The Pena Palace sits on the summit of a ridge above the town of Sintra, a short train ride from Lisbon. From a distance the place seems unreal, given its location, its architecture, and its striking color scheme. Up close the weathering changes the effect a bit, but in a way that only seems to make the place a bit more mysterious.
By normal standards, the weather was not ideal on the day we visited. It was cloudy when we arrived, and then we had intermittent rain showers. On top of that a cold wind was blowing and low clouds enveloped the structure at times. As a result, this photograph, and some of the others I made, are probably not what you’ll find in the tour guide books… but I like this effect.
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G Dan Mitchell is a California photographer and visual opportunist. His book, “California’s Fall Color: A Photographer’s Guide to Autumn in the Sierra” (Heyday Books) is available directly from him. Blog | Bluesky | Mastodon | Substack Notes | Flickr | Email
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I actually like the rainy atmosphere in this photograph. Most images of Pena Palace focus on its bright colors under clear skies, but the fog, damp walls, and muted light add a sense of mystery that feels perfectly suited to such an unusual place. Sometimes imperfect weather creates the most memorable photographs.
Thanks. I agree with you about the conditions. I generally prefer “interesting” conditions and light over what some may call perfect weather.