The way to Santiago

For the past two years and something I've lived close to ways to Santiago, routes that lead pilgrims – catholic and non – to Santiago de la Compostela in Spain. It is not rare to see pilgrims on their way, with backpacks on their backs. Often they look weary, but nevertheless determined to reach their destination.

The way to Santiago, O Caminho de Santiago, intrigues me. What makes people do such a long and hard trip, what is the reward that awaits at the end? Maybe some day someone will explain me. 

The yellow signs lead to Santiago. Painted every couple of dozens of metres, on walls, on streetlight poles, on more walls. Follow the signs and you can’t get lost. Or can you?

Top and middle: Azurara, Vila do Conde, 2012

Bottom: Vila Chã, Vila do Conde, 2014

Black&white

What I love the most about photographing in Portugal is the colours.  All the million and more colours in the azulejos, tiles, and the doors, window frames, gates, walls… Bright or faded, colours are everywhere. I love it. 

But every now and then it is good to strip off the colour, see things in black and white. That’s when you see the essential in the form of things. The simplicity of it all.

These two photos were part of my photo exhibition “Details” in Bookshop Bivar in Lisbon, from November 2014 to February 2015. 

Street. Faro, 2012

Stairs. Porto, 2013

After the bloom

A flower is born, flourishes, and sheds its petals to make way for seeds, for that’s the mission in life of a flower; to spread its seeds. 

Top photo from Järvenpää, Finland, 2010

Middle and bottom photos from Gião, Vila do Conde, 2014