Category: Alentejo and Vicentina Coast Natural Park

Every landscape photographer knows that one of the best times to include the Moon in landscape photos is one day before the full Moon. On that day, the Moon rises around the same time as the Sun sets; this results in a nice light balance during golden to blue hour transition, because as our satellite rises, the landscape is still illuminated by the fading light of the sunset. As a bonus, the following morning the Moon will set around sunrise time, again providing an excellent opportunity for a good light balance. On the day of the actual full Moon, it rises after sunset, which means the landscape will be darker.

During my recent vacation time in the southwest coast of Alentejo, Portugal, I had the opportunity to photograph during the full Moon, so I made plans to choose a nice setting for such. Being familiar with the area, I chose to photograph the Moon rise in Odemira, and the Moon set in Milfontes. In Odemira I set up near the local windmill, which in itself is an interesting subject. By being located in an elevated area, I would see the Moon rising over the surrounding hills. Then, in the ensuing morning I would go to Milfontes to photograph the Moon setting over the river Mira estuary. I have already shared some photos taken during such sessions in my previous essay.

All the best plans can be laid to waste if weather does not cooperate. Fortunately, I was lucky, as the weather cooperated. I drove to Odemira about one hour before sunset, to take some photos of this nice village. The winding road twists and turns as it descends towards the Mira valley, with some good view points along the way.

I spent several minutes photographing the windmill and the village during the sunset. It is a nice spot that affords a 360 degree view, from the village proper to the rising heights towards the South, that culminate in the Monchique mountain at 900m of altitude.

Once I saw the Moon rising over the hills in the East, I started photographing it, with the camera firmly mounted on the tripod. I was glad to have a telephoto zoom with me, to provide compositional flexibility from my fixed location. Light levels go down very quickly, so keeping an eye on the exposure histogram is very important. Also relevant is to avoid exposure times that would blur the Moon, which actually moves quickly in the viewfinder!

During this period, I kept an eye on what was happening behind me, as dusk was coming over the village. I made some interesting photos of the windmill and the day-to-night transition.

After this good photo session, I called it a day and drove back home for dinner. Next step: wake up before sunrise to photograph the Moon setting in Milfontes. The following morning the coastal area was partially covered in fog. I wanted to photograph from the bridge over the river, as it provides an excellent view of the estuary and the village. Fortunately, the area over the river was not completely covered in fog, and the setting Moon was visible. I set up my camera on the tripod in record time, and started to shoot.

Towards the East, the river was still under the foggy shade of the mountains, enhancing the quietness of the place at this early hour.

After such a good outing, I returned home for a well deserved breakfast. No matter how many times I photograph in this region, I never get tired of it. There is always something new, due to the changing light and the time of the year. Following the Moon in about a 12 hour period was a great way of showing the character of this singular region, from the interior to the coast.

I am writing this short essay as a follow-up to my latest post “Rural summer dawn”. In the latter I wrote about a simple morning walk near my house to photograph the surrounding landscape covered in fog. Fog can add interest to a familar area, which was the case. However, it can also last for a while, which is not good if you want to go to the beach.

Being familiar with the local weather conditions, namely that coastal fog can last for a whole day, I suggested to the family a trip to the interior, to visit two fluvial beaches: Santa Clara a Velha and Pego das Pias. I also wrote about those two places before:

https://blog.paulobizarro.com/?m=201911

So, after preparing a picnic lunch, we drove to the first place, the 50 year old dam of Santa Clara a Velha, in the river Mira. Sure enough, a few kilometres into the interior, the fog was gone and we were greeted by bright sunshine. The large lake of Santa Clara is a wonderful and refreshing place to spend the day, and that is what we did. I made a few photos, none memorable, but I do like this one where I used the polarizer to enhance the vivid colours of the sky and water.

In the middle of the afternoon we drove the short distance to Pego das Pias pools, another nice location for a swim. The Pego das Pias is a geomorphological feature carved over thousands of years by the Torgal creek, a tributary of the Mira river. The water has created a narrow gap in the hard rocks, much like a canyon. In the summer, the water level is low, but the evidences of flash floods are conspicuous.

The location is very scenic, with the quiet pools surrounded by the rocky canyon and many trees that provide plenty of shade. Several large blocks can be seen along the creek, reminders of the force of the water under flash flood conditions. I trekked along the margin upstream, to explore the area a bit more. The views from above are worth the effort, with plenty of green ferns and the famous “pias” – circular smooth depressions carved by the eroding waters.

Thanks to the coastal fog, we visited these two wonderful and quiet locations, which I can highly recommend. I look forward to coming to Pego das Pias after some heavy rainfall, it should be interesting.

With the current ongoing pandemic, it is challenging and difficult to make any plans regarding travel or holidays, due to limitations, restrictions, and uncertainties. Thankfully, I often have the chance of taking some days off in my small house in Longueira, in the Alentejo coast. This is a region that I like very much, far away from the crowds; this year even during the Summer it is quieter than usual, due to the lack of foreign tourists.

A couple of weeks ago I spent a weekend there with the family, simply resting and going to the beach, enjoying some quality time. Of course I always take my photo backpack, ready for unplanned opportunities. This essay is about such an opportunity, that presented itself, and that I took advantage of.

One morning I noticed that there was a lot of fog over the area. This was just before sunrise, so I grabbed the camera and lens and went out just to see if I could make some interesting shots. This is a coastal region, and foggy mornings are somewhat common. I went out and walked around a nearby ruined house, which was surrounded by a herd of sheep. I noticed the soft light from the rising Sun, the dew drops on spider webs, and proceeded to make a few photos.

I continued to explore the area, and noticed some nice flowers and spider webs covered in dew. Thanks to the tilting screen of the camera, I was able to frame the subjects easily, from low on the ground.

After a while, the countryside was bathed by the sunlight, and the fog started to lift.

I started to walk back home, but made one more stop, to photograph the well preserved windmill. I was attracted by the typical blue that is used in the Alentejo province, contrasting with the white. The red rooster at the top was a nice finishing touch. I also noticed a classic cardinal point indicator atop one of the houses and took a photo of its silhouette.

This was no doubt a great start to this day. Later on, I would be taking the family to Santa a Clara a Velha dam and Pego das Pias fluvial pools, but that is a subject for another essay.

As mentioned in my previous article, today I will write about a unique species of white storks in Portugal’s southwest Alentejo and Vicentina coast. Between Vila Nova de Milfontes and Sagres, this beautiful and still wild coastal region hides another interesting “secret”: it is home to only species of white storks in the world that nest in the coastal cliffs.

Since the 1980’s biologists have been studying and monitoring these colonies of birds. Today, there are over 40 occupied nests. One of the best locations to observe them is in the cliffs near Cabo Sardão. From the car park beside the lighthouse building, it is only a short walk to the edge of the cliffs. There is one nest right in front of the lighhouse´s direction, and another one just a bit towards the south.

Scientists have concluded that most of the couples are still migratory, returning at the end of the Winter. Often the nests are very damaged, and the birds spend a lot of time repairing them. They have to do so in preparation for the birthing of the younger ones in the spring and Summer. Observing these unique birds (plus many other species, of course, like the rare coastal eagles) is a great experience, particularly for the beautiful surrounding seascape.

The best times to observe the storks are during the early morning and late afternoon, when there is more activity relatedto finding food and bringing it to the young ones in the nests. I prefer observing them in the late afternoon, close to sunset, when the light has a magical golden quality. The photos below were taken during a couple of recent visits. A tripod and a telephoto zoom are recommended, for some more close-up compositions and more stability of the gear in windy days.

For sure I will return to observe these unique birds. Like them, it would be great to be able to fly and soar above these seascapes.