the last OPorto Show), but hey, that's life.

It's a strangely calm felling this one... "today is that scary tomorrow that we were afraid of yesterday", someone once said, and I guess, that's the bottom line: life goes on. Like I said last friday, green light, white light, red light, I don't even care, I just care about the future - and that can be proven in so many different ways, for example, I distinctly remember a photo my parents took of me looking back over my shoulder with a funny face, when I wasn't even one year old. On the back of that photo it reads "so young, and you can already see he doesn't like looking back".

Bring it on.

Tuesday 9 November 2010

[ Batman ]

 

Back to the urban art, to take a look at some other pieces found in the Miguel Bombarda area.

This one, the funniest interpretation ever of a aging Batman with a "walker cane". Maybe that's it, maybe maybe our heroes are getting old, and no one cares, and no one steps up to take their place.

Maybe this general lack of believe is what caused the golden stencil in the bottom that bravely states "fuck it" - a state of mind that I deeply share in this last few days. A state of mind that is simply natural in me, considering that I've always believed that it's much better to make a bad decision than not to decide at all. If that is one of the features of a leader or of a martyr, I guess I'll only know it in the after life, but I do know that's who I am, so... "fuck it", and bring it on.

Monday 8 November 2010

[ Vintage ]

 

We can finally appreciate some gorgeous vintage details in otherwise clean looks. For some reason, I'm always in the lookout for contrasts, seeking something that is subtly out of place, even though it looks like it was made to be there.

This is the case, in the Quarto de Cima store in Porto. Gorgeous vintage lamp, used as a lighting fixture, on top of a dry wall. Beautiful.

Saturday 6 November 2010

[ Zurich ]

 



This time our trip to Cannes took us through Switzerland, in an eye catching airport. Maybe not as cool as [ Barajas ], but still, quite a masterpiece, running smooth as a clock.

Wednesday, with a few hours to spare, I got to enjoy the architecture of the terminal, the details, and also get some quiet work done on the vast and comfortable waiting rooms.

Zurich already had a funny story with me, being stopped in the x-ray control about two year ago, on my way to Ljubljana, because of a metal pen clip, used to secure a pen to the back of a Moleskine notebook, but more like a life threatening object on the x-ray machine... It made such a success with the airport security, I almost lost my flight, passing from hand to hand with a smile and a "this is really very clever!". Another one of those traveller stories...

Friday 5 November 2010

[ Green light ]

 

Over a month since I've published something here. I confess it's been one of the craziest months ever, with a big decision postponed to November 10th, lots of small battles along the way, lots of unanswered questions, and lots of answered ones too...

Maybe everything will change in five days. Maybe everything will be the same. Maybe there's a green light ahead, maybe there's a red one, or a white one. Maybe, if you look carefully enough, what you think is just a misguided traffic light, can be something a lot more challenging and interesting.

Life really has it's twists and turns, but as someone once told me: "everything happens for a reason". Sometimes the reason takes a long time to show it's face, but it always happens, sooner or later... After a one year long question mark, I can't say I'm not eager to turn it into a period, but I can say that no matter what the outcome is, the day will still dawn afterwards, bread will be baked, newspapers will be printed, and life will go on.

Whether it's green, red or white, at least there will be light, and where there's light, no darkness can prevail.

Welcome back to Light Persists.

Thursday 23 September 2010

[ Golden Heart III ]

 

Talking about urban art, I noticed the refreshment on the [ Golden Heart II ] I posted a while back.

I think it pretty much speaks for itself, the colors, the refinement, another beautiful example of how something different and original in our usually grey streets is most welcomed.

Just a few moments after, when I was walking back, a huge drum party taking place at the very same spot. Another one of the countless reasons why I love Porto with all my heart...

Wednesday 22 September 2010

[ Twins ]

 


The name "Twins" speaks for itself in the Porto night life. This place in the Cândido dos Reis street isn't so known as the original one, but already a success story. The decoration, the waiters, the mood, the music, everything was very well thought of and refreshingly different.

For us, a cool place to head just to decompressed from a hard day of preparing for something that finally didn't happen. Nice sushi, nice wine, and being a guest from a close friend made everything even more special.

Tuesday 21 September 2010

[ We never land ]

 

Urban art as been getting more of my eye.

It's a real pleasure to see so many interesting and quality demonstrations here in Porto. This one was taken last saturday in the Miguel Bombarda street. A fine crafted, vintage looking stencil of angels that seem to be recruiting: "We never land".

Maybe it's a fact, with all the souls they have to keep safe, that angels don't get the time to land... Well, considering the recent news, that's a fact I need to give thanks for.

Thanks for keeping an eye out for me, big winged guy. I really appreciate it.

Friday 10 September 2010

[ Sadness II ]

 


We knew this day would come, but we obviously weren't prepared...

The countless histories, the trips, the places visited, the fun, the friends, the handling, the safety, the pure pleasure, the reasons why it was bought, all of this will never be forgotten.

Much more than just a vehicle, the S-Max was the last banner of a way of life that has been gone for so long that I almost can't remember it, the last banner of the hope that some day everything is going to be alright.

Today is the day when the overwhelming sadness takes over my heart. Today is the day when the S-Max is no more.

Sunday 5 September 2010

[ No Line on the Horizon ]

 

A apologize to the U2 for this, but this is really the perfect title for this photo. What appears to be a a normal sunset is simply the Sun playing hide and seek behind the incoming fog. A reminder that lots of times looks can be deceiving.

It's funny how some absolutely ordinary days can be so clearly remembered. This was a saturday and we were heading back from Spain. We arrived in Porto just in time to see this and made a quick stop for this shot before heading to the restaurant to meet a couple of friends, and what a long and amusing night that was.

Wednesday 18 August 2010

[ Lace ]

 

The writing of this post was interrupted by a phone call, and with it came some reflections about human nature. I promise I'll keep it brief and simple: one of the most extraordinary features of the human being is the incredible capability to perform something that's called an assumption.

Please, don't mistake it for a deduction, it's a completely different thing. Deduction is defined as the inference of particular instances by reference to general law or principle, while an assumption is a thing that is accepted as true or as certain to happen, without proof.

Well, I suppose that the definition is sufficient to understand what I'm talking about. So, here's a word of the wise: think twice before you speak, and above all, don't assume. An assumption is the easiest of all judgments, it depends on perception instead of facts, on opinions instead of study, like the difference between a looking at photo or at a painting.

Even the greatest Paris paintings don't compare to the real thing, and if you didn't know better, you might assume that this photo is from a nice piece of vintage lace, if I told you it was made of steel and glass, you might infer it was a building, if I told you it is in Paris, you might deduct it's the dome from the Galleries Lafayette in Boulevard Haussman.

Wednesday 11 August 2010

[ Tower of dreams II ]

 

Paris.

It's not that I don't respect those who don't love Paris, because I do. I swear I do! ... but don't ask me to understand the reasons, because I wont.

I mean, Paris has it's faults like every city in the world, for example, all the gorgeous monuments and architecture all around, the wonderful and original people you see everywhere on the street, on the subway, all the different cultures and identities... wait, those aren't faults.

Oh, I know! The traffic! The horrible traffic that I miss completely because of the outstanding Metro system... ops...

Who am I kidding?...

Friday 6 August 2010

[ Tease ]

 



Tease is a beautiful little place in Lisbon where I found the most delicious cupcakes in a gorgeous ambiance. The model of Tease is "keep calm and eat a cupcake", and I couldn't agree more...

The decoration is fabulous, the employees are friendly and nice, but above all, the quality of the pastry they produce.

Don't miss it in Lisbon in Rua do Norte, 31-33, close to the Largo de Camões.

Thursday 29 July 2010

[ I miss you ]

 
 
I'm not a huge fan of stenciled graffiti's, but some of them work out pretty well. This one was taken in Paris last June and it illustrates perfectly how I feel about this gorgeous city: I miss you...

Friday 23 July 2010

[ Sunlight III ]

 
 
This afternoon really had a shaky start... Just yesterday we were reviving these memories with a couple of friends over dinner. A really funny story, especially for us that were just spectators of the events.

It also brought up this photo, another example of my passion about sunsets, taken last April 10th in the Bar do Guincho, close to Cascais.

Wednesday 21 July 2010

[ Moonlight II ]

 

It's not the first time I've written a bit about the Moon and it's legends.

So elusive during the day, last sunday was the first time a had the opportunity to take a photo of a day time Moon. I guess she's putting in some extra hours to keep an eye on me.

Thank's Moon, I appreciate it.

Wednesday 14 July 2010

[ Red ]



Porto never ceases to charm me with it's authentic details... These ones are harder and harder to find, especially since the Metro construction work began. Garden benches like this one, in the Av. Brasil, keep being replaced all over the city by continuous slabs of polished granite, easier to maintain, for sure, but completely void of personality.

The history behind these benches is huge. Countless people, countless kisses, countless jokes, countless encounters of Porto and foreign people took place here, enjoying the ocean view, in the middle of a park or in a garden somewhere.


[ Stairway ]



This is a shot I've been searching for a long time. Finally found it, and the lighting conditions were the worst possible. It's an old building in the heart of Lisbon, re-habilitated into an office complex.

Hanging from the edge of the rail, struggling with balance, a high ISO and speed, I really wasn't sure of what was going to get out of this photo...

I admit I was surprised I got a couple of usable shots. This is the black & white version of it, with the noise giving it a nice vintage look. The color version I'm saving for myself, a huge candidate to become an actual print hanging in a special place at home.

My search for the perfect stairway will, however, continue.

Monday 12 July 2010

[ Sunlight II ]



Although I'm a Winter kind of guy - I love it when it's cold outside, when the rain is banging on the windows, and we're cuddling on the couch reading a book, watching a television show or just chilling - these sun filled days really get my spirit up!

The Douro river offers this kind of scenario in these Summer days: the bright Sun shining over the Arrábida bridge, the river peacefully flowing right in front of us. This was taken last June 20th in the Alfândega building during the Oporto Show, a design event that gathers the best portuguese designers and agents.

Today is the same kind of day: bright sun, blue sky, fresh breeze, a prefect combination to make this monday a bit easier... Who am I kidding? It would only be easier if I was out there enjoying the Sunlight in my face, and even then, it would still be monday.

Tuesday 29 June 2010

[ Tattoo ]



This was a decision I took three years ago when I met Sonia. Nothing made more sense. Finally, after all this time, the day came when love and happiness became a tattoo. Here it is, first hand.

Friday 18 June 2010

[ Paris, people and places ]

Someone asked me why in the world, of all places, should Paris be my favorite one. Just two simple reasons:

the people...





... and the places...




Wednesday 16 June 2010

[ Art in the sky ]



If you could paint a graffiti anywhere, where would you put it? Well, probably in the sky where everyone could see it...

In Paris, they're not making them in the sky, but they're pretty close...