A simple morning walk

The ongoing crisis has taken away simple things that we took for granted, but with the slow reopening life seems to be gradually returning to “normal”. In the previous essay I described my first photographic landscape session after the confinement period. Since then, I was able to go out again for an early morning walk in the area around Cabo Sardao, in the southwest Portugal coast.

I have been there so many times over the years I probably lost count, but I always enjoy returning. The place is beautiful, and it is a privilege to be there, especially at sunrise and sunset. The best light for landscape photography is precisely around those times of the day, which in May requires waking up very early. This can be a challenge, but after being confined for so long, I suppose I will stop complaining about that! So, I woke up at 5 am, grabbed my camera and lens plus tripod, and drove the short distance between my house and Cabo Sardao.

Lighthouse

For this early morning walk, I simply carried one camera and one lens, plus the tripod. The lens I had with me was the 35 mm one, which on an APSC camera like mine provides the angle of view of a classic 50 mm on so called full frame cameras. Even though I normally photograph in this location with a wide-angle lens, I can also use the 35 mm lens effectively, challenging myself to get a different sort of compositions and images.

Into the ocean
First hint of sunrise
Cliffs
Here comes the sun

The morning was very quiet and peaceful, with clear skies and no wind. The light from the lighthouse was still on, as the sunrise was still several minutes away. I made some photos of the cliffs, the lighthouse, the sea, simply enjoying the place. I noticed that the storks had already returned to their nests, so I need to go back with a longer lens; this is a unique species of stork, that lives on the sea cliffs, and will provide a different type of photographic challenge for me.

In the distance

I stayed there until after sunrise, simply enjoying Nature, and returned home for a well-deserved breakfast.

Path
Flowers