Riding into the last sunset..., a photo from Portalegre, South

Photographer's Note

Before I continue with my Indian series, I wanted to upload a photo that shows my impression of the last sunset of 2006. This was taken in Alentejo, very close to the village of Benavila. Some of you know that I love cycling in the peaceful countryside of the interior of Portugal, where the absence of cars can give us a sense of freedom. I already posted two photos of cycling in this place:
Here
and
Here
Descending this "roller coaster" road was such a pleasure, and made me feel like a kid.
Remember the ending of all Lucky Luke comic books? I'm a poor lonesome bycicle rider...

I took several shots of this moment and chose this one, but there are two more in WS: one captured before and one captured after.

----------------------------------

UPDATE 4/1/2007: I decided to change the title after the suggestion of Angshu. The previous one was the "I'm a poor lonesome bycicle rider..."

ivo, sabyasachi1212, carper, claire526, Tue, ribeiroantonio, siolaw, sarju, jhm, luisafonso, Vato_Law, atus, manatee, bibiweb, sergio1, xuaxo, josepmarin, jmdaoudal, keribar, AiresSantos, balatrek, Amaz ha puntuado esta nota como útil.

Critiques | Translate

Paolo (41258) 2007-01-02 11:53

Hi Ricardo great image, with that noisy mood and the amazing colours. excellent POV and composition.
thanks, ciao

ivo (376) 2007-01-02 12:03

Hello Ricardo,
Composition ****
Subject ***
Perspective ****
Colour and light ****
Crop ***
Frame ***
Sharpness **
Generally ***
Note ***
Best regards,
Emma

sabyasachi1212 (19779) 2007-01-02 12:23

Hi Ricardo,
Beautiful setting for the last sunset of 2006. The photo itself is divided into two parts, the top part showing the sunset through the branches and the bottom part bringing the cyclist into the picture. Excellent combination. Well Done!
With Greetings from India
Sabyasachi

carper (96) 2007-01-02 12:29

yes i like it Ricardo,
very nice one, great perspective and nice light in the shot. The point of view is very nice, for myself I would crop it a little on top, but thats personal, very good job. A good 2007 for you and your family
gr. jaap

pboehringer (770) 2007-01-02 12:39

Great composition with the luck of a wonderful sunset and bright orange colors - the last of the year! Interesting that you got so much noise with such a low ISO (50?). Any explanation?
Regards, Peter

ben4321 (9875) 2007-01-02 12:40

Bit of a shame about the poor quality; the areas of trees and bushes are particularly "noisy".
Such technical issues pale into insignificance though, when we have such an inspired composition. I think it's excellent; the whole image just has a perfect balance to it.
The framing of the road by the trees, the road leading off into the sunset, and of of course the cyclist, it's all come together and the image is also a great visual metaphor for endings and new beginnings. Perfect for this time of year.
I like this one Ricardo, excellent work.

Cheers,
Ben

claire526 (1267) 2007-01-02 13:17

Wow! excellent composition Ricardo. I love the muted colors, it gives a peaceful mood..though I find your title way too sad for such a glorious sunset and amazingly beautiful view..but its just me, i see what your going for ;)
Cheers,
Claire

Tue (92322) 2007-01-02 13:22

Hej Ricardo,
A great picture of the last day in 2006. It's very nice to see the cyclist driving through the hills towards that last sunset. The colours are great and I really like the overall atmosphere. The framing is good too, well done!
I wish you all the best for 2007!
Hilsen,
Lars

Henryk_Bilor (20803) 2007-01-02 13:25

Hi Ricardo
I thought that someone has stolen the mountains...
Nice capture with this road to nowhere... Great light.
Regards

gilou530 (34) 2007-01-02 16:37

salut ricardo
une belle photo avec un ciel des plus jolis avec cette couleur pleine de douceur, avec ce cycliste qui part ver l'inconnu, bravo
amitiés
gilbert
all my best wishes for you to 2007

ribeiroantonio (22730) 2007-01-02 17:02

Olá Ricardo, Bom Ano Novo cheio de SAÚDE e ALEGRIA.
Gosto muito das tuas três fotos, especialmente desta. Os planos diferentes de cores estão maravilhosos e dão uma perspectiva excelente à boa composição. Gosto também do enquadramento do primeiro plano com a colocação das árvores nas laterias da foto.
António

coco (30439) 2007-01-02 17:06

Hola Ricardo.

Me acuerdo de tus otras fotos con ciclistas y me identifico con ellos (al cabo del año hago muchos kilómetros con mi bici).
Si bien es una lástima el ruido, todo el conjunto da una foto realmente redonda.
La luz brilla por si misma y la composición es mucho más que correcta.

Un saludo.

devimeuxbe (58557) 2007-01-02 17:57

Hi Ricardo
Wouaah The POV is beautifull, but the light also.
This is a strong composition with a nice atmosphere.
All the best for you in 2007.
Bertrand

siolaw (38294) 2007-01-02 19:58

Ola Ricardo,
A fine compo with excellent choice of vertical framing, great colors and sharpness, a funny title too
Happy 2007
Laurent

sarju (5324) 2007-01-02 23:24

Ola Ricardo
I would say that you are a rich bicycle rider ... rich for the fact that you cherish the richness that nature bestows upon us. many people would just pass by this road without any thoughts or take some big road.
Very impressive take indeed mate
cheers from the unusally warm and green Ottawa
ciao ... sarju

Gerrit (62042) 2007-01-03 3:35

Hi Ricxardo,
very well positioned cyclist and wonderful sky. Beautiful colours.
REgards, Gerrit

Angshu (56760) 2007-01-03 4:08

Ola Ricardo
A fine picture to close the year & starting the new year. All the three pictures are excellent..but I would also have chosen this because of the position of the cyclist. Best option would have been merging this one with the second (shot later), but that would be cheating. Very impressive set of photographs my friend..love how you've decided to shoot & post such a picture which can also be named "riding into the sunset..."
Best wishes to you & your loved ones
Friendly Regards
Angshu

jhm (211736) 2007-01-03 7:34

Hi Ricardo,

Excellent perspective and splendid depth, great composition with the luck of a wonderful sunset and bright orange colours, but also the branchs of this frame form a frame! Thanks for sharing.

Have a nice day,
John.

feather (51130) 2007-01-03 8:27

Excellent composition and thoughtful symbolism. I agree with your choice as main post although it can't have been an easy decision. It's amazing the change in sky colour in such a short time-span (Unless the cyclist was riding backwards and forwards - your willing assistant?- :D)
Have a great 2007
Kath

chrisnet (23062) 2007-01-03 8:34

Hello Ricardo,
I like the perspective of the road and the color orange of the sky, this shot is very well composed and framed with the trees.
A good shot Ricardo.
Best wishes for 2007
Christian

leo61 (0) 2007-01-03 13:29

Hi Ricardo!
Great shot,very well composed.The soft colors are great and I like the view at the leafless branches against the nice sunset sky.
Regards,Leo

khafes (303) 2007-01-03 13:48

Viva Ricardo,
Excelente corrida que fotografaste e acompanhaste até chegares a perfeição que conseguiste com estas excelentes cores e composição.
Boa foto,
Paulo Monteiro

luisafonso (862) 2007-01-03 14:02

Com que então levaste a máquina para o retiro espiritual! :) Não devias!!! :)))) Ok, ok, estou a brincar. Boa foto meu caro. Está com bué da grão a ISO 50 mas deve ser do fim do dia... Estranhos esses sensores... Mas a composição está excelente. Sem dúvida que um ciclista a correr estrada abaixo em direcção ao por do sol faz maravilhas. Grande ode a um ano que acaba. Lindo!

Vato_Law (12732) 2007-01-03 16:35

Olá Ricardo,
Antes de mais um bom ano para ti, prás gatas e resto da familia.
Gosto de saber que tambem és familiar com estas bd's fantasticas que eram as historias do Lucky Luke, só faltam mesmo aqui os irmãos Dalton a espreitar pelo meio das arvores e o Averell a espalhar-se ao comprido para completar a cena.
Quanto à foto, gosto especialmente do por do sol mas ainda mais desta estrada ao estilo 'montanha russa' que realmente dão um certo gozo especialmente na descida já que nas subidas a sensação nem sempre é agradável :)
Gosto ainda destas arvores que fazem questão de acompanhar este ciclista ao longo da sua viagem.
Finalmente, um conselho: quando utilizares esta utilidade do PS, especialmente o Highlight deves ter em atenção as partes mais claras da imagem pois às vezes ao tentares clarear as sombras tás a criar 'halos' nas partes claras como aqui. Mas tambem há solução para isto com uma ferramenta chamada 'burn tool' que na maioria dos casos dá para disfarçar estas situações.
Quanto a mim o highlight resulta quase sempre bem em fotos onde estejam incluidas paredes, ruas e afins nas paisagens naturais por vezes borra um pouquinho a pintura.
Um abraço (e desculpa o testamento).
Paulo

paura (25802) 2007-01-03 16:37

Ricardo,
Excelente fotografia! Uma composição poética desse ciclista indo em direção ao por-do-sol.

Um abraço

Paulo

manatee (4668) 2007-01-03 22:52

Hello Ricardo, exelent 2007 the best for you and your relatives.
I want to say thank you for the note I would talk more about the movie babel, part of this was made here, Tijasuna has too many things to talk about it, and is so interesting topic in all aspects, but thnks for you coments and crittics all thsi year, you are an exelent friend, than you.
About this picture i like it I saw all your workshops and I like it all, you make a exelent desicion to showus this pciture, i like thsi place, I would like to visit Alentejo looks an amazing place.

Have a wonderful day an a grate begining of the 2007, the best for you my friend

Elias

bibiweb (8) 2007-01-04 2:41

Ola Ricardo,
I think you've chosen the best of the three images. In the "before" one, the cyclist is too close and I'm not too happy about the framing in the "after" image. I prefer this one, with the branches on either side at the top of the image. Did you stop to take the pictures or were you still pedaling on the bike? :o))
Have a nice day.
Brigitte

atus (15878) 2007-01-04 7:06

Hello Ricardo,
nicely captured shot of a great perspective and very good sense of depth. Well chosen and effective vertical format and nice sunset colours.
Tfs and best wishes!
Attila
:)

sergio1 (12152) 2007-01-04 8:19

Hola Ricardo

Una bella foto llena armonia. La composicion vertical y la inclusion del ciclista por la carreta hacia la puesta de sol es realmente entrañable. Ademas el cielo anarajado esta bien conseguido.

Un buen trabajo
Sergio

xuaxo (6854) 2007-01-04 14:18

Já tinha visto a foto, de passagem, e pensei: será que o Ricardo foi andar de bicicleta nos Himalaias? (de repente o céu parecia-me montanhas).

Este céu faz a foto. A Altered Image #2 também seria de considerar para primeira escolha. Mas deixa, escolheste bem.

Dois-links-dois numa só nota? Estás a tentar bater o meu record?
;-)
Acho que uma séria candidata ao título é a Pat (plimrn) (p.e. nesta recente, mas já tem posto mais).
Um abraço,
Francisco

pady (4800) 2007-01-04 16:53

A very nice picture to begin the new year.
The light is astounding and the sky colored perfectly.
Great composition
Pierre-André

berek (50518) 2007-01-05 0:11

Ola Ricardo,
you caught very good perspective with road. well frame picture my friend. have a nice day.
Burak
my overall evaluation -> ****

pablominto (53746) 2007-01-05 4:11

Hello Ricardo,
A fine composition, where the tele compression is effective in creating this feeling of depth!
Interesting colours in the sky, distant scenery is well framed by the trees...
A pleasant composition indeed!
Greetings,
Pablo -

jmdaoudal (82) 2007-01-05 13:29

As the spaces and the lenght of the road is long one, there is a main impression of solitude..."solitudine" of the man in nature.
You have offered here a very good moment in a very well composed subject;
I like it
jean Michel

josepmarin (59385) 2007-01-05 14:12

Olá Ricardo,
bella foto para captar el último atardecer del año. El encuadre vertical ayuda a componer una buena imagen, la carretera tiene una profunda perspectiva enmarcada entre los árboles, y el paisaje y el cielo forman varias franjas de distintos colores en el fondo que dan un aspecto misterioso y un poco artístico a la foto. Parece que nosotros también estemos paseando en la bicicleta detrás del ciclista.
Es buena y agradable a la vista.
Un saludo,
Josep

keribar (43841) 2007-01-06 6:30

Hello Ricaredo,
Great great image with the combination of my two favorite tones, blue-gray and orange.
You caught well the cycling man at the best place.
Yesterday I saw "Life is a miracle", Kusturica's film, where there always are a lot of animals, and there was a cat who reminded me yours.
Keep well - a good caress to them.

parbo (11092) 2007-01-07 9:47

Olá Ricardo,

Riding to bicycle are creates great freedom wind that I can feel on my face every time. But here you add a lot spectacular objects. Leaden colored paved road, trees and splendid colored orange sunset with your major piece silhouettes of rider. Your decision is excellent for primary post. Congratulations.

I wish you a very good new week.

Friendly Regards,

Ertugrul

AiresSantos (56155) 2007-01-07 14:02

Ola Amigo Ricardo,
Esta esta magnifica. Excelente POV, adoro a perspectiva e o ceu cria um contraste excepcional.
Um excelente 2007 para ti e para a tua familia
Aires

prezntime (3946) 2007-01-07 20:38

Hello Ricardo.
I don't think you ruined the image with your PP work. Here it seems quite distinctive. The noise giving a sense of graininess to the shot...well placed for a goodbye to the former year. A sort of view through the clouded eyes of the past; know what I mean. The light comes through wonderfully. There is a great mood here and I imagine that was a thrilling ride down the hill.
Regards,
Chris.

nika (0) 2007-01-08 13:52

I love those soft colours spitted from the sky with the naked branches disclosing a mysterious atmosphere , romanthic (as it was conceived in many art performances during the s xix ), Caspar Friedrich alike with the tiny rider almost forgotten and lost in the inmensity of the nature . What a peaceful atmosphere it transmits

Hope you are well Ricardo and my best wishes for you , your people in this new year that has started

Didi (61589) 2007-01-10 11:33

Olà Ricardo
Very nice point of view and very good perspective depht in your composition.
I note also a very good control of the exposure.
Obrigado.

Polonaise (5802) 2007-01-14 9:13

Two pictures for the price of one...
The best way to cheat on those inhuman TOS regulations on TE...
Now.... If you manuveur this photo, scrolling it up and down to the edges of your screen, you will know exactly what I mean.
There is this magnificent background with the skies and then - lonely bicyclist down there.
Cut the picture horizontally - and you've got two charmers...
Some of the guys out there - are REALLY lucky (:-))).
But for the rest of us...It's pure luck if we are real...

All the best, dear buddy
george

sebcz (2345) 2007-01-16 7:39

Hi Ricardo!
A fine, modest composition, with splendid DoF and fine sky colours. I'd only rather have better quality in that shot as it is too noisy.
Seb

balatrek (7455) 2007-01-20 17:21

Hola Ricardo,

Perfecta composición y buenísima luz, me gusta como la carretera se pierde entre los árboles, fue un acierto incluir al ciclista en la escena, la imagen tiene exceso de ruido ¿es casual o lo dejaste a propósito? lo digo porque lo que podría parecer un defecto proporciona a esta fotografía unas texturas diferentes y le dan un tono abstracto, buen trabajo amigo.

Saludos
José

jmdias (115100) 2009-01-23 6:26

ricardo

bem poética esta vista, o personagem bem posicionado no cenário de sonho. belas as cores suaves e as formas bem posicionadas . lindo trabalho... quanto ao farol, penso que o fato de ser o terceiro maior do mundo se refere ao seu poder de alcance, não a sua altura.

abraços

jorge

Amaz (11475) 2009-09-02 2:36

Que beleza de foto, Ricardo!!!
Extraordinárias cores e bom enquadramento!!!

Bonito travalho!!!!