Capturing Azores Green Botanical Biosphere

ntering the Furnas regions of the São Miguel island in the Azores, there is a sensation that the world is changing around you, the vegetation becomes dense, the air is more humid, and everything looks green-ish, but not just any green, nature introduces several tones of green, from green forest, to olive, lime, spring, sage, olive, and jade green, all embedded by the years on the trees, fauna, flora, moss, ponds, rives, hot springs and old colonial architecture.

This Azores photography story shooting took place at Parque Terra Nostra, Furnas, a botanical sanctuary with species imported from different parts of the world, creating a unique nature photography spot, with the unique photography opportunity to capture orchids, century-old trees, oak, black cottonwood, black poplar, Japanese red cedars, araucarias, tulip-trees, camellias, ferns, hydrangeas, azaleas, rhododendrons, the botanical shots options are infinite.

While exploring the park I constantly had to change the camera settings to adapt to the constantly change of natural light, shades, and shadows, it was satisfying to be able to explore so many natural subjects with a perfect ever evolving natural light that penetrates trough the dense green forest, resulting a great combination of different nature photography green patterns,  ranging from all types of green embedded in century old trees, water reflections, where most of the biosphere elements are dominated by moss, plenty of moss.  

Note that I didn’t try the famous dish Cozido de Furnas, this is a unique slow-cooked dish only made in Furnas, baked and boiled underground in volcano heat, if you ever travel to Furnas, please don’t repeat my mistake and take a break from your photography mission and try this unique Azorean dish, you have been warned.

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This photography story celebrates this unique ecosystem located on a small island in the Atlantic Ocean, the images represent the beautiful visual impact of century-old preserved fauna and flora.

If you liked any of the photography in this story and would like to order a photography print, please contact thomas@alternativespots.com

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