Month: March 2021

Sunset at Guincho, Cascais

This short essay follows on the footsteps of previous ones, describing another “quick photo outing near home during confinement“. This time, after finishing my working day, I went to Guincho beach, a few kilometres after the town of Cascais. This beach lies inside one of the most touristic areas in the Lisbon region, because it is located between Cascais and Sintra.

After leaving Cascais, the road stretches along a wind-beaten coastline, where the strong ocean surf keeps eroding the limestone rocks. There are several dune fields, covered by low lying vegetation that clings to the ground. Because of the constant wind and strong waves, Guincho is very popular with surfers. Normal beach going people should beware the dangerous currents and strong sea.

This character is partly due to the beach being open to the westerly winds, but also to the presence of the serra de Sintra, a large geologic igneous massif that dominates the landscape to the North. This mountain creates a barrier to the humid air coming in from the Atlantic, generating an almost perennial cloud cover along the coast of the region. In clear days, from the beach, it is possible to see the Cabo da Roca lighthouse (the westernmost point of continental Europe) and the Pena palace.

Several years had passed since my last time visiting the beach, so it was nice to go back. After parking the car, I walked down to the beach to find a good spot and proceeded to make several photos. As the sunset approached, the light was changing very fast; for the last few photos, the light level was low enough to allow exposure times around 1 second, which smoothed the water a little. My photo kit for this little trip was quite simple, consisting only of the Fujifilm X-Pro3 camera, Fujinon 23mm f/2 lens, and a small tripod. Once again, I felt thankful to be able to visit such beautiful places not very far from where I live, which helps to endure this pandemic crisis.

Stay safe everyone.

Crismina beach, just before Guincho.
Guincho and serra de Sintra.
Sunset.
Sea and clouds.
Smoother.

The Fujifilm X-Pro3 – a (re)statement

It is very rare for me to write in any detail about photographic gear, for several reasons. The main ones being that in recent years, cameras and lenses are so good, and the choice is so much, that there are plenty of options for everybody who enjoys photography as a hobby. For the last 3 years, I have been using the Fujifilm X system, because it provides many right things that I find important for my photography. My first experience with the system happened around 2013, so it is not new to me.

The X-Pro series has always been a very special statement from Fujifilm, with its unique “old school rangefinder appeal” design: optical viewfinder in the corner (which is hybrid, meaning it can be used as an electronic one also), several buttons and dials for direct control, and robust construction, just to name a few. The camera was a success, and two more versions have followed, the most recent one being the X-Pro3. At the core, they all remain similar in their design as a tactile camera that is a pleasure to use. Coupled with some of the available small prime lenses, such as the 16mm f/2.8, 23mm f/2, 35mm f/2, and 50mm f/2, it is a camera that just begs to be used.

Classy camera (photos from https://www.dpreview.com/reviews/fujifilm-x-pro3-review).

I have been using the camera for a while, mainly around my neighborhood, given the ongoing Covid-19 confinement in Portugal. Sill, I live near Carcavelos beach, which provides excellent opportunities for interesting photos. Thus, the other day I picked up the camera with the 50mm f/2 lens, plus the tripod, and went to the beach. The weather was good, late afternoon with some sun and clouds. As usual, there were many surfers and some people simply enjoying a seaside stroll.

Cross.
The fort of Carcavelos.
Black and white version. Acros Red film simulation.

I used the tripod for most of the photos, because that is a habit of mine. It helps me to concentrate on the composition. The other aspect of the camera that I like is the way the screen operates; when not in use, it is hidden from view, and it may seem that is even missing. The screen is there, but it needs to be tilted down to be used, and that is the only option available. For the way I shoot, this is brilliant: when shooting handheld I do not need to see the screen, and when using the tripod, I merely fold the screen down. When the main screen is closed, Fujifilm added another extra classy detail, in the shape of a small screen that can mimic the slot where in film cameras people would place the little square with the film type reminder.

Walking near the sea, with the camera on the tripod, I simply kept shooting when I saw an interesting scene. Even with the (small) tripod near me, the camera and lens did not caught any attention from other people. I already had that experience when using the X100 (another retro design camera); people think I am using an older film camera. The focal length I had with me, 50mm, works out nicely to keep some distance between my and my subject, but not too much.

Carcavelos beach.
Strolling.
Surf time.
Surfers.
Waiting.
Beach and sky.

In the next few days, and with the rumors that the confinement rules will start to be lifted, I intend to use the camera a bit more. But so far, my opinion is that the camera continues to marry a brilliant design with a lot of technology, resulting in a mature camera that is quintessential Fuji. A design that (re)states its commitment to photography and photographers.