São Pedro fireworks

Fireworks of Saint Pedro holidays with the Arrábida bridge being a part of a scenery.

A story behind: São Pedro da Afurada (or simply Afurada) is a small locality in the city of Vila Nova de Gaia in Portugal. It has 3,442 inhabitants. São Pedro ( Saint Peter ) is a local holiday with processions, a lot of music and ... the best fireworks sound and light show in the Northern Portugal.



Location: Douro River, Porto, Portugal.

Gear: Nikon D700, tripod.

Aperture: f/11

Exposure bias: +0,7 EV

Focal Length: 22 mm

ISO:400

Date Taken: Saturday, June 29th, 2013, 00:09

Maciek.

Annual Barco Rabelo boat race

Annual Barco Rabelo boat race on the Douro river. Click to enlarge.

A story behind: Early afternoon. A strong harsh light shining along the Douro River. The barco rabelos, now only a tourist attraction, are old wooden boats which once carried the port wine from the upper Douro river to city of Porto. Each Port wine producer still owns such a boat. 
Each year on the 25th of June they sail and race from the mouth of the Douro river up 5 kilometers to the center of the old town.

Location: Porto, Arrábida Bridge, Portugal.

Gear: Nikon D700, Nikon 70-300 mm,

Aperture: f/8

Exposure bias: -0,3 EV

Focal Length: 82 mm

ISO: 200

Date Taken: Monday, June 24th, 2013, 15:26

Maciek.

A late afternoon at the Tuscan hills

Rolling Tuscan hills near Pienza, Italy. Click to enlarge.

A story behind: Late afternoon. A fading light has given the Tuscan rolling hills a third dimension.

Location: near Pienza, Tuscany, Italy.

Gear: Nikon D700, Nikon 70-300 mm,

Aperture: f/5,3

Exposure bias: -0,3 EV

Focal Length: 200 mm

ISO: 320

Date Taken: Saturday, June 8rd, 2013, 17:53

Maciek.

Chefchaouen - a blue city.

A story behind: Chefchaouen is blue. All the houses and stores are blue-rinsed. This is one of the prettiest sites in Morocco.

As I was wondering the narrow streets of the old town early in the morning I spotted this woman wearing a traditional red jelaba. I quickly took the shot. The moment lasted 2 seconds and she was gone.

Location: Northern Morocco.

Gear: Nikon D700, Nikon 16-35 mm.

ISO: 2000

Exposure bias: -0,3 EV

Focal Length: 16 mm

Date Taken: May 5rd, 2013, 07:10

Maciek.

The white mosque

A story behind: A late afternoon. Sunset over the small town of Merzouga, Morocco, as seen from the desert. A white mosque. On the horizon the anti-atlas mountains.

Location: Erg Chebbi, Merzouga, Morocco.

Gear: Nikon D700, Nikon 70-300 mm,

Aperture: f/10

Exposure bias: -0,3 EV

Focal Length: 300 mm

ISO: 320

Date Taken: Thursday, May 2rd, 2013, 20:00

Maciek.

Merzouga

A story behind: Very early morning. Just a few minutes after the sunrise. Cold wind blowing west from the Algerian border. 

A camel caravan passing the dunes of the Erg Chebbi.

I used the F-stop of 10 just to gain maximum sharpness. I shoot against the light to maximize the contrasts on the dunes. 
Plese click on the image to get a full screen preview.
Photo on the front page of : http://www.fotocommunity.com/

Location: Merzouga, Morocco.

Gear: Nikon D700, Nikon 70-300 mm,

Aperture: f/10

Exposure bias: -0,3 EV

Focal Length: 300 mm

ISO: 320

Date Taken: Friday, May 3rd, 2013, 06:31

Maciek.

Early April in our garden

Last days of Gardenia flowers. Wild strawberry.

A choice

A story behind: Those who choose to succeed always do better than those who never choose at all.
Early morning Monday picture of the Sado River fishing port in Carrasqueira, near Alcácer do Sal, Alentejo, Portugal.

Location: Sado river, Alentejo, 80 kilometers south of Lisbon, Portugal.

Gear: Nikon D700, ND hard 10 stops, tripod.

Aperture: f/20

Exposure bias: +0,3 EV

Focal Length: 16 mm

ISO: 50

Date Taken: Monday, March 25th, 2013, 12:09

Maciek.

Flores Island. The interior.

Near Caldeira Seca, Flores Island, Portugal.

A story behind:  This is how the interior of the Flores island looks like: a huge caldera that hosts 7 lagoons. Averaging 500 meters above the ocean level, the plateau is bounded by the rim of the not-so-old volcano walls. The volcanic island is relatively young. It appeared only 20 000 years ago. That is why it has a landscape filled with deep valleys and high peaks, lagoons bordered by steep cliffs carved by grottoes.  
Flores (Flowers) takes is names due to a great profusion of wild flowers.
In 2009, Flores was included on UNESCO's list of World Network of Biosphere Reserves at the Man and the Biosphere.

Gear: Nikon D700. Nikkor 16-35 mm. Handheld.

Aperture: f/8

Shutter speed: 1/250 sec

Exposure bias:-0,3 EV

Focal Length: 16 mm

ISO:500

Place taken:  Island of Flores, Portugal.
 

Date taken: Monday, March 4th, 2013, 13:15

Maciek.

Walking early in the morning. The westernmost part of Europe.

  Walking early in the morning. Near Cerdos, Flores Island, Portugal.

A story behind:  Another perfect morning. The first rays of sunlight after heavy night raining. Looking north toward the small village of Cerdos with the Corvo island on the horizon.
Flores island is the westernmost part of Europe.
Walking gives you instant energy and relaxes your mind. You feel a physical and spiritual upliftment with the morning walk. The chirping of birds, fresh air and a calm environment changes your perception and you reach from the everyday conscious mind to your highest level of mind. 
Even with the little light the full frame D700 with a 1250 iso speed produces a perfect image with no grain.

Gear: Nikon D700. Nikkor 16-35 mm. Handheld.

Aperture: f/5,6

Shutter speed: 1/250 sec

Exposure bias: 0 EV

Focal Length: 20 mm

ISO:1250

Place taken:  Near Cerdos, Island of Flores, Portugal.
 

Date taken: Sunday, March 3rd, 2013, 07:33

Maciek.