The stone pine is one of the most beautiful trees of the Portuguese flora. The species, distributed throughout the Mediterranean, occurs in almost all Portuguese provinces — except in the very dry interior — most notably near rivers and the ocean. The trees can reach 20 metres in height and live for many years.
The oval-round treetop and the dark green permanent leaves make this tree an aesthetic feature of the Mediterranean and Portuguese landscapes. Last summer, while strolling along the Óbidos Lagoon, at late afternoon, I was marvelled to see, along the path, these enormous pine trees bent by the action of the wind, which is intense in this area near the coast.
The use of monochromatic infrared-photography that converts the blues of the sky into dark greys, and the greens of the plants into whitish tones, intensified the aesthetics of the scene.
