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Portuguese Pavement


Portuguese Pavement
Photo Information
Copyright: Teresa Travassos (TeresaT) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1558 W: 70 N: 3015] (10671)
Genre: Places
Medium: Black & White
Date Taken: 2006-04-23
Categories: Artwork
Exposure: f/2.9, 1/128 seconds
Photo Version: Original Version
Theme(s): Paving stone [view contributor(s)]
Date Submitted: 2006-08-01 17:49
Viewed: 683
Favorites: 1 [view]
Points: 58
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
Today a Typical image from Portugal -The Portuguese Pavement.
This on is placed right in front of the head office of one of the most important banks in portugal - Caixa Geral de Depósitos.
Portuguese Pavement is the traditional paving used in most pedestrian areas in Portugal. Being usually used in sidewalks, it is in plazas and atriums this art finds its deepest expansion.
Paving as a craft is believed to have originated in Mesopotamia, where rocky materials were used in the inside and outside of constructions, being later brought to Ancient Greece and Ancient Rome.
The Romans used to pave the vias connecting the empire using materials to be found in the surroundings. Some of the techniques introduced are still applied on the Calçada, most noticeably the use of a foundation and a surfacing.
Arab presence in the peninsula left traces not only in language, but also in the art of paving. To provide most needed water to crops, the Moors engineered a complex system of dams and waterways. Examples of the latter, known as acequias, can still be found in Portugal and Spain.
Once an activity performed by hundreds of craftsmen in Portuguese cities and villages, traditional paving is increasingly becoming restricted to conservation works or important architectural projects. Less abundant materials, dwindling numbers of craftsmen and criticism to its widespread use are forcing municipalities to consider other alternatives.
The high cost and reduced robustness of traditional paving in comparison with concrete-based or bituminous materials, which have the additional advantage of not requiring specialised craftsmen, are favouring views that its use should be restricted to conservation works or historical areas.
rtome, dbessinger, kiwi_explorer, smash2707, leo61, imrek, riclopes, paura, Gerrit, bbcan, Henryk_Bilor, josepmarin, cunejo200, balatrek, siolaw, cjmm, Scharan, jafadabret, sayan, AiresSantos, sabyasachi1212, OmiJay, nunop has marked this note useful
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ThreadThread Starter Messages Updated
To bbcan: Olá BrunoTeresaT 2 08-03 18:49
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Critiques [Translate]

  • Great 
  • SAGAPO Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Workshop Editor/Silver Note Writer [C: 266 W: 86 N: 30] (1730)
  • [2006-08-01 17:58]

Hi Teresa,Perfect composition and a nice view,successful work.
Greetings.
Ahmet

Greetings Teresa
The lines carry the viewers eye through the picture.
Sharp from top to bottom, left ot right. This is a great test of the lens.

Regards
Dan

Hello Teresa,

I tend to love photographs like this where something that we pass by (or in this case, walk on) every day become pure graphic design or abstract imagery through the photographer's lens.

I've taken several photos like this, and looking at yours has given me some ideas on how to make mine better. Specificallly, instead of shooting at or near perpendicular to the surface, imagine this image shot from close to the ground to create a vanishing point somewhere right off frame, making the lines into rays that seem to come from the background towards the viewer.

Nice shot - you've not only given me the pleasure of looking at a nice image, but you've given me some tasty food for thought! Thanks for sharing, and nice work and good notes.

Don

Hi Teresa,
Interesting use of patterns to make up this composition ... visually striking. Well done.
Cheers,
Renier

Nice crop of these geometrical lines. Good choice for sepia. Very graphic. Regards, Yvonne

Bella imagen geometrica. Linda textura Teresa. bravo.
Un gran abrazo desde Mexico.

  • Great 
  • starky Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Note Writer [C: 194 W: 3 N: 29] (1612)
  • [2006-08-01 23:04]

Hi Teresa.Very good composition and chocolate colours.Nice choice.
Regards Bosko.

  • Great 
  • Angshu Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 5038 W: 170 N: 7806] (25466)
  • [2006-08-01 23:54]

Hi Teresa
You're at it again...showing us artistry in simplicity & composition. I think your photographic eye is fantastic..such a simple mundane subject, but what an fantastic composition!
Friendly Regards
Angshuman

  • Great 
  • leo61 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 3727 W: 343 N: 7503] (31994)
  • [2006-08-02 2:33]

Hi Teresa!
Here you had again a good eye.Good geometrical lines at the pavement and nice brown tones.Good composition,well seen.
Regards,Leo

  • Great 
  • imrek Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1362 W: 65 N: 1290] (6831)
  • [2006-08-02 3:53]

Hi Teresa,
very nicely composed, my eye leading very well by curves lines, i like that texture!!!
Well done!!!
regards,
imre

Bom dia Teresa,
Ainda agora tinha escrito ao Paulo, que preciso de ver mais imagens destas para ver se chego lá - às vezes canso-me da demasiada normalidade das minhas imagens. Aqui está um exemplo básico e muito eficaz, duma imagem normal, mas com um resultado abstracto muito interessante e uma excelente nota informativa que lhe dá o carácter que se pretende no TE.
Muito bem!
Bom dia para ti,
Ricardo

ola teresa,
very good - high contrast, geometry, simple colour range, and repetitions - alltogether making a great image;
very good,
best wishes, j.

  • Great 
  • atus Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2290 W: 205 N: 4459] (14923)
  • [2006-08-02 4:47]

Hello Teresa,
very interesting and unusual shot with very nice graphism and great sepia tones. Very good idea to take this! Tfs and have a nice day!
Attila

Adoro esse calçamento! Aqui no Brasil ainda temos muitos locais com as que chamamos "Pedras Portuguesas" vinda na época da colonização.

As praias de Copacabana, Ipanema e outras possuem calçamento assim. Aqui perto de casa também era, mas depois das reformas de um Prefeito louco, elas foram removidas...

Bela composição, gosto desses arcos formados.

Abraço
Andre

  • Great 
  • paura Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 4304 W: 8 N: 2767] (23302)
  • [2006-08-02 7:38]

Teresa,
Muito interessante sua fotografia. Noto uma alma de arquiteta por trás dela. Queria te dizer que usamos muito aqui no Rio calçamento idêntico a esse. Cá, o nome que damos é "Pedra Portuguesa".

  • Great 
  • Gerrit Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 4311 W: 88 N: 5324] (25700)
  • [2006-08-02 7:55]

Hi Teresa,
beautiful mozaïc. Good crop and (de-)coloring.
Great work.
Regards, Gerrit

Witaj Teresa :)
You and your detailed photos... ;) I like especially the note, although a little too long, at last I know the origination of a pavement ;). Nice lines on this Portuguese one looking like circles on the water after throwing a stone into it.
Regards

Olá Teresa,
Otra buena composición geométrica y un poco abstracta, propia de tu buen estilo. Aquí la geometría radial funciona de forma distinta que la lineal, crea un efecto parecido a las ondas producidas por un objeto cuando cae en el agua.
Me gusta la textura de los adoquines, y sus formas irregulares, parece que no haya ninguno igual.
Una anécdota: En mi trabajo he proyectado pavimentos de rotondas o glorietas viales parecidas a ésta, aunque los adoquines son hechos industrialmente y todos son iguales.
Por supuesto, me gusta tu foto.
Un saludo,
Josep
PS: puedes hacerme tus comentarios a mis fotos en portugués, si así lo deseas, ya que puedo entenderlo bien.

Hi Teresa,
Superb symmetry and lines. Very sharp with good natural looking colors. Regards,
Danilo

Hola Teresa,

Interesante imagen, parece una obra de arte, has demostrado gran ojo fotográfico y una increíble creatividad, excelentes texturas, enhorabuena.

Saludos

José

Again, simple but highly effective. A superb graphic shot. Very well done.
Best wishes
Mark

  • Great 
  • jone Gold Star Critiquer [C: 219 W: 3 N: 2] (3193)
  • [2006-08-03 7:16]

Hi Teresa...
great idea, composition, forms an colors... I like it... TFS,
Best regards,
J.

  • Great 
  • bbcan Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Silver Note Writer [C: 66 W: 17 N: 37] (86)
  • [2006-08-03 18:40]
  • [+]

Hi Teresa,
well, I gotta tell you, you sure have an eye for detail... I love calçada Portuguesa (Portuguese pavement) and even i don't think i would have noticed this beautiful pattern beneath my feet.
Excellent angle and attention to detail. The focus is absolutly perfect throughout the photo.. That must have been hard to accomplish.

Congratulations,
Bruno

Muito bom resultado você conseguiu com esta foto Teresa. Gostei das curvas, das cores, textura, tudo. Parabéns pelo interessante trabalho.
Grande abraço,
Vera.

Teresa bonjour !
J'ai ajouté ce cliché au thème "Paving stone". Cette photo me plaît pour son graphisme géométrique avec les pavés bicolores en arc de cercle. La texture de la pierre est bien rendue.
Jacques

  • Great 
  • sayan Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 593 W: 75 N: 693] (2603)
  • [2006-08-04 2:52]

Wonderful graphical composition Teresa. Lovely tone too. I wonder whether this can be taken from the top of a building with a man standing on these patterns. Just a suggestion!
Best regards
Sayan

Olá Teresa,
Simples mas muito bonita esta imagem. As vezes procuramos coisas fantasticas e sofisticadas cuja beleza deixa muito a desejar.
Esta composição está excelente com um grafismo excepcional.
Bjinho

  • Great 
  • cjmm Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 827 W: 70 N: 1143] (4009)
  • [2006-08-05 12:48]

Olá Teresa,

La composición es excelente querida amiga, la imagen tiene un gran dinamismo a través de todas esas líneas.

Me gusta muchísimo el blanco y negro, pero en este caso (y aun a riesgo de ser considerado un poco iconoclasta, dado el consenso general), siento que esta es una foto que también me gustaría mucho ver en colores.

Um beijo,
Carlos

Olá,
Boa nota para introduzir uma bela foto acerca da calçada à portuguesa.
Gosto do efeito gráfico causado por estas linhas curvas. A cor que escolheste para esta foto e o contraste da mesma faz dela uma foto bela e muito diferente do habitual.
Bjs.
Paulo

Hi Teresa,
Your images are always a delight to watch. This one is so innovative. A simple pavement shot has been converted to something very dramatic. Well Done!
With Greetings from India
Sabyasachi

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