Premium/ A day chasing light at Pateira de Fermentelos (VIDEO)
I arrived at Pateira de Fermentelos around midday, Fuji X-T2 in hand, along with my trusty XF14mm and XF18-55mm lenses. This wasn’t my first visit; I had been here with friends who shared the same passion for photography. The familiarity of the place brought a comforting sense of nostalgia.
The sun hung high in the sky as I began scouting for the perfect locations to shoot. This initial period of exploration is crucial—it allows me to plan my afternoon and ensure I capture the best scenes the area has to offer. With locations picked out, it was time for a break. I found a quiet spot to eat my lunch and took the opportunity to review my plans on Google Maps, confirming the sites I wanted to visit and the distances between them.
The afternoon sun was relentless, casting harsh shadows and intense highlights, which isn’t ideal for landscape photography. Yet, the challenge excited me. The vast expanse of the lake glittered under the clear sky, while the surrounding trees stood tall, their leaves whispering in the gentle breeze. I framed shots of wooden structures weathered by time, their textures rich with stories, and boats that lay lazily by the shore, waiting for their next adventure on the water.
He reminisced about the days when he started out with a basic camera and gradually upgraded his gear as his passion for photography grew. Now, he was standing with his trusted companion, the Fujifilm X-T2 camera paired with the Fuji XF18-55mm lens. Despite its age, the camera had proven to be reliable time and again, capturing stunning images with each click of the shutter.
Despite the less-than-perfect conditions, I managed to capture the essence of the scene, each photograph a testament to the serene beauty of Pateira de Fermentelos. The late afternoon light began to soften, and a golden hue started to paint everything it touched, transforming the landscape into a warm, inviting tapestry.
As the sun sank lower, the magic hour arrived. The light was still ample enough to shoot handheld, and the golden tones added a dreamy quality to the photos. I wandered through the area, capturing trees with their branches reaching out like ancient guardians, and wooden structures that seemed almost alive in the soft light. Boats cast long shadows on the water, creating a dance of light and dark that was mesmerizing.
When the sun began its descent towards the horizon, I set up my tripod and attached a graduated neutral density filter to my lens. This was to balance the exposure between the bright sky and the darker foreground, ensuring the photos retained detail in both areas. The sky was a canvas of warm colors, shifting from deep oranges to soft pinks and purples, each moment more breathtaking than the last.
As the sun dipped below the horizon, the scene transformed once again. The golden glow was replaced by the soft blues of twilight, and the lake mirrored the sky’s fading light. The air was filled with the soothing sounds of nature—the chirping of birds, the rustling of leaves, and the gentle lapping of water against the shore.
The stillness of the moment was profound. The only movement came from the occasional ripple in the water or the flutter of a bird taking flight. The scent of nature was intoxicating. Standing there, with my camera capturing the final moments of the day, I felt a deep connection to the landscape around me.
As darkness fell, I packed up my gear, each photo a memory frozen in time, reflecting the beauty and tranquility of Pateira de Fermentelos. This day reminded me why I fell in love with photography in the first place—the ability to capture the fleeting moments of beauty and preserve them forever.
2. Fuji X-T2 . Fuji XF14mmF2.8 . F/5.6 . 1/340″ . ISO 200
Be sure to watch the behind-the-scenes video at the end of the article!
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