again during my solo trek in Portugal, this time in a hilltop fortress called Monsanto. i found the Portuguese to be fairly shy about pictures - the face i didn't speak Portuguese didn't help. the fact i tried to speak Spanish to them helped even less. but this kind old gentleman was completely accomodating. i was taking a late afternoon hike to the castle atop the hill, when i passed him sitting on his stoop, watching the world go by. he spoke no english, nor i portuguese, but after pointing to my camera and trying to be as non-threatening as possible, he nodded. he was so perfect i wanted to shoot a whole roll, but i had to be selective and get my variety quickly without taxing his patience. when the sun was at my back, it was way too harsh on his face - everything was flat - so i opted for a more backlit angle which created a little more dimension and mood.
© dominic arizona bonuccelli
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