Changes

This picture was shot at a particular spot in the northeast. I had taken pictures of this plant before, during the dry season, showing completely different characteristics. Not only it changes according to the weather, but its flowers become totally distinct between its fresh blooming and last stages.

Impossible to say which stage is more pleasant to the eyes.

Daily Escape

This palm tree can be seen from my window. I am not sure how old this plant is, but it is an impressive six-story tall, and still growing, organism. It is my favorite city escape, in the actual sense of the words, even more when a gust makes this giant tilt a little and wave its leaves. Enjoy the view you too!

Thriving.

Deeply into the semi desert land of Ceará, a Brazilian state near the Equator Line, I came across this beautiful blossoming plant. It called my attention not only for the vivid colors contrasting with the monochromatic dry tone of the surroundings,

Amburana cearensis

but for the way it succeeds where most plants are in a state of stagnation, waiting for the raining season. It does send us a message of strength!

A Breath of Fresh Air

Global warming, trashing, depleting, destroying... Catastrophic views of our planet's future. Well, I know they can be true, but there's hope and, if we keep looking around, we might find signs of a better scenario.

As an example I offer you this different view from the same subject. A picture of this tree against the same background was already posted here in February, however, what makes it different now is that it resembles human lungs (just tilt your head).

And it fits like a glove for my new year's message: A breath of fresh air - a new attitude towards our relationship with the Earth.

Breathe deeply in 2009!!!

The Ephemeral

In Lagoa Doce, a coastal village in the north of Rio de Janeiro state, it is still possible to see the pinnacle, as the local people like to refer to a remaining piece of sedimentary rock that was dismembered from its main spit. This curious tower-like sedimentary rock feature is destined to disappear (naturally) in a few years.

Aware of that, I decided to show it here in an attempt to transform fleetingness in an everlasting visual poem.

If I am not successful at that, I will have at least given a good hint for people who might be looking for a quite and clean beach spot.

Simply beauty!!!

Speaking “scientifically”, September 23 marks the beginning of the vernal equinox in the southern hemisphere. In popular words, it’s spring in Brazil.

Actually, since this country is stretched lengthwise, the intensity of the seasons varies in northern and southern states. In Rio de Janeiro – southeast region of Brazil - where these pictures were shot, it is already possible to have a glimpse of the upcoming season.

Spring, moreover, has everything to do with flowers. Here we have two examples of wild flowering plants, shot at different ecosystems – estuary and the restinga (a tropical dune forest biome) respectively – with their most favored creatures. All together they represent beauty.

Rivers and cities

Water has become the main subject in environmental debates nowadays and rivers are responsible to deliver this vital element to the cities. That inspired me to post these recent images from the Paraíba do Sul river, which flows through Campos, the city I live in.

This river reaches the Atlantic Ocean after flowing for more than 1.120km, from the state of S. Paulo, where its source is located, through the state of Minas Gerais to Rio de Janeiro. Along all the way it shows signs of being mistreated - polluted, channelized, its bed raised with detritus - by its own beneficiaries: the human beings.

In Campos, Paraíba do Sul is not treated differently, however, I chose these two images, shot at a location near its mouth, trying to call people's attention to the beauty of the river we are forgetting to take care of.