
This clock (with calendar) was made in the XIX century at the Ithaca Calendar Clock Co. (New York) in 1870th (see original brochure). At that time, only 3 units were imported to Oporto. This one was bought in this city at the end of the XIX century (beginning of the XX), by my great-great-great-grandfather Roberto Alves de Sousa Ferreira (b.1854-d.1920). With a law degree and a PhD, he was a lawyer and the mayor of Vila da Feira, member of Parliament and Economics Full Professor of the “Universidade do Porto”. He was a founder and administrator of the “Companhia de Gás e Electricidade do Porto”.
The other two units still belong to its original buyers: one is at the Oporto’s court law (tribunal) and the second is located on the old commercial house “Casa Daniel Barbosa” lying at Rua dos Clérigos, Porto.
The clock had three owners:
- Roberto Alves (at his lawyer office at Rua da Restauração, Porto since 1900 to 1920).
- His daughter, my great-great-aunt Branca (b.1894-d.1989), who placed it on her two houses in Gaia (Miramar and Mafamude) between 1927 and 1945 and after in Oporto (Praça Mouzinho de Albuquerque / Rotunda da Boavista) since 1945 to 1989.
- Since my aunt died (1989) the clock is in our home, in Braga =)
Inside the clock, there are three stamps of three repairs made in Oporto. Later, it was cleaned and tuned at the “Relojoaria Maurício Queiroz”, Braga.
The house in the photo is “Casa da Quinta da Cruz”, Vila da Feira, and it belonged to José Alves de Sousa Ferreira, father of Roberto Alves. Beyond all his work, Roberto Alves was also a photographer and had a wonderful collection of cameras (now I know the origin of the photographer genes of the family! :)
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It was Paulinha’s birthday. The best thing it the world: a wonderful dinner combined with a wonderful wine, in a wonderful restaurant with wonderful friends =)
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This one is just for fun. I was making experiments with the bokeh effect, trying different apertures. I liked this one. It reminds me a city.
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I pass in this room many many times and I always wanted a photo of it. I was just waiting for an exhibition that combines with the room, for the photo I imagined. This time (with Mario and Afonso patiently waiting downstairs for me :p) I said “I want this one!”. However, I’d like to take a little more floor instead of the top of the wall! :s but I’m still publishing because I like it.
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My friends are always complaining about my fixation on photos. However, my favorite ones are portraits… and portraits of my friends are event better. So, I’m sorry, but you put up with me :p
This one was taken at Velha-a-Branca and I love how the warm colors contrasts with the blue reflections of the water on the stairs.
Afonso, as you can see, you’re not always so serious on my photos ;)
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Music is definitely my greatest passion. But now I have another one: photography. I got so used to carry my Canon with me to everywhere I go, that I feel some kind of strange when I leave it at home. And a day without a photo isn’t a good day. I’m always aware for a nice moment to photograph. I love to register all those nice moments like everyone laughing at a joke while having a drink on cafe, or a birthday party with my friends. However, sometimes I like to register my own point of view of something. This was one of that moments, where I was at Velha-a-Branca having a drink with my friends and I was delighted with this scenario: the old door painted red, the awry stairs and the rain outside. So, time to pick up the camera!
Oh.. the title. It is a joke about “Velha-a-Branca”.
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This is Amadeu, my friend and tennis coach. He is really nice because he is always happy with the world around him (despite not being smiling on the photo, believe me!!) and he can make me laugh, even at bad days.
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This is just my first try on architectural photography. Let’s see how it goes…
And yes… I’m officially in love with b&w.
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This is a sample of my library. We have the house so full of books that now we’re using the space above the doors with shelfs. If I read 2 books a week for my entire life starting now, it will not be enough to read all the books here, so… Unfortunately, I don’t read that much but i love to have them!
The story of this photo: I got very mad after taking this photo! It was taken to a dpreview challenge called “knowledge”, but i’ve take it two minutes (!!) after the challenge has ended! grrrr…. but i like the photo, so there it is.
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This is part of an exhibition of Miguel Louro, a friend of mine that really love photography! It is so nice to ear him talking about his photos and his machines. And I really love his photos! About his architectural photos, I like the way he contrasts the old and the new, the city people and the buildings, and the perspective of the skyscrapers! I’ve chose this one because the strangeness of the building and the rock wall.
His photos were in exhibition on December 2009 at the café "A Brasileira", Braga.
This photo is from the Fred and Ginger building (aka The Dancing Building) at Prague.
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Mário while visiting the Miguel Louro’s exhibition at "A Brasileira" (history explained on the previous photo). All the exposed photos were amazing, but I really enjoy the way how Mário, with his nice serious expression, composes with this two on the background!
To be honest, it was taken really fast (almost like a point & shoot) and it is one of my favorite photos ever.
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