Photography at its best in Sintra

Sintra is a challenge to photographers. A challenge well worth attempting, as once it is succeeded it is really worth the while. And it is fun trying.  The nature is sepectacular.  The architecture phenomenal. The fantastic light makes it a challenge.






The green and the mist of the mountain.  The colors and architecture of the villages. The wild strength of the coast line. The splendour and uniqueness of the architecture.  The poetry of the sceanery.
Winding roads. Overgrown passages. Granite boulders casting their shadow.  Splashing waterfalls. Rising 
mist. Ivy covering the tree trunks.  Groups of bicycles climbing up and down the mountain.  Bread being delivered at the early morning hours. Vendors setting up the antique stalls. Surfers waiting for THAT wave.

The sunrise burning through the morning mist.  The sunset painting the mountain orange in the summer. The winter winds bringing the promise of the spring flowers.

This is Sintra, and all of it is worth the picture.  All of it lends itself beautifully to be photographed. Every day in every season there are people tempting to freeze the moment.  Yet it is impossible.  After 25 years in Sintra, I get more and more enthused about the nature, the surroundings - all of it, and try to capture it in film. Sintra is the mecca of photography.  The coolest thing is the special light of Sintra.  I race to the mountain in the mornings to catch the special mist, and I might say I am not the only one.  I irritate my dog on our walks as I stop to take yet one more shot.  I walk a lot, and I still get excited, 25 years after my move here.

 It is easy to understand why a photograph
enthusiast, a mere tourist as well as a professional, would lose himself in pursuit of the perfect picture in Sintra.   There are endless inspirations for a picture - color, shapes, texture. For every style and every theme, Sintra has that something.

At Casa do Valle we have an opportunity to practice creative photography this March/April with the lead of a Finnish photographer Roy Roos for a week. One week of learning and creating photography focusing on the skill and nothing else. The week's leader Roy is an internationally published and shown photographer.   He has lived in Sintra, so in addition to the knowing the technical aspects, Roy knows the places to go for that extra special picture. The purpose of the week is for everyone to find his style and to develop as a photographer. For more information on this, check out this short video presentation.

The pictures on this entry  have been taken by me, on my normal camera.  Nothing special.  But it gives you the idea of what to expect to take pictures of here.  If you like photography, do check out the pages of photographers like Roy Roos, Emigus or Nuno Trindade, all of whom have beautiful albums on Sintra.

For more in formation, contact me at Casa do Valle (info@casadovalle.com) or Matkamieli in Finland (info@matkamieli.fi).  Or to satisfy your curisosity faster, check out the video!