Cathedrals Beach, Galicia, February 2022.
A piece of the cliff that got detached from mainland a long time ago. Still resisting, still defiant.
Still defiant
in photographs
lugo
Ocean alley
in photographs
Cathedrals Beach, Galicia, February 2022.
From the beautiful coast of Lugo.
How to do El Camino de Santiago in winter
in journal
A few weeks ago, I decided to go on an adventure that will be hard to forget: I walked the last 130 miles (200km) of the Camino de Santiago. I followed the most famous route, the French Way. It was in late December and I got hit by 3 storms and got plenty of rain, wind and even snow and ice. Doing the Camino in winter comes with many more challenges than bad weather, though: you'll need more gear, many places will be closed, limited hours of daylight, fewer fellow pilgrims... but I believe it's the best time to do it. I wanted to share a few tips that might help those of you thinking about doing El Camino to decide whether you should do it in winter or wait for warmer months.
Read MoreSony 70-350mm: first impressions from the highest peak in Lugo
in journal
I got a new lens, the Sony 70-350mm f/4.5-6.3 G OSS. This APS-C lens has a reach of 525mm in full-frame equivalent and I couldn't be more excited about that: I'd never had a lens that could reach this far! In this video, I give you my first impressions from the highest peak in the province of Lugo, the Mustallar at almost 2,000 meters or 6,500 feet.
Storks, Monforte de Lemos, February 2019
in photographs
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.
White Death, O Cebreiro, February 2019
in photographs
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.
Train Station, Pobra do Brollon, January 2019
in photographs
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.
Messing up (kind of) my first roll of Rollei Retro 400S
in journal
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
in photographs
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.
Tree, O Incio, August 2018
in photographs
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.
O Incio, August 2018
in photographs
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!
Photographing a storm
in journal
I really didn't want to wake up, it was still early and I needed the sleep if I wanted to catch the sunrise as I had planned. But the storm insisted, getting louder and the lightning more often and brighter. It was relatively close and the whole bedroom would light up.
Bye, sunrise. I got up and set up the camera. The storm moved away quickly, but before it did, I was able to get a couple of good shots.
Read MoreCountryside, Lugo, July 2018
in photographs
Camera and Lens: Sony a6500, 16-70mm Carl Zeiss
Settings: ISO 400, 16mm, f/8, 1/1250sec
Walking in the countryside on a beautiful foggy morning.
Tree, somewhere in Lugo, July 2108
in photographs
Camera and Lens: Sony a6500 and 16-70mm f/4 Carl Zeiss
Settings: ISO 400, 17mm, f/8, 1/2000sec
I walked around this field for a while, trying to take advantage of the fog. I wanted to isolate one of the trees, but the mist wasn't thick enough.
On my way back to the car, I saw this tree. It wasn't isolated as I wanted it to be, but the fog made the trees in the background be much more faint, and the branches and leaves from the trees next to the wall were framing it.
So I took the shot.
Bird and Sun, Lugo, July 2018
in photographs
Camera and Lens: Sony a6500 + Carl Zeiss 16-70mm f/4
Settings: ISO 100, 70mm, f/8, 1/500sec
I've already talked about how I made this image in this post: Shoot the scene, and then shoot it again, and again.
Shoot the scene, and then shoot it again, and again
in journal
I firmly believe that the fewer shots we go back home with, the better. That being said, there are situations where no shots should be spared.
Read MoreCantabrian Sea, June 2018
in photographs
The Cantabrian Sea washes the northern coast of Spain. Still the Atlantic Ocean, it gets a different name near the shore.
I took this long exposure a few miles away from Ribadeo. There was a break in the clouds just above the horizon, and I liked the little rocks in the distance.
Shooting a Roman Festival: Arde Lucus
in journal
From time to time, I enjoy documenting life with my camera. Like this last weekend in Lugo, Spain, during Arde Lucus, a festival that celebrates the Roman and Castro heritage of the city.
These are some of the photos I took that day.
Landscape Photography at Cañones del Sil (Sil Canyon)
in journal
Finally, I was able to get out and drive somewhere to shoot some landscape photography. This time, I went to the nearby Sil Canyon, a beautiful place just 25 minutes away from where I live now (and where I grew up).
Carved by the Sil river, this canyon is short but very spectacular. Its other attraction is also its biggest flaw: it's full of wineries since the sides of the cliffs are very good for grapes. On one hand, you get amazing wine. On the other one, the canyon has been worked for hundreds of years and it doesn't look as wild as one could hope.
I managed to get one image for sunset, but I wasn't too crazy about it. The next morning, and even though I woke up late for sunrise, I was able to make an image I was happy with.