Snap!

What a day,starting with bad news from the tax man, which left HH breathing heavily and me gasping like a fish all morning. Still, things soon got busy, when friends back on holiday from Bulgaria arrived for lunch with their two young boys (extra photo). What great kids! As HH opened the door, the younger one took his hand and lead him off to see his monster trucks, and did the same again when I came down. They were curious, intelligent, had admirable poise and command of English and Portuguese (and doubtless of Bulgarian too, but we can’t vouch for that).  After lunch, we played hide-and-seek up and down the stairs, rode, walked, fed and shod the rocking horse in the attic, and then extensively tested the camera with both lenses and the tripod. No time to think much about the tax man.
 
HH disappeared back to the computer towards evening, while we fed the boys prior to their long car ride back to their grandmother’s. Then I had a quick turn-around before heading a wee way out of town to meet Heiner Plug, a photographer, and collect a copy of his newly-published book, Retratos de Fotográfos (Portraits of Photographers). It’s superbly-produced and the portraits are first-class. As I had revised the English text he had very kindly reserved a copy for me. So here’s a slightly fuzzy portrait of a consummate professional, taken by a rank amateur. And in the extra photo, meet our visiting family.
 
The visit to Heiner was fascinating (starting quite late – I only got there at around 9:20 pm), with part of the journey along a rather deserted and spooky road. Once I would have loved to live there, but wouldn’t feel safe in any of the big old mansions tucked out of sight up the hill. However, some 15 years ago, H built his house on the far side of the hill, in what is now a gated condo. Both house and views are superb. The interior is all light and space, and while his book is in black and white, one might say the house is all white and black. Spectacular.
 
Heiner welcomed me on the stairs and at the door I was greeted by the dazzling young woman above – so tall and graceful that I blurted out “You must be a model, you’re so beautiful” – and she’s as charming and intelligent as she’s beautiful.  Not having met before, we all chatted a bit, then Heiner showed me the book and explained his approach and method. It was great to meet them. I was rather bashful about asking to take some photos, but really wanted a record of the occasion.