The Algarve

Where the Atlantic meets the Mediterranean, there’s something undeniably special about the light in the Algarve region of Portugal.

I’ve worked across a lot of diverse landscapes—from the vast expanses of Canada to the arid deserts of the American Midwest, the rugged West Coast, the Middle East, and from the Caribbean to Ireland and the British Isles. Yet, the Algarve’s light is truly one of a kind. It carries a softness reminiscent of Nova Scotia’s glow but with its own unique charm.

One early morning, as I stumbled around in the dark, dodging hidden sand traps while setting up my gear, I captured one of those rare, magical moments just before dawn. It’s that fleeting pause between night and the first hints of sunrise when everything seems to hold its breath for a split second. As you press the camera’s remote and feel that rush of adrenaline, you know every bit of effort was worth it.

And now, it’s time for breakfast and a return to the world of the living, savouring the fact that I witnessed a moment the sleepyheads missed.