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April 2009
The story behind it
01/04/2009
Alentejo, Alentejo...I had left early, towards the South. Spring invaded the fields with nearly unreal watercolours. When passing through Portalegre, the cork tree forests show vivid green colours, from the warm past rain, in between the old trunks and grand canopies. The clouds sprinkle the sky, amidst the blue. Colours are strong. With not much traffic, I drive slowly to watch the landscape. The purple colours of April/May appear, from the salvation jane (Echium plantagineum) flowers, invading some fields. For the colours, it seems like the Provence, in Portugal. I stop. The cattle runs away from the fence. I photograph.
Comment
Technical issues
01/04/2009
This was photographed with an analogue SLR, the Nikon N80, slide Fuji Velvia 50 film. The lens is the Nikkor AF 80-200mm f/2.8, adding a 2x Kenko teleconverter and a polarising filter. The film, the Velvia, has almost imperceptible grain and exhibits rich saturation of colours. In the scanning, with grain and dust reduction (ICE), and in post-processing, the colours and contrast were maintained. I used the unsharp-mask that I apply for Velvia and for landscapes. This results faithful to what I then got. The aperture of f/2.8 helps to manage the depth-of-field, in the several planes. Tripod, yes.Critial review
01/04/2009
Simple in the lines, colours, and in the contrasts. The composition, making use of the depth-of-field, places the lines of the first cork tree as if following those of the farthest tree. The lines of the trunks are gradual, soft and nearly sensusal. The rought texture of the first tree contrasts with the fluidity of the background. On the ground, the purple and green shades help provide profundity. The undefined copice also helps with this.The photograph nearly humanises the trees, in a static manner, but resulting body-like, sensual (from the senses) and dynamic.
Where you should place it
01/04/2009
This is a photograph to admire, in a large print, with some time. Although simple, the lines and colours demand for a calm contemplation. You should place it in a wall just a bit wider than the frame+photograph. If you use a framing mount, with glass, I suggest white/very light brown. It requires dedicated lighting, to deserve a sigh from whoever pays you a visit. It seems to me too soft for a working environment. Better at home.
