AUGUST 1987 – Nightly view of a bar located between the massive rocks of Algar Seco in Carvoeiro in Portugal. Photo © by Mark Zanzig/zanzig.com
The story behind the image
My very first genuine holiday trip brought me through France and Spain to Portugal. I was just 21 and had a couple of weeks to spend, so my girlfriend and I drove all the way from Northern Germany to the Algarve in Portugal. We did not worry about anything. The distance of 3,100 km (1,900 mi)? No problem. The money? We did not need much. What could possibly happen? So we took our sturdy Mercedes Benz 220D to Portugal and drove non-stop to experience a wonderful – but too short – vacation in an exciting country at the end of the world (at least it felt that way.)
We stayed in Armação de Pêra but explored the region almost every day. One night we stopped by at the restaurant and bar nestled within the huge cliffs of Algar Seco near Carvoeiro. I still remember that I ordered a Tuna Steak. It was fantastic. Add to this the peaceful and quiet surroundings of the location, and a mild, warm, and salty sea breeze, and you know why I am so excited about it, even after almost four decades.
The photo was difficult to capture. I just had the daylight film in the camera, so the terrible orange shift will stay forever. Plus, the original negatives got lost over time, so I just had a (good) 13×18 cm print. Ho-hum.
Oh, and the area has entirely changed over time. When we approached the rocks from the Estrada do Algar Seco the final section was just a dirt road. There were no houses at all. Today, the area is widely developed, with many houses and genuine streets. (Admittedly, 38 years is a long time.)
I love the image anyway, even if just for the pleasant memories it triggers.
Design ideas
The high resolution image
| Capture Date | August 1987 |
| Location | Carvoeiro, Portugal |
| Camera | Canon AE-1 Program |
| Image Source | 13 x 18 cm Print |
| Digital Image Source | EPSON Perfection 4870 Photo |
| Digital Image Source Format | TIFF, 48 bits/pixel, sRGB |
| Edited Image Format | JPEG, 24 bits/pixel, sRGB |
| Edited Image Dimensions | 7823 x 5215 Pixels |
| Copyright | © by Mark Zanzig/zanzig.com |
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