Ger阺, River Homem valley, a photo from Braga, North

Photographer's Note

Here it's another oldie, from a slide film roll that aged too badly, something a bit sad to me, as I was very fond of some of the landscape captures of it.

The B&W was the only option, as the colors are completely lost, with only a bit of green and blue left from the original, and much purple as a result of the age.

It was shot in the valley of the river Homem (homem is the portuguese word for man), an area that is completely deserted, with no habitations in sight anywhere, something rare in this part of North Portugal. The river source is some few Kms away, strangely very close to the top of a mountain. The area is part of the Peneda-Ger阺 National Park, which is the only national park in Portugal, the oldest portuguese protected area and one of the most scenic ones. Don't get wrong ideas, we have several protected areas, namely some that are called "natural parks", however the classification 'national' is reserved for areas with little or none human intervention, or where this intervention had little impact on the original natural habitats and landscapes. I like to think that we still have other areas that could fit that classification, but for its small dimension most of them are called "natural reserves" or "integral reserves", most of these being inside "natural parks".

Some links with info.:
- Wikipedia/Ger阺.
- Oficial site (in portuguese).

Donald, parbo, lucasgalodoido, robertosalguero, xuaxo, paura has marked this note useful

Critiques | Translate

wautersw (3647) 2006-11-28 16:32

Hi Jose

As you point out, picture quality is not that good but I like the composition. It's a great place and I intend to spend my holidays there (In the Minho region) next summer.

So maybe...

TFS

Wolf

Donald (136) 2006-11-28 19:29

Hi Jose, yes its very sad when our old film photos are fadeing away and yet I have ones that are so very old not taken by me, but thay are still fairly good. I hope that digital will last for ever?.
It was still as good capture Comp POV DOF so now you will have to go back there some day and take it once again my friend.
Regards
Donald

parbo (11092) 2006-11-29 17:44

Ol� Jose,

Your slide is still in good position for me again. B&W work is adding great value and helping to focus excellent textures on rocks. River bed has interesting shape and path. Volume of water must be powerful there. Podgy green plants on ridges are completes desert atmosphere there. Congratulations.

Friendly Regards,

Ertugrul

lucasgalodoido (27698) 2006-11-29 22:51

Ol� Jos�!
A escolha do tom P&B deixou a foto mais interessante, pois ela nos deixa a imaginar como ser� essa paisagem, as cores! Parece ser bem bonito!
Parab閚s e Abra鏾!

robertosalguero (292) 2006-12-11 1:38

Too bad the picture deteriorated to much Jose. I would love to see the color version. Nice landscape with the rock in the foreground opening the view for the mountains in the back. Good capture and it does create a different atmosphere. Cheers :-)

Roberto

xuaxo (6854) 2007-10-15 5:10

Ol� Jos�,
Realmente esta d� uma ideia errada do Ger阺 em termos da beleza em vegeta玢o (que falta na foto). Mas a beleza natural tamb閙 � isto. Este preto-e-branco acabou por real鏰r bem a "for鏰" destas rochas.
Quanto a que the classification 'national' is reserved for areas with little or none human intervention, or where this intervention had little impact on the original natural habitats and landscapes, onde � que foste buscar esta ideia? At� podes ter ido 鄐 defini珲es oficiais, mas acho-a muito esquisita, pois acho que n鉶 se consegue aplicar ao PN Peneda-Ger阺 e eventualmente at� se aplicar� mais noutros parques naturais. Aquela defini玢o aplica-se bem � aos parques nacionais nos EUA, lugares onde a wilderness � um aspecto essencial. Realmente, em Portugal n鉶 entendo a diferen鏰 entre parque nacional e parques naturais.
E depois ainda h� aquelas "醨eas de paisagem protegida" que foram "promovidas" a "parque natural". Esquisito. Se n鉶 tinhal caracter韘ticas de parque natural, como � que passaram a ter? Derrubaram casas? N鉶, antes pelo contr醨io.
Eu de vez em quando desisto de tentar entender as coisas em Portugal, mas depois tenho uma "reca韉a" :-)
Um abra鏾, F.

paura (25802) 2007-11-12 16:54

Jos�,
Aqui dou o desconto por se tratar de foto escaneada. Mas as formas s鉶 realmente interessantes, como tamb閙 � o ponto de tomada, olhando de baixo para cima.

Abra鏾

Paulo