X-Pro1 – The Beach Town of Matosinhos

All the shots featured here are brought to you from the beach town of Matosinhos in Northern Portugal.

All taken with the X-Pro1 and the XF35 & Xf60

In keeping with my previous posts on seeing, shape and texture todays set of shots should demonstrate a variety of subjects each adhering to my narrative of looking around, preparing for a shot, looking for shapes, textures and moments

I’ve deliberately gone with a 50/50 split of Monochrome and Colour, to indicate the importance of being adaptable to either format.

Of course many photographers swear by one or the other, and everyone’s entitled to their own personal opinion – but sincerely, how can it not be a good thing to be well versed in either discipline?

Click on the pictures to be taken to larger versions on Flickr, with full exif

Sky Pipes

Two up (big ones) Two down (little ones) a drab wall under a vibrant sky. I wonder how many people have walked past this and not even noticed the pattern? Who cares – we notice things like this, we’re photographers, we SEE!

Twin Shadows

How can an apparently solid object make 2 shadows? How indeed! It’s the top of a post placed to warn pedestrians that they’re near the road. But to us, it’s shape, it’s texture, it’s contrast. (Do keep an eye out for traffic though)

Robbialac

I’ve truly no clue what ‘Robbialac’ was (or is) but I was immediately drawn to the light hitting the roof/signage, and the decay of the building.

Tram Lines

Well technically Metro Lines, but that doesn’t quite have the same ring to it, no?! Leading lines can draw the viewers eye into the picture, it works the same way that leading lines should draw the photographer’s eye into the shot as s/he composes it.

Sign Artist

I wonder… Did the graffiti artist purposefully replicate the blue & white of the one way sign in their work? I guess we’re never know.

Awaiting Warmth

Just because the sun shines, it’s not necessarily warm! This gives us a good opportunity to take shots in places that might otherwise be crowded, I mean that can work too, but in my opinion a bit of solitude never hurt a working photographer, or their shots!

Always Time For Cake

Of course the people don’t go away just because the warmth does, they go inside! There’s something about us humans… we often seem to forget that windows are two way! (How many times have you seen someone pick their nose whilst stopped at lights in their car?) Looking at people through glass can produce some candid scenes… But please, I implore you – show some respect, don’t be too cheeky with your camera!

Ancient Trees

A shot of shape and texture. In monochrome to accentuate the tones, I thought the twisted trees offset the old stone wall and the scene contained a good combination of tonal zones

Ocean View Café

I have a thing for reflections (If you’ve read more than five pages of this blog, then you’ll have probably figured that out!) Would you have noticed this? Please say yes! How would you have shot it? Without the window frame or (like I was) would you be happy to show the viewer where the real world stops and the reflected one starts? Would you have remembered the key thing here is to make sure your reflection is NOT in shot? Please say yes…

Beach Play

This one comes down to waiting for the moment (see my post Wait For It…) so I waited and waited.. and it didn’t come.. The wind was picking up, which meant the sand was… which is not so good for the camera… then just as I was about to call it a day… the 2 dogs and the windsurfer came together!

 
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