Porto, Portugal – Guest Post Part Two
by Ken MacAdams
Ken is a traveling man and uses Lumix gear during his travels. Ken will share some of his travel photography and stories here on Successful-Photographer as he has in the past. Ken’s camera of choice is Panasonic’s flagship stills camera the Lumix G9 with the Leica DG Vario-ELMARIT Professional Lens, 12-60MM, F2.8-4.0
We made a day trip out into the beautiful, hilly, wine region to the east of Porto. Vineyards cling to the sometimes steep hillsides bordering the meandering Douro River. Old World cities cling to these hillsides also, as the narrow road snakes its way inland. We stopped at one of the vineyards along the way for a tour and wine tasting experience. A narrow road switch-backed us from the river side to the establishment set high up on the hillside. Views up and down the river valley revealed terraced vines as far as the eye could see. Inside, the guide explained the different types of port wines – white, red, tawny, and rose. For the different varieties of grapes there is a different aging processes for the wines, with some aged in wooden casks, others in bottles. We were led deep underground, into their wine cellar, and allowed to walk between rows of neatly stacked wooden casks. Another area housed thousands of bottles of port wine, all quietly aging away! Climbing back up from the cellar, we entered a tasting room, where several different varieties were uncorked for our sampling.
Douro Valley vineyards with the town of Sabrosa in the background
Back in the 1700’s, the wines processed inland by the different vintners was transported downriver to Porto in large casks on Rabelo boats, small river-going boats. The casks were stored in warehouses along the river in Porto, called “lodges”. The port wine often aged here for years before being loaded onto ocean going ships which transported them primarily to England, or to final markets in Europe. Modern dams on the river make this shipping process impossible today. Many of the original “lodges” in Porto along the river have been converted into wine tasting establishments. You can still see replicas of the historic boats, complete with wine casks, in many of the old riverside cities that dot the banks of the Douro River, as well as in the Ribeira district in Porto.
The River Douro with vineyards clinging to the hillsides
It was late in the night when we returned to Porto, but our travel experiences up through the Douro Valley were priceless. We’d seen history, tasted the famous Port wines, and walked among the vineyards. We could have easily stayed in a villa back in the valley, but other destinations in Portugal beckoned.
Ken MacAdams – “I grew up with a darkroom in my basement…so all the old film skills were my friend when digital came on the scene. Funny thing happened…photography just got more interesting as digital posed new challenges! While I loved the characteristic sounds and smells of the old wet-process darkroom days, I wouldn’t go back!”
Ken has always loved to travel, so when he made a common connection with the fact that either a long day pounding the streets of some foreign city, or shooting the last dance at a wedding, a good part of his physical weariness came from lugging around my big heavy DSLR. That’s when he started looking at alternatives – and ended up selecting Panasonic Lumix Micro Four Thirds gear.
Ken is rarely without a camera, and the next great photo travel experience – whether local or abroad – is always in the back of his mind! A longtime resident of the Four Corners, and when he’s not out on the road, he enjoys some of the great outdoor opportunities found there – mountain biking, hiking, and Jeeping.
I’m always told how lucky I am to live in a beautiful place. Living in Sedona gives me some wonderful chances to make images that are just a bit different than others. Different is good. It attracts attention because of the red rocks and scenery. BUT, the beautiful view does not guarantee a beautiful photo. It only ensures a superb photo opportunity.
It’s about light, composition, shadow and more
I often remind people to remember that it is about the light. It’s about the composition. It’s about the shadows. It’s about all of these things and more. All of these items when appropriately assembled into frame take a beautiful scene and make it memorable. Do I always accomplish this? Hell no! But, lots of the fun is in the trying.
Here are a couple of images from hikes a couple days ago. These are from Bell Rock Vista in the Village of Oak Creek just south of Sedona where the red rocks reaching to the heavens begin. Think of the Grand Canyon upside down.
Here is the middle exposure from a bracket
With the image above we have detail in the shadows and the highlights, but overall it appears flat and relatively uninteresting even though it is a beautiful subject. I photographed a five-stop exposure bracket because I knew there wouldn’t be enough exposure range in a single capture due to the deep shadow area and the sunlit highlights.
Using two separate exposures and blending with Aurora HDR 2018
Post-processing Rocks!
The processed image above was more as the eye would see it. The eye’s pupil opens and closes depending upon the amount of light it is viewing. We have more detail and color in the shadow areas and better color and detail in the sunlit area including the sky. In my opinion, the image only begins with the capture in camera. Post-processing is necessary to complete the vision and to show the scene as the artist wishes it.
Tiny flowers with a skim of sunlight caressing the blooms
See the Light
The flower image shows how just a small shaft of the sun can highlight a subject and break it away from the background.
My shooting kit for a general walkabout hike is the Lumix G9 with the Leica DG Vario-ELMARIT Professional Lens, 12-60MM, F2.8-4.0 . I also have a * Think Tank Mirrorless Mover 20 belt pack with some extension tubes (used on the flower image above) and an extra battery. Also, sometimes I’ll have an extra lens or two.
If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to ask.
Yours in Creative Photography, Bob
* I’ve had this camera bag for over five years and use it constantly, and it hardly shows any signs of wear and tear.
First Friday in Sedona
Featured Artist at The Gallery of Modern Masters
I told you I had some news… And here it is.
I’ll be the featured artist at The Gallery of Modern Masters for the month of September. First Friday in Sedona will mark the opening of my new work being displayed. September 7th you are invited to join us for some wine and light hors’ dourves from 5 PM til 8 PM.
There will be new pieces on display for the first time. It turns out I must be in my ‘Gold Period’. Most of the new imagery features golden tones. Didn’t really think about it it just kind of turned out that way. Must be in honor of the fall season. I chat with Tom Taback of KAZM about my art and process for its creation. You can listen to the 20-minute KAZM Radio show Tech Talk from August 28th below.
Tech Talk on KAZM August 28, 2018
New work being prepped for Gallery of Modern Masters Show
Friday, September seventh 5 PM – 8 PM
Gallery of Modern Masters
671 State Route 179
(Hillside Sedona)
Sedona, Arizona 86336
928-282-3313 Toll-free 888-282-3313
Ken is a traveling man and uses Lumix gear during his travels. Ken will share some of his travel photography and stories here on Successful-Photographer as he has in the past. Ken’s camera of choice is Panasonic’s flagship stills camera the Lumix G9 with the Leica DG Vario-ELMARIT Professional Lens, 12-60MM, F2.8-4.0
Heeeeere’s Ken!
Porto is a coastal city in northwest Portugal known for its port wine and stately bridges. In the medieval riverside Ribeira district, narrow, hilly cobbled streets wind past merchants’ cafes and houses. Close by is the Dom Luis I Bridge, a double deck metal arch bridge that was designed by Gustav Eiffel, the same man who designed Paris’ famous Eiffel Tower. Spanning the River Douro between the cities of Porto and Vila Nova de Gaia, this unique bridge offers great views of the river and city. You can walk across either level of the bridge, but most of the activity takes place on the streets adjoining the lower level, or riverside.
While on the Vila Nova de Gaia city side, or south side of the river, we turned down Avenida Diogo Leite, a street paralleling the River Douro. This street is lined with a multitude of sidewalk cafes, and numerous wine tasting establishments. Settling in at one of the sidewalk cafes, we enjoyed the views of watercraft plying the River Douro, with the hillside city of Porto in the background.
Cafes and housing in the old Riberia district, Porto.
While history tells us it was the Romans – early conquerors of this land – that introduced the first grapevines to this area, it was the Brits who championed port. The significance of the wine producing Douro area dates back hundreds of years. When England was at war with France in the early 1700’s, English merchants began importing wine from this region, for the deprived English wine drinkers of French wines. British importers realized the need for a smooth fortified wine that would not only appeal to English palates but would also survive the trip to London.
Wine Cellar
Port wine is typically richer, sweeter, and higher in alcohol content than unfortified wines. This is caused by the addition of distilled grape spirits to fortify the wine and halt fermentation before all the sugar is converted to alcohol, and results in a wine that is usually 19% to 20% alcohol. The grapes aren’t grown in Porto itself, but in the region extending inland up the Douro River Valley.
To be continued next Friday. Porto, Portugal – Part Two
Ken MacAdams – “I grew up with a darkroom in my basement…so all the old film skills were my friend when digital came on the scene. Funny thing happened…photography just got more interesting as digital posed new challenges! While I loved the characteristic sounds and smells of the old wet-process darkroom days, I wouldn’t go back!”
Ken has always loved to travel, so when he made a common connection with the fact that either a long day pounding the streets of some foreign city, or shooting the last dance at a wedding, a good part of his physical weariness came from lugging around my big heavy DSLR. That’s when he started looking at alternatives – and ended up selecting Panasonic Lumix Micro Four Thirds gear.
Ken is rarely without a camera, and the next great photo travel experience – whether local or abroad – is always in the back of his mind! A longtime resident of the Four Corners, and when he’s not out on the road, he enjoys some of the great outdoor opportunities found here – mountain biking, hiking, and Jeeping.
Bob Coates of Bob Coates Photography is honored by peers and jurors for high-quality photography
Sedona, AZ – Bob Coates was named a Siler and a Bronze Medalist during Professional Photographers of America’s 2018 International Photographic Competition. Coates’ work will be on display at the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta, Georgia, Jan. 20-22, 2019. This International Photographic Exhibit will be held in conjunction with Imaging USA, an annual convention and expo for professional photographers.
Bob Coates of Bob Coates Photography
A panel of 32 eminent jurors from across the United States selected the top photographs from 5,073 total submitted entries at Gwinnett Technical College in Georgia. Judged against a standard of excellence, 2,622 images were selected for the General Collection and 513 (roughly 10 percent) were selected for the esteemed Loan Collection—the best of the best. The Loan Collection images will all be published in the much-anticipated “Loan Collection” book and over 365 selected General Collection images will be published in the “Showcase” book by Marathon Press.
Two new medals came in the mail this week from PPA!
The level of the award is determined by how many of those four images receive the highest possible honor: acceptance into the PPA Loan Collection, which is displayed at photographic exhibitions, conventions and other photography events. Coates was named a Silver Medalist in the Photographic Open Category, meaning that one of his four merited images entered the PPA Loan Collection. Coates was also a Bronze Medalist in the Artist Category with all four of his submitted images earning a Merit score.
About PPA:
Professional Photographers of America (PPA) is the largest international non-profit association created by professional photographers, for professional photographers. Almost as long-lived as photography itself, PPA’s roots date back to 1869. It assists 30,000 members through protection, education, and resources for their continued success. See how PPA helps photographers Be More at PPA.com
For infrared conversion of my cameras I use LifePixel. Infrared allows you to put an older camera to use and opens up a new time time of day for productive image creation.
Learn Photoshop in a fun environment. Aaron Nace applies the right amount of fun with easy to understand and follow tutorials. Actions and brushes are included with lessons!
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Rural vineyards as far as the eye can see
Douro Valley vineyards with the town of Sabrosa in the background
The River Douro with vineyards clinging to the hillsides
digital came on the scene. Funny thing happened…photography just got more interesting as digital posed new challenges! While I loved the characteristic sounds and smells of the old wet-process darkroom days, I wouldn’t go back!”
