One Lens, One Hour, My Vision of Autumn

Scouting day. A Fall day, with graying skies and the light from the Sun trying, here and there, to get through. One hour exploring one location, with a single lens: my 100–400mm on a APS-C body. Looking for my vision of Autumn. Here are the results.

The photographs published are examples of the possibilities available at one location I visited for the first time this period of the year. I visited it before, in the Summer of 2015, and found no reasons to return. Now I’ve finally found the “spirit of the place”. It’s there, and when I get to know it better I will find more photo opportunities throughout the year. This reminds me of one thing: the idea of “Eternal Return” I advocate when it comes to photographing places is well at work here.

The place, being new to me, is not exactly new to me. Let me explain. I’ve known it for years, as I drive by many times. During the Fall season I always dreamt of being able to visit the area. The colors of the trees and vegetation during the months after Summer are an invitation to do so. Being private, with closed gates and abandoned most of the time, was a barrier to my desires.

The old manor and land, for it is an old family mansion with origins dating back to 1541, was bought in 2003. Sintra’s Municipality acquired it, but for years nothing happened there, though. Years ago, when I created a series of photo tours for the municipality, I suggested using the place. My idea, then, was to spend a day in Autumn there.

I guess I am back on track with the same idea, especially now that I’ve discovered the potential of the place. The colours of Autumn there are a good reason to spend some hours walking around. But there is more: architecture, statues, the gardens with fountains and the forest.

A small creek which crosses the property may also yield photo opportunities. I will have to explore that aspect of the place when Winter arrives.

For this visit I centered on the Fall foliage and not much more. Scouting the location for one hour, gave me a good idea of different areas to explore. Still, there is more to photograph, as some images published here suggest. I also want to create a video of the place, but that will have to wait a little more.

For this scouting tour I used a single lens, my 100–400mm on a APS-C body. Lighting conditions and my desire to explore high ISO led me to use values between 800 and 3200 ISO.

I wrote some notes about the technical aspects of that choice in one article published at ProVideo Coalition. If you’re interested in having more info follow the link to my “Exploring Autumn colors at 1600 ISO”. Here I wanted to publish some “handheld sketches” that give me the basis to explore further.

When I published the introductory image to the series, I wrote: “I am so glad with the results on this scouting day that I decided it could well become an experience to share with others.” That’s what I am doing now, through a text, this one, and “live” for anyone wanting to spend a couple of hours photographing Autumn as I see it. Yes, it is still there, waiting for me, waiting for you. Do get in touch if you want to have me guiding you to this destination.