Spring in the Garden of Caldas, a photo from Leiria, North

Photographer's Note

Caldas da Rainha (Portuguese pronunciation: [ˈkaɫdɐʒ ðɐ ʁɐˈiɲɐ]) is a city (cidade) in western central Portugal. The city serves as the seat of the larger municipality (município or concelho) of the same name and is the seat of the Comunidade Intermunicipal do Oeste[1] (West Intermunicipal Community). The city is best known for its hot springs and pottery.
The city was founded in the 15th century by Queen Leonor, who established a hospital at the site of some therapeutic hot springs. The Hospital Termal Rainha D. Leonor is one of the oldest institutions of its kind in the world, with five centuries of history. The city's name means "Queen's Hot Springs" or "Queen's Spa".
Caldas da Rainha is home to many arts-related institutions. There are numerous museums in the city, mostly related to ceramics and sculpture. The city is home to a major arts and design school, as well as a school of ceramics. In 2008, the municipal government inaugurated a new cultural center.
As of the 2011 census, the municipality has a population of 51,645, and the city (the civil parishes of Nossa Senhora do Pópulo and Santo Onofre) has 27,429 residents.

Caldas da Rainha was founded by Queen Leonor, wife of King João II. One day in 1484, while traveling from Óbidos to Batalha, she found a group of peasants bathing in foul-smelling waters by the roadside. She stopped to inquire about this oddity and was told that the waters possessed curative powers. She decided to try them for herself. She was pleased to find that she was quickly relieved of some affliction she had been suffering (exactly what is not known). On that site, the queen ordered a thermal hospital built so that others may enjoy the relief that she felt. Construction began the following year, 1485. Although the first patients were admitted in 1488, construction was not completed until about 1496 or 1497. The name of the settlement that grew up around the site (Caldas da Rainha), refers to both its founder and the reason for its existence.
On March 21, 1511, King Manuel conferred the status of town (Portuguese: vila) upon Caldas da Rainha.[4] The town was elevated to the status of city (cidade) in September 1927.
In the early 20th century, it had a significant artistic and intellectual life. During World War II, in which Portugal was a neutral country, hundreds of Jewish refugees came to Caldas da Rainha to escape Nazism.[5][6] During the war, Caldas also served as home to British and American airmen who landed or crashed in Portugal or off its coast.
In a prelude to the Carnation Revolution, on the night of March 15–16, 1974, the Fifth Infantry Regiment, based in Caldas da Rainha in what is now the Escola de Sargentos do Exército, attempted to stage a coup d'état against the country's authoritarian Estado Novo.
Caldas da Rainha's coat of arms was granted by Queen Leonor, before municipal coats of arms were typically used in Portugal. Because of its early introduction, several elements of the arms violate Portuguese heraldic standards. For example, Portuguese coat of arms typically feature a mural crown, made up of brick towers. Caldas da Rainha's arms feature a gold crown. The arms lack the typical banner bearing the municipality's name. The shield is much longer than the normal 8:7 ratio. The two smaller shields surrounding the main shield are also not in keeping with Portuguese heraldic rules.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caldas_da_Rainha

Nikon D40X
2013/03/30 18:13:12.1
Compressed RAW (12-bit)
Image Size: Large (3872 x 2592)
Color
Lens: 10-24mm F/3.5-4.5 G
Focal Length: 10mm
Exposure Mode: Manual
Metering Mode: Spot
1/1600 sec - F/3.5
Exposure Comp.: 0 EV
Sensitivity: ISO 100
Optimize Image: Custom
White Balance: Preset
AF Mode: AF-C
Color Mode: Mode IIIa (sRGB)
Tone Comp.: More Contrast
Hue Adjustment: +3°
Saturation: Enhanced
Sharpening: Medium high

Reserved copyrights: The present photograph is intellectual workmanship protected by law 9610/98 being forbidden to the reproduction for any way without the previous authorization in writing it author. Please contact Gonçalo Lopes

adramad, jusninasirun, josepmarin, Didi, delpeoples, Robert1969, Ecureuil has marked this note useful

Critiques | Translate

m (0) 2013-04-06 3:23

Hi Goncalo,
what a wonderful spring sky! I miss this sight so much. Guess we'll never see it this year.
The branches reaching for the sky look amazing as well as the colors. Beautiful shot!
Have a great weekend
Marina

Romano46 (18472) 2013-04-06 4:33

Ciao Goncalo,
una foto piuttosto semplice nella quale però il colore domina con il verde e l'azzurro intenso dando alla composizione un aspetto molto gradevole. indovinato il taglio verticale. Peccato però che il prato ed i fiorni in primo piano siano completamente fuori fuoco.
Ciao e buon fine settimana
Romano

lregoli (491) 2013-04-06 4:39

Hi Goncalo,

I like the low POV on this one as well as the depth of field, leaving the foreground out of focus, which causes a guiding effect towards the captured scene. Very well done!

Thanks for sharing and have a nice weekend,
Leonardo

dkmurphys (77034) 2013-04-06 4:41

Ola Goncalo,
Charming spring compsoition. The colors are true amazing, well taken scene.

Daniel

timecapturer (49288) 2013-04-06 5:00

Hi Goncalo
well your spring has arrived, unlike here in England. Grass is refusing to grow - let alone daisies! This shot therefore uplifts my spirit and the POV is a worm's eye view. Like the way we zip across the flower heads and on into the image. Clever!
Excellent!

Enjoy your weekend - Brian.

pierrefonds (93027) 2013-04-06 5:10

Hi Goncalo,

The wideness of the field is giving depth to the composition. The point of view is showing the détails and colours of the trees and of the field. The good luminosity is enhancing the colours. Have a nice day.

Pierre

bona (14087) 2013-04-06 10:30

Olá Gonçalo, que foto bonita! Gosto desse primeiro plano desfocado, como conseguiu, visto que todo o resto da foto está em foco? Estava deitado na grama?
Parece dançar, as árvore.
Lindas cores.
Abraço
Andre

Gigidusud (21669) 2013-04-06 13:35

Hola Goncalo,
Beautiful spring composition with nice colors and great POV.Well done!
Have a nice week-end.
Gigi

lousat (120521) 2013-04-06 15:23

Hi Goncalo,a beautiful and original perspective from the ground,whit the blurred daisies and a very imposing perspective create by the trees,very nice and different,i like it!Have a nice Sunday and thanks,Luciano

marabu61 (11587) 2013-04-07 2:46

Ola Goncalo
a charming spring composition great deep saturated colors, colors we so dearly miss at the moment with spring still hiding somewhere. Love your ants eye view looking upwards along the green grass with the daisies towards the blue sky trough the empty branches of the trees.
have a good sunday
Daniel

ikeharel (98396) 2013-04-07 7:27

Managed nicely the effect where the camera close to ground, Goncalo, but to my oppinion you might raise it just a little bit, to avoide blured grass in lower part.
Fine light managed through the trees, contrast with blue over green.
Boa tardes,
Ike

ciakgiak (30) 2013-04-07 13:32

Ciao Goncalo,
una vera perla questa tua ultima foto, eccellente il POV dal basso e colori stupendi.
Un caro abbraccio
Giorgio

jhm (190735) 2013-04-08 4:19

Hello Gonçalo,

A lovely springtime picture with a lot green and flowers in blurred grass.
Your picture radiates purity and quality out of.
Also depth and perspective.
Nice composition and pleasant colours
Excellent composition, TFS.

Um abraço,
John.

COSTANTINO (92868) 2013-04-08 5:36

Hello
excellent capture of this spring landscape
the spring is one of the best seasons
I love the greenery with the flowers
and the high trees trying to touch
the blue sky,charming spring composition
with great sharpness
regards
have a nice evening
Costantino

Oceania (5202) 2013-04-08 6:21

Hi Goncalo,

You excellently used the low angle. The trees seem stretching into the sky. I also like those blurred white daisies on the ground.

jmdias (91326) 2013-04-08 17:33

gonçalo

bonito enquadramento apanhando as florezinhas no chão e as linhas verticais do arvoredo. lindas cores, luz e atmosfera primaveril. parabéns.

abraços

jorge

pajaran (91572) 2013-04-08 23:02

Dobar dan.
Vrlo interesantan i dobar tekst o gradu, sa datim podacima i istorijom ...
Interesantan pogled ...
Dobar ugao snimka, kontrast, lepe boje.
Lepo mesto za odmor na zelenoj travi u hladu drveta.
Dobar tekst o upotrebljenoj tehnici i elementima snimka.
Imajte lep i uspesan dan, sve najbolje.
Paja.

Good day.
Very interesting and good article on the town, with the given data and history ...
An interesting look ...
Good angle shot, contrast, beautiful color.
Nice place to rest on the green grass in the shade of a tree.
Good article on the used technique and image elements.
Have a nice and successful day, all the best.
Paja.

Nicou (187726) 2013-04-09 1:37

Hello

Le flou sur les petites fleurs en premier plan donne un superbe effet à ce bosquet d'arbre en fond avec le détachement des branches.
Bravo et amitié
Nicou

Silvio1953 (190423) 2013-04-09 6:04

Ciao Goncalo, great low POV for a lovely spring composition, excellent clarity, splendid light and wonderful natural colors, very well done, my friend, ciao Silvio

Fis2 (141882) 2013-04-09 7:22

Witaj Goncalo!
U was ju¿ wiosnê widaæ mocno.
Piêknie kwitn± kwiatki.
Dobry kadr i kolorki.
Jest klimat.
Pozdrawiam
Krzysztof

jlbrthnn (76041) 2013-04-09 8:43

Olá Gonçalo,
A vista no margaridas grama, é excelente. Bem pensado uma imagem para sugerir a primavera. A exposição é boa. Bravo.
Bom dia.
Amicalement
Joël

Cricri (176) 2013-04-09 10:28

Hola Goncalo
Belle image printanière, qui est un plaisir de voir, très joliment composer, belle lumière et couleurs
Belle soirée
cricri

Angshu (56760) 2013-04-10 9:30

Ola Goncalo
Lovely picture from the ant's POV...it works for me well, especially the trees against the sky. Lovely the flowers on the ground as well
Um Abraco
Angshu

danos (110395) 2013-04-10 11:26

Ola Goncalo,
well chosen the low POV,with the green foreground to looks so good and beautiful.The brilliant light brings out the vivid colours of the image with the contrast of the colours to be superb.

Regards,Danos

ChrisJ (151702) 2013-04-10 11:28

Ciao Goncalo,

I like the shallow dof in the fg. Nice repetition of the yelloe centred white flowers in the green fields, with excellent midground & bg sharpness. I like the low shooting angle and the graphism of the gaunt dark trees against the blue sky. Tfs!

cornejo (61012) 2013-04-10 11:36

Olá Gonçalo, pov muito boa para capturar esta imagem bonita e interessante no parque, muito bem capturada nesta imagem interessante com boa nitidez, profundidade, luz e cor bonita. Trabalho muito bom e interessante perfeitamente feito, parabéns meu amigo. Obrigado por compartilhar este belo trabalho.

Boa noite e feliz resto de semana.
Saudações e bons desejos do sul da Espanha.
Angel.

Waylim (25436) 2013-04-10 14:33

Hi Goncalo,

Beautiful spring colors and light. Interesting POV from the ground, makes it feel like from a bugs point of view. I like it. Beuatiful and natural colors and cheerful spring energy.

Way

Sonata11 (34119) 2013-04-10 16:33

Hello dear Goncalo,
fabulous capture of nature capture, perfect focus and sharpness, beautiful natural colors with great POV and DOF. Impressive surroundings. Congrats. Tfs.
All the best,
Barbara

kato (11630) 2013-04-10 19:58

Hello Goncalo,

You're capturing well this landscape by a good composition and excellent tone/clarity, so it's interesting and impressive to see the field with daisy flower and greenery, and spring sky behind tall trees. It is a photograph in which the spring breath which revives a life is impressed. The whole is harmonized well by a good arrangement and a fine color combination.

Kind regards,
mikio

Kielia (24077) 2013-04-11 5:14

Hi Goncalo,
spring is a rewarding season for the photographer and you have composed a fantastic impression of the trees high above the flower carpet. The colors are very attractive. But it is this bold perspective that makes the image very attractive. My compliments!
Warm regards
Harriet

adramad (62428) 2013-04-11 9:44

Hola Gonçalo.
Esplendida imagen primaveral con ese prado salpicado de flores, fabuloso el grafismo de todos los arboles que vemos al fondo, el cielo añade un precioso toque cromatico.
Perfecta luminosidad y una gran nitidez.
Pasa una buena tarde.
Un abrazo.
Luis.

siudzi (34141) 2013-04-11 13:59

Hi Goncalo,
A lovely spring scene taken with an interesting DOF and good vertical composition. All tones and details were perfectly seen and executed so the view is simply wonderful. Well done. TFS.

Best,
Gosia

jusninasirun (17529) 2013-04-11 23:48

Hello Gonçalo.
You have gone down low and beautiful to make this shot. It's like the worm's eyes view with pretty flowers and beautiful trees and sky.
Thanks and kind regards.
Jusni

JFS (32459) 2013-04-12 6:25

I had missed this great shot! I nature image freshly presented, the visual effect is superbe!
Thanks and regards,
Juan

josepmarin (59383) 2013-04-12 9:28

Olá, amigo Gonçalo,
un punto de vista atrevido, como el de una hormiga, que nos ofrece una bonita visión de la hierba verde, las flores, los árboles y un fotogénico cielo.
Has estructurado perfectamente los elementos en la composición, y has gestionado muy bien la luz.
Una bella foto.
Um abraço,
Pili e Josep

Didi (61569) 2013-04-13 10:29

Olà Goncalo
Spring is very late this year in my place also
and the sun is not yet very presente
Nice view on the park from a low position.
You should close at f/11 to bring mor DOF on foreground
Obrigado
Kind regards

delpeoples (60288) 2013-04-16 2:17

Ola dear Goncalo

An excellent low POV, fantastic vertical frame and excellent perspective, together with the colours of spring make this photo a winner for me. The slight blur of the flowers in the FG is very artistic and really adds to the depth of the image. Nice work, parabens.

Um abraco
Lisa

Robert1969 (7160) 2013-04-17 0:28

Ola Goncalo,

Je laat de kijker zien dat een lage standpunt en
een grotere diafragma samen met een groothoek
voor een mooie effect zorgt (vergroot de diepte
en maakt de foto spannend). De verticale
positie verstrekt de diepte en is alles verder
mooi verdeeld en belicht.

Een klein kritiekpuntje: het kleine gedeelte
van het huis (links) heeft geen functie op de
foto, probeer dat te vermijden.
Voor de rest: heel mooi en verzorgd.

Vriendelijke groeten,
Robert

abmdsudi (81390) 2013-04-21 23:41

Hi Goncalo
There is so much depth in this shot taken at the best time of the day coupled by effective use of super wide lens and the impact of converging vertical enhances the height of those trees so immensely. Amazing deep colors and good display of this nature beauty, competently composed well in-focus with soft foreground to intensify the feel of space .The perspective is just wonderful and the aperture is sufficient to give great dof throughout, lovely rich colors and contrast to blue sky. Creative and well executed!
Cheers

Ecureuil (532) 2013-05-16 4:35

Ola Goncalo,
phoot toute simple des charmes du printemps et des pâquerettes. Un POV de très bas, hauteur d'oiseau, une vue originale aux couleurs fraîches.
La maison à gauche rappelle que la zone n'est pas si naturelle que cela mais habitée.
Regards.
Daniel (ex Danyy).

magui (1279) 2017-08-23 3:42

Olá Gonçalo,

Linda composição com estas pequenas margaridas em primeiro plano, abrindo o plano sobre estas majestosas árvores. Este Parque tem recantos muito preciosos mas não fáceis de tirar uma boa fotografia, devido às diferentes nuances de luz/sombras.
Boa perspectiva, bom enquadramento, boa luz, boa nitidez.
Bom trabalho.
Magui