Macao in Coimbra I Photo

Photographer’s Note

This is Portugal dos Pequenitos (literally "Portugal of the Little Ones"), a popular theme park that features miniature replicas of some of the more representative monuments and architecture styles of the former Portuguese Colonial Empire and Portugal proper. When it was built, more than 60 years ago, the dictatorship that ruled the country pretended that Portugal spread itself from the North West of the Iberian Peninsula to East Timor, North of the Eastern Australia, with several provinces (at a certain time they stopped being officially called colonies to emphasize that they were considered as Portuguese as the others) in Africa, India and even a tiny possession in China, so the park was also a means of propaganda. Interestingly, the architect who designed the park, Cassiano Branco, one of the most remarkable of his generation, wasn't much loved by the regime.

A charming place for its naivety... :-)

This is the building representing Macao, a tiny Portuguese possession in China, near Honk-Kong, that was the last piece of the Empire to be "lost", in 1999. Well, maybe officially one can consider that actually it was East Timor, that only gained independence in 2002, but since it was occupied by Indonesia in 1975... The building on the background is outside the park.

No, definitely, I didn't use a polariser!

I posted a WS with another POV.

Here you have a link to all my TE posts of Coimbra

Location (latitude, longitude): 40.2029,-8.43442

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Update 6-Aug-2007 - Mainly for those who prefer the WS and those who mentioned a tilt or perspective problem:

I agree that the perspective is indeed awkward. I remember having tried to correct it and the post is actually a little better than the original. This is one of those rather tricky cases that only those much skilled can make it look "right".

As for the WS, I wouldn't have post it if I was sure that it was worse than the main post.

lucasgalodoido, Docarmo, Emile, siolaw, feather, Bluejeans, sarahnatalie, atus, Benedict, xuaxo, paura trouve(nt) cette note utile

Critiques | Translate

Turkmenbashi (101) 2007-08-01 15:39 [Comment]

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Docarmo (8844) 2007-08-01 20:28

Muito interessante este lugar, José. E sua nota está excelente, muito informativa. Concordo com o António, gostei mais do WS. Bela apresentação, no todo. Parabéns!
Maria do Carmo

Emile (20085) 2007-08-01 21:46

Hola Jose.
Muy buena foto con una estupenda composicion, los colores y tu punto de vista estan excelentes. La nota informativa esta magnifica.
Felicitaciones.
Nos vemos pronto si Dios quiere.

siolaw (25802) 2007-08-01 21:54

Ola Jose,
An interesting theme park well presented, with superb light and colors, and perfect sharpening. We get a taste of Chia in this picture! Do they have also some buildings of my place, Goa, who belonged to Portugal from 1510 to 1961?
Um abraco de Bangkok
Laurent

ribeiroantonio (21961) 2007-08-02 0:48

Já não me lembro da última vez que lá estive. Mas ainda me recordo de ser um local muito bonito.
Sem polarizador, esta foto ficou mesmo muito boa. As cores estão espectaculares e a nitidez está excelente. Muito bem.
Depois de ver o WS, parece-me que gosto mais da outra, tavez por não ter tanta a coisa para ver.
António

UnTrained (0) 2007-08-02 1:00

Olá José,
I first had a look at the date taken because of the missing green on the trees, it was March. Strong colours and contrast, good colours and fine light. For my point of view there is a bit too much in the capture, a bit problematic to focus on something. But looking at the critiques from the others this is for sure very personal. Therefore the workshop is more appealing for me.
Lieben Gruss, Ulf

feather (50070) 2007-08-02 3:15

I hope I'm not going to annoy you, but I prefer the WS again. Without the trees this one would definitely be the best composition. The building in the bg is attractive, the pagoda is a great addition and the side-on view of the dragon is an important part of the whole idea of the image, but I feel the trees are just too much of a distraction. In the WS the trees are filling up empty sky and framing the temple. The light is great on both and it's amazing you got that wonderful sky without a polariser. Your total presentation is good and educational.
Kath

Bluejeans (32945) 2007-08-02 5:25

Oi amigo gostei das duas composiçoes , mas gostei mais do WS , como ja tive em Macau a foto do Ws parece que foi la fotografada , podias mentir que acreditavam que tinhas ido a Macau ,as cores estão muito boas um ceu bem azul , gostei das sombras do contraste de cores , parabens!!!
Um abraço Gonçalo

lucasgalodoido (16751) 2007-08-02 10:44

Olá José!
Duas bonitas vistas desse local, a arquitetura é bela também, só achei muito escuras as fotos,(hoje meu monitor ta calibrado, arrumei um programa bom pra isso!) pode ser por causa do polarizador, ou talvez pela exposição de -1 EV. Por que você usa essa opção, sempre tiro com 0EV com excessão das noturnas, que prefiro usar -1 também!
Parabéns e Abraço!

sarahnatalie (693) 2007-08-02 19:50

Hi Jose,
I think I like this version better. There are lots of interesting things to look at and the tree on the right is especially nice to me for some reason. I think I am the only one to comment on this so maybe it's my eyes, but I find the image to be quite tilted. I wonder if it could use a bit of straightening? (I know the building in the back will always be on an angle, but I think maybe the foreground is a little off) Well, that's all. It's great overall.
Sarah

vincz (19045) 2007-08-02 21:39

Quelle image etonnante! J'adore la couleur, j'adore la composition (je prefere personellement au wokshop). vraiment etonnant que tu n'e pas utilisede polarsuer et obtenu ce ciel.

batalay (21140) 2007-08-04 7:36

Hello José,

A first rate shot from Macao. The colors and composition are excellent. The image calls for a slight counterclockwise rotation, judging by the walls of the white building on the right. (The doorway in the bottom, being right in the cener of the frame, should be made plumb.) The positive aspects far outweigh the negative. In my photo of the Vivaldi and the Ospedale, I too should have made a slight rotation. The leaning tower threw me off.

Warmest regards, and enjoy the weekend, my friend.
Bulent

atus (15476) 2007-08-05 1:14

Hello José,
The light management and the colours are great in these interesting shots. Anyway for my taste, that in the WS is better, because of a simplier composition, with not so many thing to focus on. Well done, my friend!
Tfs and have a nice Sunday.
Attila

Benedict (7062) 2007-08-05 22:53

the chinese are everywhere..and had been everywhere! (even in me, there are!!)...
clear and crsip..the "tilt" is negligible as far i can seesometimes, using a polarizer doesn't make any good- this foot can attest!!
benedict
ps- sorry for the silence, been busy lately.

xuaxo (5825) 2007-09-17 3:07

Olá José,
Não gosto muito desta. O primeiro plano é interessante, o fundo parece-me bonito, mas a mistura dos dois está um tanto confusa; as árvores pelo meio também não ajudam nada.
As críticas ou comentários não devem ser só quando se gosta. Aliás, é pena não darmos mais críticas negativas, para ajudar a ver o que se pode melhorar no futuro.
Um abraço,
Francisco

paura (39052) 2008-02-25 17:09

J.Pires,
Uma composição bem complexa, com formas e objetos dos mais variados, formando uma boa composição. As cores estão fabulosas.

Abraço, amigo.

paulo