Grey Heron (Ardea cinerea)

Portugal

Nikon D300 + Nikon 17-35mm f2.8 (at 29mm) + 3x Nikon SB-26
iso 400, 1/250, f/7.1

When someone asks why I place a camera trap set in a certain location, I often reply that it is meant for whatever goes by there. Obviously I have my expectation as to what that might be, but the fact is that much of the creatures that end up activating the camera are not exactly the ones I am trying to photograph. In this instance, a Grey Heron was detected by the cell beam, causing the camera shoot, whereas the image I was really trying to capture was that of an European Otter.

Mediterranean Chamaleon (Chamaleo chamaleon)

Mata de Montegordo (Algarve), Portugal

Nikon D3s + Nikon 10.5mm f2.8 + 4x Nikon SB-26
iso 500, 1/250, f/14

In the beggining of autumm, a chameleon feeds on a grasshoper. It accumulates reserves for a short hibernation, which will extend threough the winter months.

Red Fox (Vulpes vulpes)

Serra de Grândola, Portugal

Nikon D300 + Nikon 18-55mm f3.5-5.5 (@ 26mm) + 3x Nikon SB-26 + TM-1550
iso 400, 1/250, f/9

Life's beggining was rough for this young Red Fox. Barely over one month old this cub and its two brothers caught scabies, which gives it this hairless look and general thinness. Nevertheless, they appear to be able to resist the rather serious disease.

Common Genet's (Genetta genetta) making of

Portugal
Nikon D800 + Nikon 17-35mm f2.8 (@ 19mm) + 4x Nikon SB-26 + TM-1550
iso 400, 1/250, f/16

Common Genet (Genetta genetta)

Portugal

Nikon D800 + Nikon 17-35mm f2.8 (@ 19mm) + 4x Nikon SB-26 + TM-1550
iso 400, 1/250, f/11

On the first image, the child in the bag smiles while I prepare the setting. Notice the look on my face denoting effort! This is one of those photos that simply happen when the sensor is accindentally activated, as the equipment is being prepared...
On the second image, the Genet that inhabits the place crosses the path at dawn. As expected, as the animal goes by the sensor activates the camera, which turn makes the four flashes go.
A few days only mediate between chance and a programmed photo.

Horseshoe Whip Snake (Coluber hippocrepis)

Serra do Caramulo, Portugal

Nikon D3s + Nikon 60mm f2.8 AFS + reflector
iso 800, 1/125, f/20

On a May evening, a Horseshoe Whip Snake takes advantage from a few sun rays to warm. The large granite boulders. atop Caramulo Mountains, preserve the heat that has warmed them during the day, until a bit later.

European Otter (Lutra lutra)

Tejo Internacional NP, Portugal

Nikon D3s + Nikon 500mm f4 VR + floating hide
iso 1600, 1/160, f/8

During 2014 I tried to hunt for the same opportunities I had at the end of the summer 2013, to photograph European Otters. Nevertheless, in spite of my many efforts, I did not have the same luck as before, something that is always necessary if one is to obtain shots as rare as this one. Although widely distributed throughout the country, European Otters are exceptionally hard to see and to photograph, being quite elusive and of predominantly nocturnal habits.

Crocodile Fish (Cymbacephalus beauforti)

El Nido, Palawan, Philippines

Nikon D80 + Nikon 60mm f2.8 AF-S + Patima PDCH-D80 underwater housing + 2x Inon Z-240
iso 100, 1/200, f/16

A Crocodile Fish is resting at the bottom of the reef, off Palawan Island, in the Philippines. The bizarre aspect of this fish, whose head is vaguely remindful of a crocodile's, acts also as an excelent camouflage.

Greater Horseshoe Bat (Rhinolophus ferrumequinum)

Erges river, Tejo Internacional NP, Portugal

Nikon D3s + Nikon 105 mm f2.8 VR + 9 x Nikon SB-26 (with Rosco speedlight filters) +  2 x Jama BIR2 (IR cell beam)
iso 1600, 30 seconds, f/9

A moonlight night. A Greater Horseshoe Bat roams the riverbanks hunting for insects. At dawn it will get back to the old abandoned mine that shelters its colony from light and heat.

Andalusian Barbel (Barbus sclateri)

Mértola, Guadiana NP, Portugal

Nikon D300 + Subal ND300 housing + Nikon 10.5mm f 2,8
iso 400, 1/ 250, f/10

Portugal. Up North, clear waters, many mountain rivers, not many big fishes; down South, larger species but dirty, closed waters, little opportunities for photos. At the time I was interested in registering some of the preys of the European Otter – in this instance, an Andalusian Barbel – to complete an article about that particular mammal, later published by National Geographic Portugal. The opportunity arrived on morning in March, after a series of failed attempts, during a short period a couple of weeks after strong rain, following winter. It is certainly one of my favorite photos.

Iberian Ibex (Capra pyrenaica)

Peneda-Gerês National Park, Portugal

Nikon D300 + Nikon 500mm f4

iso 250, 1/1600, f/8

Iberian Ibexes, recently introduced in Portugal, inhabit the steepest cliffs of Peneda-Gerês National Park, in Alto Minho. The image illustrates their capacity for walking on the most vertiginous slopes.

White Stork (Ciconia ciconia)

Baixo Mondego, Portugal

Nikon D300 + Nikon 80-200mm f2.8 (at 170mm)

iso 200, 1/200, f/8

The purpose of this photo was to ilustrate the problem of electrocution and collision of white storks with structures of electric networks. A sunset with black clouds hiding the sky enabled this image.

Photo taken for the book "O Regresso da Cegonha-branca", published in 2010 in co-autorship with my good friend and photographer Luis Quinta.

Grey Long-eared Bat (Plecotus austriacus)

Serra do Alvão NP, Portugal

Nikon D3s + Nikon 80-200mm f2.8 (at 150mm) + 2x Jama BIR2 + 8x Nikon SB-26

iso 400, 20 sec., f/11

A Grey Long-eared Bat roams an orchard in search of insects. This is one of the 25 species of bats occuring in Portugal.

Pin-tailed Sandgrouse (Pterocles alchata)

Tejo Internacional, Portugal

Nikon D3s + Nikon 500mm f4 VR

iso 500, 1/1250, f/5

Camouflage... the weapons Nature invents are manifold...

Griffon vultures

Tejo Internacional, Portugal

Nikon D300 + Nikon 14-24mm f2.8 + Jama Bir2 (IR cell beam)

iso 200, 1/125, f/14

After each session, I assess what went wrong. In this instance, two points needed correction: use greater speed (in this image the problem is not as obvious as in others, where there were rapid movements of the griffon vultures’ heads) and try a better composition, filling up the empty space, especially on the lower right corner, which partly resulted from the position of the goat’s body. When photographing wildlife, luck plays a lesser role than is sometimes thought…

zebras and giraffes

Krugger NP, Mpumalanga, South Africa

Nikon D300 + Nikon 300mm f4

iso 400, 1/200, f/8

Redwood National Park

CA, USA

Nikon D3s + Nikon 14-24mm f2.8 (16mm) + 2x Nikon SB-28 

iso 1000, 1/20, f/9

Redwood National Park

CA, USA

Nikon D3s + Nikon 60mm f2.8 AFS

iso 1000, 1/8, f/8

Redwood National Park

CA, USA

Nikon D300 + Nikon 10.5mm f2.8

iso 400, 1/15, f/10

In my opinion, Redwood National Park is the most beautiful of California national parks, and that includes others as famous as Yosemite, Sequoia, Death Valley and Kings Canyon. Walking through its sequoia (Sequoia sempervirens) forests, certainly amongst the prettiest I have visited, our imagination is carried to a world of elves and monsters.

Garden Dormouse (Eliomys quercinus)

Portugal

The week was devoted to carrying on the work with micro-mammals. In my opinion, the most beautiful species occurring in Portugal is the Garden Dormouse, a relatively uncommon species that nevertheless may be found in large numbers in certain spots.

Nikon D300 + Nikon 60mm AFS + Canon 430 EXII + 2x Canon 580 EXII + Jama BIR2

iso 200, 1/160, f/9

Common Genet (Genetta genetta)

Portugal

Lately I have been putting the final touches to a photographic work with mammals, for which I use cells of infrared beams. The species I have been photographing includ the Common Genet, a fundamentally nocturnal animal and a good climber. Common Genets will roam in the night in search of preys.

Nikon D300 + Nikon 60mm + Canon 430 EXII + 2x Canon 580 EXII + Jama BIR2

iso 320, 1/250, f/13

California Sea Lion (Zalophus californianus)

Klamath river, Redwood NP, CA, USA

In the river mouth, the Klamath finally meets the ocean. California Sea Lions and Harbor Seals hunt salmons that take advantage of the currents caused by the first rains to climb the river.

Nikon D300 + Nikon 500mm f4 VR

iso 100, 1/320, f/11

Coyote (Canis latrans)

Panamic Springs, Death Valley NP, CA, USA

Winter in Death Valley. Under a sandstorm, a Coyote crosses the arid inhospitable landscape of Western North America.

Nikon D300 + Nikon 500mm f4 VR

iso 400, 1/320, f/5, +0.3 Ev

Ocellated Lizard (Timon lepida)

Castro Laboreiro, Peneda-Gerês NP, Portugal

An Ocellated Lizard profits from the last hours of a day in August to bask in the sunshine. Soon it will go back to its burrow under some rock, where it will spend the night.

Nikon D300 + Nikon 10.5mm f2.8 + 2x Nikon SB-26

iso 200, 1/250, f/11

photographing vultures with wide angle lens and infrared beam cells

Tejo Internacional, Portugal

The Griffon Vulture and the Eurasian Black Vulture are the two species I plan to dedicate more time to, in the near future. This is one of the approaches I am currently working on: using a wide angle lens and infrared beam cells to photograph these necrophages feeding. This system is easy to assemble, but some aspects have to be considered to preserve the equipment, since an attack by 50 to 100 birds, some weighing over 10 kg, can seriously jeopardize cameras.

Common Kingfisher (Alcedo atthis)
Alentejo, Portugal

A rainy day at the dam. A Common Kingfisher has to bear with the rain when it alights on a Willow, after having dived to capture a small fish.

Nikon D300 + Nikon 500mm f4 VR

iso 100, 1/125, f/4.5

Little Ringed Plover (Charadrius dubius)

Tejo Internacional, Portugal

At the beginning of the mating season, a Little Ringed Plover seems to use its tail to offer its pair a small shadow. A few days later, they will place their eggs in a next dug on the shores of this little dam.

Nikon D300 + Nikon 500mm f4 VR

iso 200, 1/500, f/4.5

Common Snipe (Gallinago gallinago)
Tejo Internacional

A pair of Common Snipes, resting by a dam. Although common, this wader is not always easy to spot.

Nikon D300 + Nikon 500 mm f4 VR + hidrohide
iso 200, 1/320, f11

Cattle Egret (Bubulcus ibis)
Pegões, Portugal

This heron appears to have stopped to ponder on something, after a long walk along a dam, when she found a small rock to use as a perch. In such occasions I frequently witness countless poses, scratching and pecking, quite appropriate for a few photos...

Nikon D3s + Nikon 500mm f4 VR, hidrohide

iso 200, 1/3200, f4

Cattle Egret (Bubulcus ibis)
Pegões, Portugal

The white plumage of a Cattle Egret stands out among the green vegetation bordering a sall da. The morning light provides enough contrast to highlight the subject from its sorroundings. When using such strong contrasts, I often feel that colour is really no more than a mere accessory.

Nikon D3s + Nikon 500mm f4 VR + hidrohide
iso 200, 1/1250, f5

White Stork (Ciconia ciconia)
Aljezur, Portugal

This is not snow but water, waves when reaching a vast covespread in an immense sea of foa. Atop a cliff, a Stork stands guard over its babies, still in their nest. As for the light, it was in late evening, just a few minutes before sunset.

Nikon D300 + Nikon 500mm f4 VR
iso 800, 1/250, f5

Iberian Rock Lizard (Lacerta monticola)
Cântaro Magro, Serra da Estrela, Portugal

Last summer I dedicated some time to photograph this reptile. I sent two das chasing these likeable beasts, which are scarcely frightened by human presence. In Portugal they are only found in the higher regions of the Serra da Estrela, where they are abundant. The pattern diversity of this lizard and the mountain vegetation allows for many different compositions.

Nikon D300 + Nikon 60mm f2.8 AFS
iso 200, 1/1250, f5

underwater landscape
Rio Olo, Serra do Alvão, Portugal

For a number of reasons, which include the cost of the equipment needed as well as some ignorance of its beauty and photographic potential, fresh water photography may certainly be considered as one of the most neglected areas of the art. Lately I have been exploring some rivers and rivulets in the north of Portugal. I already knew some of them and had always thought them to be idyllic locations, when I watched them from high above. Others, like the present one, I accessed with the help of generous friends and I have yet to regret it…

Nikon D300 + Nikon 10.5mm f2.8 VR + Subal housing ND300
iso 500, 1/8, f8