Distant Lines on the Horizon
Landscape photographs taken in Northern Portugal are displayed in a non-chronological order. No post-coloring is applied, the colors are natural. Shot with Canon 600D and a Sigma Objective (18-250mm).
Photographing Lisbon Pt. I
A few months have passed since I left Lisbon. I stayed there for the past autumn and winter working and traveling. As much as I could, I used the weekends for photography, roaming the busy streets of the Portuguese capital trying to capture its spirit on film (well not really, on an SD card). Life has moved on, but the buzzing trams and friendly people of this great town still seem close to me.
On a Farm in the Midst of the Sea
Amid the Atlantic Ocean, between the land masses of North America and Europe, there are some sprinkled islands of volcanic origin called the Azores. If you want to find them on a map, you probably need a pair of glasses. While they seem to disappear in the vast blue surrounding them, the inhabitants have withstood the forces of the ocean for many hundreds of years already, mainly living off agriculture carried out on the island’s rich volcanic soil. Products from the Azores, like milk and cheese, are well known for their quality in mainland Portugal, where the nine islands belong politically. Also, there is some tourism. Since 2015, Ryan Air has been operating flights to the islands from Lisbon and Porto. We seized the opportunity with a friend and took a flight to the main island of São Miguel. We traveled the island primarily by bike and public busses. Cruising through green landscapes, passing by cattle, visiting small villages, and meeting friendly people. Always on the canvas of a vast, endless ocean.
Architecture of Lisbon
Shot in 2015.
Riders of the Atlantic
Shot on the shore of the Atlantic Ocean. Portugal, 2015.
Discovering Cyprus
The last time Cyprus was featured was about a divided island. Though the political situation is complicated, I recommend visiting both parts of the island. So, I won’t differentiate between the Turkish and the Greek parts in the following gallery. Pictures 5, 6, and 7 need some background: After the Ottoman conquest of Cyprus, former Gothic Cathedrals were converted into Mosques. Interestingly, some were not destroyed, and only minor changes were made (like the destruction of angel figures due to the ban on images in Islam). The altar was displaced within the church so the believers could pray in the direction of Mekka. According to Ottoman traditions, the former Cathedrals had carpets, and the inner church was painted white. Though inside as well as outside, you still see the Christian heritage. The clean and bright style of Islamic religious decoration combined with the dark and gothic severe style makes for a thoroughly fascinating combination.
Michael Hoffman Photography 