Lisbon is a favorite city destination of French tourists. That’s good for me, as I happen to be French was and a tourist there during the summer of 2013. A road trip by car and two days later I had moved from France to Portugal to visit the capital. I had with me my Rolleiflex, old fellow.
The city is Lisbon summit of contrasts and shows faces. We can see the very rich in its shopping centers, temples worthy of the Americans malls consumption, as can be, turning away the agreed path finding places where Benfica live in poverty, misery.

Street Pigeons
Street Pigeons

Street Friche Lisbonne
Street Friche Lisbonne

Stickers Fado
Stickers Fado

Many buildings and houses in the city center, in the Baixa or Alfama, subject to a notice of unfitness. Salazar law for rent regulation does allow the center to be still populated by the locals who enjoy low rents, but discourages the owners of the walls to make the maintenance work that would be suitable. Well, I’m also a bit of urbex photographer in my spare time and despite the attraction that I have for places “asleep” I admit that I was amazed by the show.
Lisbon juxtapose two worlds and their populations. The old world is that of “Saudade” Portuguese facing a glorious lost past: He remembers Lisbon as the largest trading port in the world where the rich and ambitious city organized maritime expeditions to unknown lands.
Saltimbanque
Saltimbanque

Rue Lisbonne
Rue Lisbonne

Portrait Funiculaire
Portrait Funiculaire

The new world is one that would reform the landscape, bring the city into modernity. This is palpable in the streets, where you see cohabit Lounge bars and restaurants offering traditional fish-based dishes. This is tangible when you see in the same lane of a craftsman shop ageless attached to a independent designer boutique.
What is less pleasant on this trip, it’s drugs. At every street corner, you are canvassed by blokes – they spot you from afar, know that you are not from here and accost you even before the policemen. “Psssss, hashish, cocaine?”. It surprises the first time. And that drunk the following 50 others. (<< “That drunk” means “it’s annoying” in this last sentence. Subtlety of our French language :))
Pont 25 Avril
Pont 25 Avril

National Pantheon
National Pantheon

Lisbonne Street Art
Lisbonne Street Art

I always thought that the photo was inseparable from travel – the unknown being conducive to creative thing, getting out of our comfort zone pushes us to be more alert, more observation of our surroundings .
Lisbon native to this trip, I did not want to go with a digital camera. This is the film and experience the slowness that made me feel. The choice of the Rolleiflex and his chest covered, then made sense.
Photographically speaking Rolleiflex allows me to travel light, to be reactive. The framing square requires the photographer to think, to compose differently.
Laveur Vitre
Laveur Vitre

Guitariste Street Portrait
Guitariste Street Portrait

Coiffeur Reflexion Lisbon
Coiffeur Reflexion Lisbon

For light measurement is a Lunasix 3 will integrate my Domke bag. Unfortunately, it will end badly journey: she falls head first into a street of Alfama and do not know to consistently measure. We’ll have to end the rule of f / 16 to the sun.
It’s funny to see how this particular case is a curiosity. Wherever he accompanied me, it provoked reactions. Smiles of some, looks supported other wondering “what does this here with that thing?”.
Chaussure Vitrine
Chaussure Vitrine

Belem
Belem

Special effects I have a great filter in my bag adaptable to my Rollei Planar as to that team than my M3. It is a home ND1000 B + W. It is not used every day, but occasionally it can play the offset in terms of image.
Voila, I hope this trip to Lisbon will make you want to visit Portugal: it is a place that deserves to be seen.
 
 

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One response to “Travelogue: Lisbon, a Saudade to modernity”

  1. Loved the images and the article, will have to get to Portugal soon. Merci, Jean-Christoph

 

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