A Little Magic to Start the Year

Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park is not my typical photography location, but I will admit they do an absolutely exceptional job with their animal exhibits. One of the biggest issues for photographers, when it comes to shooting in zoos, is that we often have to be very careful about the backgrounds of our images: no one wants to see a cheetah sitting in front of an ugly concrete wall or a monkey clambering on a chain link fence. The exhibits at Animal Kingdom were clearly designed with a photographer in mind, with plenty of vegetation and even artificial waterfalls in their enclosures. It was amazing to take some incredible images of rare species such as the okapi, western lowland gorilla, and blue-throated macaw in natural-looking scenery. In the spirit of Disney World, here are a few of my favourite “magical” images from my visit…

Walking in Prehistoric Caves

The caves in the Serra da Capivara National Park are truly stunning - even the ones left unpainted by our prehistoric cousins. The fourth blog post in this series features a few of the cave walks through the park, which are best enjoyed on local anthropological tours that will guide you through the history and interpretation of the cave paintings.

Sunset Over Lisbon

Another spectacular spot from which to appreciate Lisbon is the lookout at Miradouro da Senhora do Monte. During the Summer, this is an ideal place to watch the sunset, as it colours the sky bright pink and purple. But don’t be fooled by the warm colours - it’s very cold up on that hill, so come prepared for some very chilly winds!

Below are some of my favourite images of one lovely sunset over Lisbon…

Lusitanos in Lisbon

As a great admirer of classical horsemanship and particularly dressage, the Portuguese School of Equestrian Art was an unmissable stop for me during my time in Lisbon. The riding school has regular shows of classical dressage performed by lusitano horses and their riders, as well as morning training sessions that can be attended by the general public. Our timing was off for their presentations, unfortunately, so instead we attended a morning practice session and guided tour of the school. Below are some of my favourite images of these beautiful Portuguese horses.

Miradouro de Santa Luzia

In every photographic trip that I take, I try to make the most of the soft light during sunrises and sunsets. This was no different in Portugal. The first sunrise of the trip was photographed at the Miradouro de Santa Luzia, a viewpoint in the Alfama neighbourhood. Even in the peak of the Summer holidays, this was nearly empty for sunrise, suggesting that not many other photographers are aware of this place.

A Walk Through Lisbon

Lisbon truly displays architecture for all tastes. From medieval to colonial and modern, there is a street for everyone. Along with the amenable weather and blue skies, this makes it an unmissable travel destination and endless photographic opportunities. Here I share some of my favourite images of a day walking through the city.

Carmo Convent

One of our first stops in Lisbon was the Carmo Convent. These are now both convent ruins and an archeological museum in the heart of the city. Despite its tragic history, the Carmo Convent remains an essential part of the Lisbon experience. For a photographer, it was the perfect location to get creative with a wide-angle lens and photograph some more unusual angles and details.