In the first week of December we had a few bank holidays in Portugal, so I drove south to spend some days in Longueira, on the Alentejo coast. During the weekend, depression Dora hit the country, with heavy rain and strong winds. Even under such conditions, there is always the chance to go out and take some photos. That is what I did during a Saturday afternoon, near the Cabo Sardão area.
From my house it is only a short drive to the lighthouse of Cabo Sardão. The weather was changing quickly, with heavy showers alternating with sun spells. I know the area quite well, so I decided I would walk along the coastal trail for a round trip of about 8 km, or a couple of hours. I simply grabbed the Fujifilm X100V and the tripod, plus a raincoat of course.
The coastal trail that passes through Cabo Sardão is part of the Rota Vicentina. From this point, it is about 20 km until the next village to the south, Zambujeira do Mar. The coastal region here is characterized by short vegetation and rocky Palaeozoic cliffs with many tectonic folds. A true natural haven, part of a protected area. Now and then the clouds would break, and a golden light would illuminate the cliffs and the sea. It was simply a question of sitting down and enjoying the quiet surroundings, with the land being buffeted by strong winds and crashing waves.
Rainbow panorama assembled from 3 photos.During a break in storm Dora.Cliffs at sunset. This light lasted for a few seconds only.Saddle and arch.
It was a wonderful walk, graced with great but elusive light.
The following are just some photos that I took during a morning walk in the village of Odemira, a coastal and interior municipality of southwest Portugal, in the Alentejo province. I had to go to Odemira to buy some groceries, but even in such occasions I always bring my small camera with me, the excellent Fujifilm X100V.
Along the drive between Longueira and Odemira, there is a familiar farm house by the side of the road, that I have photographed before. This particular morning was no exception, because the land was green and the sky a crispy blue with fluffy white clouds. The sun had risen about one hour before, so the light was still good.
The terrain was soaked with rain, but I walked up to the farm house for a more close up photo. Actually, there is a natural spring nearby where I go to fill up several containers of water for drinking.
Farm.Farm.Farm and moon.
I took the opportunity of simply strolling through the streets in Odemira. Clearly, Covid – 19 is ever-present, even thought people try to go on with their lives. Local cafés and shops are open, but business is slow. Odemira is the largest municipality in Portugal in terms of area, and has a small population; thus, social distancing is already practiced under normal circumstances. Still, people are very worried, because a large part of the inhabitants are old. Hopefully 2021 will be a better year.
Walking by.Enjoying the sun.Over the Mira river.Going up.
With the ongoing Covid – 19 situation, and the concurrent confinements, I am lucky enough to still be able to go out occasionally and walk along some of the many trails near Odemira. These trails are part of the Rota Vicentina network, and over the past couple of years I have walked several of them and have written about the experience here in the blog.
In 2020 I had planned to explore the trails a bit further, in other municipalities of the southwest coast; unfortunately, the restrictions have curtailed the plan, so I have been circunscribed to the municipality of Odemira, where I have a house. Thus, it is still possible to travel and drive inside the municipality’s boundaries. As a result, I have been repeating several walks that I did in 2019, and this time I want to write about the trail around the village of São Martinho das Amoreiras. The first time I did this trail I wrote about it here:
When revisiting a familiar place it is difficult not to take photos from the same spots and of the same subjects. This second time doing the trail, the weather was far from being sunny, like in the first time. Early December, the weather forecast included heavy showers, which could provide a different feel and experience in the areas we were going to cross. The landscape is dominated by gently rolling hills and rural farms and small villages. There are green pastures and fruit orchards, that provide for the local economy.
Of particular relevance are the Arbutus (medronho), olive oil, and honey. The Arbutus is particularly attractive this time of the year, as the small trees are blooming and have plenty of the red fruits. Unfortunately, there are many abandoned and ruined farm houses along the way; as the older people pass away, there are no young ones to follow up this rural lifestyle.
Abandoned farm along the trail.Fields and clouds.Green and blue.Approaching rain.
Given the large amount of recent rain, the landscape was different from one year ago, and there were more animals grazing in the field. Everything looked fresher, which was nice, following very dry Spring and Summer periods.
Grazing.Close by.Bird.Food stock.
After lunch (quick picnic), the weather really closed in, with lots of rain. We decided to cut the walk short, after 9 km (of a total 13 km), because these interior roads are not very safe under such conditions, especially in the dark. While resting a little bit in São Martinho, I noticed some nice Autumn colours in the trees, and took a few shots.
Autumn colours.Autumn colours.
On the way back the rain stopped, allowing us to enjoy the leisurely drive through a winding road that provided excellent spots from which to photograph the countryside.
Arbutus.Along the road.Farm house.
For this walk I used Fuji X-T3 and X-H1 cameras, fitted with the Fujinon 16mm f/1.4 and 90mm f/2 lenses. These were more than adequate to get the shots I found along the way. Light conditions for photography were changing quickly, with alternating dark and light patches on the landscape. Contrejour was common, and I exposed to preserve the highlights. Shooting RAW was a safeguard against such challenge, ensuring files were maleable enough to obtain a good result.
Vila Nova de Milfontes is a wonderful place to visit the entire year. Considered by many as the jewel of the southwest Alentejo coast, the village hugs the northern bank of the Mira river, where it joins the Atlantic. It is famous for its pristine and picturesque beaches, which are part of a Nature Reserve. I have already written here many times about Milfontes, showing numerous photos taken during the 4 seasons of the year.
Milfontes is indeed full of interesting places that take on a different feel according to the season and the light. I was there recently in end November, and had the chance to make more photos during a break in the rainy weather. The Autumn light adds a different character to the landscape, augmented by the stormy clouds. A good general view of the village, estuary, and river can be appreciated from the bridge.
View from the bridge, looking West.River and mountain, looking East.Estuary. The small lighthouse in the distant promontory is also a good location for photography.
From the bridge, it is possible to make good photos, using both wide angle and telephoto lenses. The river slowly makes its way to the sea, and the distant mountains provide a nice background. The small fishing and recreation boats rest along the pier.
One other great location is further down the main road, in the small promontory where a small lighthouse is located. From there, it is possible to see the village and the surrounding beaches. On this particular evening, the light and the clouds were quite nice.
Beaches.Panorama.Clouds.Golden light at sunset.
I never tire of Milfontes, especially off-season, where it is possible to enjoy the place without all the hustle and bustle of the summer. These photos were taken with two Fujinon lenses, 16mm f/1.4 and 90mm f/2.
Here in Portugal in the last 3 or 4 weeks there has been a lot of rain and some stormy weather, which is excellent to mitigate against the draught. The Covid-19 restrictions are still in place, but it is possible to travel outside of curfew hours. In the beginning of December there are a few public holidays, so I took the opportunity to spend a couple of weekends in Longueira, a small village near the southwestern Alentejo coast.
The weather was indeed rainy, which was not very inviting to go out and take photos, but that is what I did one afternoon. Bad weather is often a good opportunity to make different and interesting images. The sky was filled with clouds coming in from the south, and promising more rain. I decided to take a short walk around the village, along local dirt roads that cross rural fields and some farms. The brooding and menacing clouds would add some drama to my images. A few examples are given below.
Old house in the field.Sheep.Old farm.Stormy landscape.Menacing sky.Raining.
My little walk took about 1 hour, and by the time I got home it was dark and raining a lot. Still, I managed to make a few interesting photos, featuring the dramatic sky as key element. So, next time it is raining, get out of the house and try to take some different photos. All the photos were taken using the Fujifilm X-T3 camera and Fujinon 16mm f/1.4 lens, a good option for rainy weather, as both feature weather resistance.
