Israel Press Conference

This two days, yesterday and today I've been covering the 9th Euro-Mediterranean Meeting of Foreign Affairs held in Lisbon.
This photos are from the Vice Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs of Israel, Miss Tzipi Livni.

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

Istambul - Turkey

I begin by saying that last week I was suppose to be on vacations, but lot of important things are happening in the world and duty calls me. Actually was by Editor that called me Wednesday asking me if I wanted to go with our Portuguese Foreign Minister, Luis Amado, to photograph the Expanded Neighboring Countries of Iraq Foreign Ministers Meeting in Istanbul Turkey.
My answer was of course Yes!!!
The meeting was designed to contribute concretely to the government and the people of Iraq's efforts to restore permanent peace, stability and prosperity in their country through invigoration of the existing national reconciliation dialog, in combating terrorism, strengthening the rule of law and widening participation in the political process
So Friday me and tree more journalists, the Minister and his delegation, flu in a Private state Jet to Istanbul. It was a four hour flight, very comfortable, with excellent food and with no check in jam!!!
We arrive to Istanbul at about 12pm, very late to go anywhere in the city and in the next day we had to wake up very early so just time to drink a mojito in the hotel terrace that has an amazing view over the city of Istanbul.
Saturday we went to the Ciragan Palace where was held the Meeting. I think I saw more than 500 cops in the 5 minute ride from our hotel to the palace.
Our credentials were very limited in terms of mobility and we had some problems with the security to do our job and non of this securities speak English, just one of them speak a very bad English, well but we are Portuguese and our capacity of negotiation and adaptation always work.
Another thing was the high amount of journalists, I count at least 20 camera mans and maybe the double of photographers, I didn't had access to Pool's, only to normal areas where all of us had to pass before in a tight security check. It was crazy, everyone pushing and running in the palace halls to get perfect spots.
After the photos there was another problem, identify all the ministers, there wasn't any paper with "who is who", making it very hard to send the photos fast to the agency, the only thing I get was a paper with names, so I had to google the names and find out if the faces showing up match the ones on my photos.
After all this I didn't had time to lunch, but no worries, a Lebanon Reporter gave me some cookies that saved me.
We got out of the Palace at 5pm and before returning to the plane, we went with the Minister and his delegation to a fast visit to the famous Blue mosque and the surrounding area of Hagia Sophia, and I pose with the Minister for a photo.(hihihihi)
Then was time to go catch the plane, in the airport we went to a lounge before take of and was time to relax and drink a tea, in this lounge was also the Foreign Minister of France, Bernard Kouchner and we also pose together for the photo.

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

Mr. Vladimir Putin

Today I'm in The Eu-Russia Summit at Mafra Palace, and I was the only photographer in a Pool, meaning that I was the only one doing photos from this place in the meeting room and then distributing the photos to all the agencies present.
I caught Mr Vladimir Putin, The President of Russia, laughing, yes he does smile and laughs and even got a tear on his eyes form laughing, and also caught him with other expressions.
Check it

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

Reporters Fever

Sometimes in the search of images and words, we reporters, "assault" people, not guiving space to even breath to the one's who are in the spot light
In this photos I guive you an idea of what this is.


Previous Benfica Coach, Fernando Santos
©Miguel A. Lopes

Minister of Internal Administration, Rui Pereira
©Miguel A. Lopes

Politician, Carmona Rodrigues
©Miguel A. Lopes

President of European Commission, José Manuel Barroso
©Miguel A. Lopes

Minister of Public Works, Transport and Communications, Mario Lino
©Miguel A. Lopes

Benfica Player, Cardozo
©Miguel A. Lopes

Portuguese Foreign Minister, Luis Amado
©Miguel A. Lopes

What have I done.........

Self portraits, me, myself and I....

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

More conferences

Today was the first day of the Informal Meeting of Justice and Internal Affairs Ministers in Lisbon. This two photos are from the press conference where the Vice-President of the European Commission, Commissioner for Freedom, Security and Justice, Mr Franco Frattini, spoke.

©Miguel A. Lopes
©Miguel A. Lopes

Another Press Conference

Today in Lisbon was signed the MAOC-N International Agreement Establishing the Maritime Analysis and Operations Center-Narcotics. I had to do photos for the News Agency Lusa/Epa and also for the Official website of the Portuguese Presidency of European Union. After the ceremony of signature, the Portuguese Minister of Justice , Alberto Costa spoke to those present. While he was speaking I made a few photos but I really enjoy this one because of the composition and the colors, since it is a matter related to European Union Presidency.
For this photo I used the lens 70-200mm with 3.2 of aperture, 800 iso and 1/40 of speed, it is not a fast speed so to assure that he stayed in focus I made several sequence shoots. I shoot in Raw so I wasn't to worry about the temperature of light because I can adjust it when processing the images.

©Miguel A. Lopes

Fado Singer Joana Amendoeira

Yesterday night I was already with my pajama when my friend photographer Veludo called me asking me if I could go do some photographs in a Company dinner in Lisbon that was already going on because he couldn't go. So I called his client and we agreed in a price and in less than 30 minutes I was in Lisbon to shoot this company dinner.
When I got there everyone was already eating so it didn't gave me the chance to shoot them socializing before eating. Well I did my best and after the dinner I saved the job.
There was a nice surprise after the dinner, they hired the Fado Singer Joana Amendoeira, and in a service that was suppose to be boring it turn out to be very nice, listening to her and at the same time it gave me the possibility to make this wonderful photographs of her.

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