Close Me:

I consider myself a “Weekend and holiday photographer”.

I began my photographic activities back in the late 70’s, when I had my black & white lab at home, in a dark bathroom, down in the basement. I spent most of my time there, developing and printing my films from my “stolen” (in ’79) Fujica ST-901.
Then, a couple of years after the disappearance of my Fujica, I stopped taking photos.
Twenty years after, I rediscovered myself – photographically speaking - with a digital camera, an Olympus C3030z. Those were my most frantic years of photography – two years, I think: ’01 and ’02 – where I took photos almost every day, sharing them in several newly discovered photo sharing internet sites.
This became a passion!
Then, two or three years after the frenzy, I rediscovered film: I bought a used Nikon FM2 with a Nikkor 20mm wide-angle – wide-angle photography was a dream to me, back in the ‘70s – and a cool Nikkor 50mm and I became more – how can I say it? – adult. (Without loosing my needs to discover and innovate).

“People” was – and still is – my preferred photographic subject. As I use to say “I don’t know how to take landscape photos”. I can say that my favourite photographic scene is: a loaded camera in my hand and surrounded by people available to be photographed. That’s enough.

After the death of my FM2, I bought a brand new Nikon FM3a with a couple of lenses – a Nikkor 24mm F:2,0 and a 35mm F:2,0 – that is my “war camera” that follows me everywhere. Then, I tried medium-format with my – I still have it - Bronica SQai for some portraits and tried to use it in some “unfriendly” ambiances for a medium-format heavy camera – not so successfully – like popular festivities. I still continue to use the beautiful 6x6 format, now with my Mamiya 6. And I “discovered” myself in the panoramic format with my Hasselblad Xpan. I like to use it often.

I’ve done a couple of exhibitions in Portugal and participated in some collective exhibitions, also in Portugal. I’ve published photos in a book and I’ve created several books in a self-printing site. Since 2002 I own a photographic portal where my friends, other photographers – which form a tight community -, share their photos with and this generates a regularly updated blog; and I have my own blog. Oh, yes, I've also planted a tree - not only one: lots! - and I have two lovely daughters.

I need more time – and more money - to travel… and I would like the weekend to have 5 days – minimum.