The Teixeira River originates in the Marão Sierra, runs a few dozen kilometres in the region of Baião (Oporto district), and flows into the Douro River near the Ermida Bridge. Wild, clean, without dams, and full of life, the Teixeira River is bordered by deciduous trees, such as ash and oak. It is a source of inspiration for artists, of contemplation for walkers, and even of refreshing baths in summer on days of extreme heat.

A few days ago, on a sunny day, while wandering through the small village of Mafomedes, I approached the river, which, at this time of year, is still full of running water (due to the abundant rains last winter and this spring). I marvelled at seeing the granite stones worn down by the erosion of the water that had flowed over them for countless years and hearing the deep sound that emanated from the rushing river.

Fragments of light and shadows filled the riverside landscape. Using an ND64 filter (Kase) (but no polarizing filter) and slow shutter speeds, I photographed the micro landscape from multiple angles. In a certain position, practically against the light, I obtained the image that I now present.

The moving water appeared to me, not uniformly clear and fluid, as I have seen in images of this type of environment, but as if covered by threads of shiny silk. I got similar effects using ¼ to 4 seconds of exposure. The bright filaments, intertwined and interconnected in a continuous flow, seemed to me to be an excellent representation of the incessant and unstoppable flow of a permanent river. Post-processing of the image in raw format was minimal.