Storks, Monforte de Lemos, February 2019

This image was one of my first attempts at wildlife photography with my Bronica SQ-Ai. I failed.

As soon as I got close, the storks flew away and never came back. I waited with my tripod and camera ready for almost an hour. They didn't trust me and I don't blame them.

I moved on and kept making images, but decided to check on them again on my way back home, and good I did. They were back, and this time I won't let them leave without an image.

Having ran out of film, I grabbed my digital camera. That would've been my choice anyway, even if I had film. The Bronica proved too big and slow for a scene like this.

I clicked a few times, but it was with this last composition that I got what I was looking for. Inmediately after, they flew away again. This time, I didn't mind.

You can watch the whole thing on this video: "Wildlife" photography with the Bronica.

Like father like son, O Cebreiro, February 2018

This is not a good place to photograph in the snow. It does snow a few times every winter, but it's not cold enough for it to stick around. You can get a few white days in the mountains, but that's about it.

That's why I wanted to make it to the mountains so bad a couple of weeks ago. A recent storm had left some considerable snow, but the days were about to warm up so the clock was ticking.

I was lucky enough to get a few hours of cloudy weather and I was able to make some good images. I'm still hoping for some more snow in the weeks to come, but I wouldn't hold my breath.

Dawn, A Coruña, February 2019

Sometimes, the best images are the ones we don't expect to make. This is what happened on my recent trip to A Coruña.

This scene was just in front of the hotel where I was staying. I saw it on my second day there, and I visited the location multiple times over a period of 36 hours. I shot it during the day, at night, and before sunrise.

The one I shot at dawn turned out to be the best one, and one of my favorite images I've made this year so far.

See more images of A Coruña.

White Death, O Cebreiro, February 2019

I showed how I made and edited this image in a video a few days ago, so there's little else I can say about it.

Cemeteries aren't usually places I like to photograph. That day, though, I was looking for subjects that would look good with that layer of fresh snow. Things you wouldn't see covered in snow often in that area.

When I saw it, I wasn't sure I was going to be able to reach it. The path to the cemetery was covered in untouched snow, and the gate was closed. I still wanted to give it a try, and I'm glad I did. I had no problem getting inside.

After a short walk and trying a few initial compositions, I stumbled upon this one. Everything was perfectly in place, a big cross with its white tomb, and a line of other dark crosses in the background.

Once you see a composition, everything is very easy. The hardest part of photography is to recognize it when you see it.

"America Untitled" Photography Exhibit in A Coruña, Spain

Some highlights from the most recent exhibit of my work America Untitled, in A Coruña, Spain.

Snow, faking film and why there are no rules in photography

Finally got to shoot in the snow this winter! I take you with me on a short trip to the mountains, and then we take one of the images I made there, we edit it and we talk about what we can and can't do with our photos in post.

Magic, Sil River, January 2019

I made this image with my Bronica SQ-Ai. It was one of those special moments when you can't believe what you are seeing through the viewfinder. Something so beautiful that you fear your image won't do it justice.

After this shot, I took a bunch with my digital camera (the fog was moving really quick and presented a lot of different compositions), but this is still my favorite.

What a beautiful morning.

I made a short movie that day that you watch here.

A hundred words

A movie about the rain and the beauty it brings.

Train Station, Pobra do Brollon, January 2019

This is the first image made in 2019 I feature on this blog. I took a shot of this old train station on a very foggy and cold day.

See more images of Galicia.

Fog is a photographer's best friend

New video where I shoot some film in some of the best conditions I've had in a while.

Finishing rolls of Ilford HP5 and FP4

I had a few rolls sitting around for a while, with a few shots left in them, so I decided to go out and finish them. This is what it came out of that morning out... and of those rolls.

Misty Morning, Arnois, September 2018

Camera and Lens: Sony a6500, 16-70mm f/4 Carl Zeiss
Settings: 16mm, ISO 400, f/8, 1/320sec

I believe a photographer should always have a camera with them, and this image is a very good example of why.

This day, I had to drive to the aiport to drop someone off. On my way back, the fog started to roll in so I decided it could be a good opportunity to make some images.

I quickly went through my saved spots on Google Maps and found this one just off the main road.

I'm glad I brought my camera with me and decided to take a bit longer to get back home. This is one of a few images I made that day.

See more images of A Coruña.

Back to port, Portosin, July 2018

Camera and Lens: Sony a6500, 16-70mm f/4 Carl Zeiss
Settings: 70mm, ISO 100, f/8, 1/500sec

A beatiful misty morning looking at the boats coming back to port.

See more images of A Coruña.

House of Light II, Cabo Ortegal, June 2018

Camera and Lens: Sony a6500, 16-70mm f/4 Carl Zeiss
Settings: 16mm, ISO 100, f/7.1, 1/200sec

The beautiful setting of Cabo Ortegal.

See more images of A Coruña

Messing up (kind of) my first roll of Rollei Retro 400S

A few days ago, I went out to shoot my first roll of Rollei Retro 400S. I made long exposure images and tested the dynamic range of the film.

And then, I broke the thermometer while I was developing it. I had to guess all the temperatures and some might have been off.

The images turned out just fine, though. I will have to give it another try, this time using a proper thermometer and not my finger.

The River, Ribeira Sacra, September 2018

Camera and Lens: Bronica SQ-Ai, Zenzanon PS 150mm f/4
Film stock: Rollei Retro 400S
Exposure: 400
Developer: Ilfotec HC
Notes: my thermometer broke so I had to guess the temperature of the chemicals.

This was my second trip with the new car, and what a beautiful and lovely morning it was!

I shot an entire roll of Rollei Retro 400S, and got some good images.

I wasn't expecting this one to come out as well as it did, because of the huge dynamic range of the scene.

There's a bit of pure white, but that's the Sun rising behind that fog. I was sure much more of the highlights was going to be blown out.

See more images of Lugo.

Photographing Star Trails from the backyard

In this video, I try long (really long) exposures with my Sony a6500, my first time doing this with a digital camera.

While film has reciprocity failure, digital has its own set of problems when it comes to long exposure photography.

In the end, though, I was satisfied with the results!

Tree, O Incio, August 2018

Camera and Lens: Sony a6500, 16-70mm f/4 Carl Zeiss
Settings: 51mm, ISO 100, f/7.1, 1/500sec

On way back from my failed trip to Lugo (that became a Medium Format vs APS-C experiment), I saw some low clouds on the mountains and decided to take a little detour.

I love driving these roads, you never know what you can find. There are so many of them!

This time was no different. I stumbled upon a few cool trees, and then I saw this one. I had never seen one like this around here. It looked like a super-sized bonsai.

I had to capture it, of course.

See more images of Lugo.

O Incio, August 2018

Camera and Lens: Bronica SQ-Ai, Zenzanon PS 150mm f/4
Film stock: Rollei IR400
Exposure: 12
Filters: Hoya R72
Developer: Rodinal

This was my first time shooting infrared with film, and I'm very pleased with the result. I will be doing it again soon!

See more images of Lugo.