chair formation

chair formation, originally uploaded by julioc. © 2007 All rights reserved by JulioC.

Aperture: f/2.8
Exposure: 1/60 sec.

Deviant

Deviant, originally uploaded by julioc. © 2006 All rights reserved JulioC.

Aperture: f/2.8
Exposure: 1/60 sec.

Anthurium Araceae
Quinta das Cruzes gardens, Funchal - Madeira (Portugal)

, originally uploaded by julioc. © 2007 All rights reserved JulioC.

Aperture: f/5.2
Exposure: 1/640 sec.

Another of my beloved sunsets, as seen from my west side balcony.

father and daughter

Carnaval 2007 #27, originally uploaded by julioc. © 2007 All rights reserved JulioC.

Aperture: f/4.6
Exposure: 1/200 sec.

2007 Carnival Parade in Loulé (Algarve - Portugal)

... the sky is done

working, originally uploaded by julioc.

© 2007 All rights reserved by JulioC.

Aperture: f/6.5
Exposure: 1/1000 sec.

In fact, this man is painting the wall, not the sky :-)
He uses lime (calcium oxide) instead of white paint. It's very typical in the Algarve (Portugal) to paint the traditional houses with lime. With this method the light from the sun is more efficiently reflected, helping the houses to keep cool.

Panoramic marina

, originally uploaded by julioc.

© 2006 All rights reserved JulioC.

Faro's little Marina - Algarve - Portugal (best viewed large)
Panoramic image using 'Panorama Maker 3' (5 photos)

Natural instincts

Natural instincts v2, originally uploaded by julioc.

© 2007 All rights reserved by JulioC.

Aperture: f/3.7
Exposure: 1/125 sec.

Dorsay

Dorsay, originally uploaded by julioc.

© 2007 All rights reserved by JulioC.

Aperture: f/3.7
Exposure: 1/125 sec.

One of the huge clocks of the D'Orsay museum, in Paris.
This building once was a train station, and now, as museum, it shows the largest impressionist painting collection ever seen.

Free as a bird

Free as a bird, originally uploaded by julioc.

© 2007 All rights reserved by JulioC.

Aperture: f/5.6
Exposure: 1/250 sec.

Orton effect made in Photoshop CS2.

A guide to Orton Imagery: Nature Photographers

How to do it in: Photoshop and Paint Shop Pro

Resting for tomorrow

Resting for tomorrow, originally uploaded by julioc.

© 2007 All rights reserved by JulioC.

Aperture: f/4
Exposure: 1/160 sec.

Marina de Olhão - Algarve - Portugal in a calm and cold afternoon...

Light petals

Light petals, originally uploaded by julioc.

© 2007 All rights reserved by JulioC.

Aperture: f/2.8
Exposure: 1/60 sec.

the wall

surfing against the wall, originally uploaded by julioc.

© 2007 All rights reserved by JulioC.

Aperture: f/3.7
Exposure: 1/125 sec.

Specially uploaded to enter the 13th CY Special Challenge - Theme: Out of place

Why I consider it an "Out of place" photo: this girl is in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean in a very small island called Porto Santo (Madeira Islands - Portuguese territory), but she's using a wirelless internet connection as if she were in any continental city. Furthermore, she's near the beach, in a small park, in a rainy day...

Carnaval

Carnaval 2007 #24, originally uploaded by julioc.

© 2007 All rights reserved by JulioC.

Aperture: f/8
Exposure: 1/200 sec.

Marina

, originally uploaded by julioc.

© 2007 All rights reserved by JulioC.

Faro's little Marina - Algarve - Portugal (best viewed large)
Panoramic image using 'Panorama Maker 3' (5 photos)

Windmill silhouette

Windmill silhouette, originally uploaded by julioc.

© 2007 All rights reserved by JulioC.

Aperture: f/5.6
Exposure: 1/640 sec.

Lily of the Nile

Lily of the Nile, originally uploaded by julioc.

© 2007 All rights reserved by JulioC.

Zantedeschia aethiopica (Lily of the Nile or Calla Lily) - is an ornamental plant of Zantedeschia genus in Araceae family. Also commonly known as the Arum Lily, although the plant is neither a true Arum (genus Arum) nor a lily (genus Lilium), but so named as the flowers resemble those of the Arums.

Contemplation

Contemplation, originally uploaded by julioc.

© 2007 All rights reserved by JulioC.

Aperture: f/5
Exposure: 1/640 sec.

Sneaking

sneaking, originally uploaded by julioc.

© 2007 All rights reserved by JulioC.

Aperture: f/3.3
Exposure: 1/125 sec.

Madeira Island (Portugal) - Palace Gardens

S.Lourenço

S.Lourenço, originally uploaded by julioc.

© 2007 All rights reserved by JulioC.

Aperture: f/5.6
Exposure: 1/500 sec.

Madeira Island (Portugal) - Ponta de S.Lourenço

Taken from the Ferryboat ("The Sea Lion") that leaves Madeira, daily, to Porto Santo.

Soft Parade

Soft Parade, originally uploaded by julioc.

© 2007 All rights reserved by JulioC.

Aperture: f/3.3
Exposure: 1/500 sec.

Urban bumble-bee

Urban bumble-bee #3, originally uploaded by julioc.

© 2007 All rights reserved by JulioC.

Aperture: f/5.2
Exposure: 1/500 sec.

The church guardian

The church guardian 2, originally uploaded by julioc.

© 2007 All rights reserved by JulioC.

Aperture: f/4.6
Exposure: 1/500 sec.

Almond dreams

Almond dreams, originally uploaded by julioc.

© 2007 All rights reserved by JulioC.

Aperture: f/5.6
Exposure: 1/800 sec.

Almond tree flowers (Algarve - Portugal)

The Legend:

When the Moors inhabited the Algarve, long time ago, before there was a Portuguese Kingdom, there was a Moorish King who married a beautiful girl named Gilda, from the North of Europe.

She was so marvellous and beautiful that everybody named her “ The Northern Beauty”, and therefore it was no wonder that the king, a tanned, brave and courageous warrior wanted her for his wife.

In spite of all the festivities in honour of their wedding, sadness invaded the princess Gilda’s spirit. Not even the most expensive gifts from his husband evoked the slightest smile in her face: “The Northern Beauty” was longing for her land.

One day Gilda confessed her husband that she badly missed the fields all white, covered with snow. For fear of loosing her dearest wife, the king had a great idea. He ordered everybody to plant almond trees all over the country, so that next Spring, the trees all bloomed with white flowers.

The good king, filled with love told his wife:

“Gilda, come with me to the highest tower and you will contemplate a wonderful sight!”

As soon as the Queen reached the top of the tower, she clapped her hands and laughed of happiness, when she saw all the fields covered with white, believing it was snow.

“Look how Alah was good to you. Your desires were accomplished.”

The Queen was so happy that soon she had recovered. The sadness went away, and Gilda was very happy with the King who truly loved her. In fact every Spring she could contemplate from her tower, the land covered with white flowers, that looked just like her country covered with snow.

Carmo's silhouette

Originally uploaded by julioc.

© 2007 All rights reserved JulioC.

Aperture: f/4
Exposure: 0.006 sec (1/160)

Carmo's Church silhouette (Faro - Algarve - Portugal), as viewed from my balcony.

Treasure roof

© 2007 All rights reserved by JulioC.

Treasure roof, originally uploaded by julioc.

Aperture: f/5.6
Exposure: 0.002 sec (1/640)

Treasure Roof detail at Faro's Old Town (Algarve - Portugal)

Treasure roofs (Telhados de Tesouro) are distinctive triangular roofs with 45º angle. They are Indo-Portuguese legacy. This roofs begin to be seen in the Algarve in the 16th century, though they are still built in the 18th century. It's variety of shapes and sizes gives Faro a unique townscape.

Faro at dawn

© 2007 All rights reserved by JulioC.

Originally uploaded by julioc.

Aperture: f/2.8
Exposure: 0.125 sec (1/8)

bug on skin

© 2007 All rights reserved by JulioC.

bug on skin, originally uploaded by julioc.

Aperture: f/4
Exposure: 0.005 sec (1/200)

... after eating one of my flowers, I decided he could pay the damage with a short photo session :-)

orton beach scene

© 2007 All rights reserved by JulioC.

orton beach scene, originally uploaded by julioc.

Aperture: f/4.6
Exposure: 0.002 sec (1/500)

My first 'Orton effect' attempt. Made in Photoshop CS2.

A guide to Orton Imagery: Nature Photographers

How to do it in: Photoshop and Paint Shop Pro