Travelling Light – Photographing Light
The most striking building in the French coastal city of Royan is undoubtedly the Cathedral (église Notre-Dame) – it stands on the site of a former neo-gothic church that was destroyed in 1945 (as was much of Royan). Designed by architects Guillaume Gillet and Marc Hébrard and built between 1955-58 entirely of concrete, it is considered one of the leaders of French contemporary architecture.
Founded around 1555 Brouage was at first the centre for European salt trading, before it became a military base under the drive of it’s governor: Richelieu. It was once the most impressive sea-port of France and Louis XIV, today the bastion lies some distance “inland” surrounded by brackish marshes and provides some interesting photographic opportunities although is perhaps best appreciated from the air.
15 kilometres south of Royan, Talmont sits on a rocky peak overlooking the Gironde estuary.
Big and Round – and on the seafront at Ronce-les-Bains on a sunny and busy Sunday afternoon. Only one approach to such a subject – Fisheye of course.
Huitres (Oysters) are a favourite of the French – the marshes around the river Seudre and L’ile d’Oleron in the Charentes Maritime are awash with the small scale infrastructure used to raise and harvest the mollusc.
The Alcazar of Jerez or more correctly Jerez de la Frontera (the frontier being between the Muslim and Christian worlds) is one of the most emblematic monuments in the city. It is situated in the Southeastern corner of a wall that once enclosed the ancient city. The Alcazar comprised walls, towers and gates and constituted a complex defensive system.
Sherry is everywhere in Jerez – it really is the only game in town. A photowalk around the backstreets reveals bodega after bodega.
Many of the Sherry producers in Jerez run tours and tastings – it is interesting to learn about the production and Sherry types ranging from the dry Fino through to the sweet Pedro Jimenez.
A glorious day in Cadiz with a deep blue sky and a few wispy clouds – perfect conditions for the fisheye – the fisheye loves blue skys and hates cloudy grey. Coupled with the strong architectural lines and intricate details of the many balconies in Cadiz some interesting compositions can be found.
Cádiz is a city and port in the region of Andalusia in southwestern Spain.
Jerez is a small city in Spain’s Andalusia region, it is most noted for the production of Sherry.
Cacela Velha is an intriguing little village, that rare thing a largely untouched by tourism place that sits on a bluff overlooking the lagoons and beaches of the eastern Algarve. A cobbled square by a little church (Igreja de Nossa Senhora da Assunção), an old telephone box and a slightly incongrous giant plant(s) sculpture provide some good places to stand and hopefully some interesting images.
I feel a series of posts coming on.
I have been wanting to photograph the little church in Conceição for a while and had in mind a long exposure with clouds scudding over and today, once it stopped Chuva(ing), I decided to give it a go – and tricky it proved to be.
Still getting to grips with the Samyang 7.5mm Fisheye Lens – this time in the old part of Tavira. One thing I have learnt is that the fisheye loves cobbles and Portugal is great for cobbles.
More Tavira in colour, around the old town between Praça Zacarias Guerreiro and the catholic church of Ermida de São Sebastião.
This time just in and around the Praça Zacarias Guerreiro and featuring the Igreja de Sào José do Hospital o do Espírito Santo and the Igreja de San Francisco.
Ayamonte is the last town in Spain – or maybe the first – either way it is the frontier town on the River Guadiana thats forms the Spanish Portugese border.
Some colourful details amongst the Moorish white walls and terracotta tiles of Tavira.
Tavira, on Portugal’s eastern Algarve coast, was occupied by the Moors between the 8th and 13th centuries, the occupation left its mark on the agriculture, architecture and culture of the area, an influence that can still be seen today in the whitewashed buildings, Moorish style doors and rooftops.
A Good Place to Stand 