Revisiting Photographs from “The Jewel of The Atlantic.” A look back at Madeira.
“Vast” is probably the best way to describe the Atlantic Ocean and with that in mind The Atlantic Ocean is known for having some land masses within it, which of course also call themselves home to many people, for example The Canary Islands and of course further south from The Canary Islands you will also come across The Cabo Verde Islands, but along with those Islands which are small land masses, Portugal also has some Islands, strung out within The Atlantic Ocean, and just south east from The Azores, is the small Archipelago of Madeira. Madeira being the main island which is inhabited and volcanic plus vast in height, with Porto Santo, being smaller — again volcanic and significantly less inhabited, then you also have got the aptly named “Ilhas Desertas” or Deserted Island, which are a haven for Wildlife and have little to no human residents nor visitors either. But a number of years ago before “Covid-19” was even thought of, I spent a week on the Island of Madeira, having visited beforehand Tenerife and Lanzarote, both of which are geared up for Tourists seeking the sun, Madeira is geared up for people who are wanting a slower pace of life and exploration, from Colourful Funchal with its charming streets to a more dramatic landscape Madeira really feels different to the other islands within The Atlantic — for a start it seems to be greener, now having also been to Fuertuventura, Lanzarote, Tenerife, the greenery and lush landscape of Madeira really was something to behold, and when I was in Maderia it was at a time before I even really took any notice in Landscape Photography. Okay I did take a camera with me when I visited Madeira, but it was not until this year, 2023 that I came across the photographs that I had captured of this small and dramatic island surrounded by The Atlantic Ocean. However looking back, at things I probably underrated the island of Madeira for what it truly is, and what is it really? Well it is a haven for Landscape Photographers, as I am sure you will probably agree from the following photographs that are below.
Of course now though it is the year 2023 and photography has changed an awful lot, better camera’s exist and yet I remember even to this day taking those photographs on an old Canon Point and Shoot Camera, along with an old iPhone that I had, which of course is now obsolete, but that is not the point, what is the point is that somehow Madeira, the “Jewel of The Atlantic.” Has a certain photogenic charm to it, yet when you type into YouTube the following,
“Madeira Photography.”
There is only a select amounts of results which are returned — and even then, that content is usually from the same few content creators who have got content on their channels as part of a series, sad really as the island of Madeira offers something else, for it is an island of contrasts, one minute you can be in the bustling capital of the Island, Funchal capturing it’s fascinating colourful urban life, to riding a cable car over Funchal itself, to then taking wildlife photos and looking back down on the capital below, carrying out street photography, to then heading out of Funchal to capture it’s dramatic coastal landscapes, which is where humanity clings onto a piece of rock and occupies the rock, lives and works on the rock; yet around the rock of Madeira is nothing more than nature — and it coexists in a strange way that works. Of course away from the coastal landscapes and city photography that you can capture, head to the plateau of Madeira at the very top of the island, and things become more science fiction like, twisted trees and fog/mist can create some interesting photogenic opportunities along with getting another perspective on what this island has to offer, it really is quite something. But somehow this small piece of Portugal, located and surrounded by The Atlantic Ocean; well it deserves more photographers to unlock it’s hidden secrets and stunning views and quirky charms, so if you are looking for a different place for photography, then make sure you try the Jewel of The Atlantic, the island of Madeira and discover what it has to offer.
