Public Protest

Yesterday was the hottest day this year with temperatures rising up to almost 40 degrees Celsius. Even so around ten thousand people came to Guimaraes a city in the north of Portugal to participate in a public protest against the Portuguese government and his policies in terms of work rights. The demonstrators choose this city and day because of the Informal Meeting of Employment and Social Affairs happening here during yesterday and today where Delegates from all European Countries came to discuss the future coordination of policies for employment and social protection.
Below are some photos but you can check HERE the slideshow with photos and sounds of the protest.

©Miguel A. Lopes
©Miguel A. Lopes
©Miguel A. Lopes
©Miguel A. Lopes
©Miguel A. Lopes
©Miguel A. Lopes
©Miguel A. Lopes
©Miguel A. Lopes
©Miguel A. Lopes
©Miguel A. Lopes
©Miguel A. Lopes
©Miguel A. Lopes
©Miguel A. Lopes
©Miguel A. Lopes

Super Bock Super Rock

This is the only photo I made of The Super Bock Super Rock Music Festival last week. I had to go make some photos to this Festival where Metallica were the main Band. I wanted to make some photos not only to the bands but also to the people and mood inside but as I was walking in the Festival a woman from the organization came to me and said that I had to put my camera on a box or I had to leave the festival, I ask the woman why, and she said that those were the rules. I know that normally we only can take photos to the bands on the first songs, but in other festivals we can walk around and do photos not to the bands but to the crowds and the other things in the festival. I ask to see what kind of box it was and she showed me one big box with at least 20 photo bags inside, and they all look alike, and a bunch of cameras like mine, all packed on top of each other without any security or organization. Because my material is very expensive and I find this situation unacceptable in terms of professionalism, I decided not to put my cameras there.
So I had to leave the concert and that woman made sure I really leave it.
I called my photo editor from the agency and told him this situation, and we agreed with my decision.
I went home to leave my cameras and photo gear and went again just to see Metallica, it was a great concert but all the organization of the festival really "sucked".
Next time I will just take a pocket camera, hide my press credential and do as all the crowd do, make photos during all the concert without any problem.

© Miguel A. Lopes

The President of European Commission

Two Days before the start of the Portuguese Presidency of the European Union I went to the XV International Annual Meeting in Political Studies where the President of the European Commission Mr. José Manuel Durão Barroso was present. He is very expressive with his hands when he made his speech I photograph some of his "moves".

©Miguel A. Lopes
©Miguel A. Lopes
©Miguel A. Lopes
©Miguel A. Lopes
©Miguel A. Lopes
©Miguel A. Lopes
©Miguel A. Lopes

This week

Some of the photos I have been doing this week

©Miguel A. Lopes
©Miguel A. Lopes
©Miguel A. Lopes
©Miguel A. Lopes
©Miguel A. Lopes

Elderly People

Last week I visit an Institution for elderly people. I had to go there to photograph a politician on his campaign. After the traditional politic "bullshit" and I mean "bullshit" because I think this politicians just care about elderly people on the campaigns, I walked around and I could see how the old people live there. The facilities are very good and the staff is almost one to one. But no matter how good all of this is, elderly people always feel loneliness.
Walking around the halls and rooms there's a silent of death and some of the elderly people are just waiting for death.
I was raised by my grandparents and I always feel a great respect for old people. I want to get back there and make a reportage and talk to some of them, and hear they're life stories.
For now here are some photographs.

©Miguel A. Lopes
©Miguel A. Lopes
©Miguel A. Lopes
©Miguel A. Lopes
©Miguel A. Lopes
©Miguel A. Lopes
©Miguel A. Lopes
©Miguel A. Lopes
©Miguel A. Lopes
©Miguel A. Lopes
©Miguel A. Lopes
©Miguel A. Lopes
©Miguel A. Lopes

Political stuff

During this week I have been shooting some political stuff, nothing special I try to find some nice angles on this kind of assignements or if I don't have time for it I try to catch a nice situation. I'm using a Canon EOS 1D Mark II N and tree diferrent Canon lenses the 17-40L f4, the 24-70L f2.8 and the 70-200L f2.8IS and sometimes if I need I use the Canon flash 580EX.
In the agency they only need Jpeg files but I shoot Raw+Jpeg so I keep the Raw files for me after choosing the ones I want. This camera can take up to 19 Raw+Jpeg before starting to copy them to the card which is more than enough to work.

©Miguel A. Lopes
©Miguel A. Lopes
©Miguel A. Lopes
©Miguel A. Lopes

A day with Gypsies

Last week me and a colleague went to do a reportage with nomadic gypsies, they were camping in some Portuguese land near the frontier with Spain.
They use to live in a house in a poor neighbourhood and the kids used to go to school but one day the authorities came with a bulldozer and destroyed the houses and everything they had. In that day they were forced to become nomad.
Now they never stay more than tree days in the same place due to the law´s that obligate the authorities to expel them.
They take less than one hour to pack everything and leave the land, travelling true back roads in a old waggon pulled by a horse where they take all they´re belongings and they only have what they can take in the wagon.
When we get there it was raining a lot and it was like this all day, this family of 21 live in tents and they sleep right on the floor that they cover with straw, they say it make´s the ground softer.
In this family no one knows how to read or write because of they´re constantly mobility.
"I went to school but I didn't learn anything, it was one day here and one day there, I know some letters and I know how to write my name, my identity card is sign but I would like to study just to know how to read and write" says Mário the oldest brother of the tree.
Mother of eight Sicinha the widow strives every day to give food to her children living just from the minimal wage of 250 Eur that need to be enough to feed five of them, the other tree married and already leave.
Because the kids don't go to school they spend the days playing with each other and helping the parents with every day duties like collecting food to the horses, cleaning the dishes and the older ones taking care of the youngest.
They were camping near a fountain but even so the kids were clearly showing signs of bad hygiene.
At night they made a bonfire and Mário played the guitar and the family gather around it singing gypsy songs and drinking beer.

©Miguel A. Lopes
©Miguel A. Lopes
©Miguel A. Lopes
©Miguel A. Lopes
©Miguel A. Lopes
©Miguel A. Lopes
©Miguel A. Lopes
©Miguel A. Lopes
©Miguel A. Lopes
©Miguel A. Lopes
©Miguel A. Lopes
©Miguel A. Lopes

Lisbon traditional weddings

Today in the afternoon I had to go photograph the Lisbon Traditional Weddings. Every year couples from Lisbon who have some difficulties with money are sponsor by the Lisbon City Hall to marry in a traditional ceremony.

Miguel A. Lopes
Miguel A. Lopes
Miguel A. Lopes