Rui Fonseca

About Me

Hi, I’m Rui Fonseca!

I’m Rui Fonseca, a photographer based in Lisbon, Portugal, with a passion for landscapes, architecture, and astrophotography.
My interest in photography began in 1986, when film cameras were still the norm and seeing your photographs meant waiting for them to be developed. A lot has changed since then, but my enjoyment of photography has remained the same.
Over the years, I’ve developed a particular interest in exploring new places, discovering interesting details, and seeing how different light can completely change a scene.
I also enjoy drone photography, which gives me a different perspective on familiar places and often reveals shapes and patterns that are difficult to notice from the ground.
Although landscapes are my main passion, I also photograph people, preferring natural expressions and spontaneous moments over carefully staged poses. I work with 360-degree photography too, creating interactive virtual tours that help businesses and clients show their spaces in a more engaging way.
Through this website, I share my photography, some of the places I’ve visited, and the moments I’ve been lucky enough to capture.
Thanks for stopping by.
I hope you enjoy looking through my work!

Rui Fonseca
Night cityscape with a river reflecting the lights of modern buildings.
My Inspiration: Light, Time, and Memory

I find inspiration in many places, but nature and the way light changes throughout the day have always fascinated me. Growing up in the 1970s influenced the way I see the world, and that influence has stayed with me over the years.
My journey into photography began with film cameras and printed photographs, long before digital photography became part of our everyday lives. Back then, every shot required a little more thought. You couldn’t immediately see the result, and there was something special about finally holding a photograph in your hands. I think that experience taught me to be patient, pay attention to details, and appreciate the moments I wanted to capture.
Today, I enjoy photographing everything from quiet landscapes and interesting architecture to the night sky. What I love most is being in the right place when the light and the surroundings come together. Sometimes that means getting up before sunrise, staying out late, or simply waiting for the right moment.

For me, photography is also about memories. When I look at a photograph I’ve taken, I remember much more than what’s visible in the frame: the place, the atmosphere, the people, and sometimes even the effort it took to get there. That’s something I hope others can feel when they look at my work.

My Philosophy: From the Moment to the Final Image

For me, photography is as much about the experience of being outdoors as it is about the photographs I bring home. I enjoy exploring different landscapes, whether it’s spending a night under the stars photographing the Milky Way, watching the light change over the mountains, or discovering a quiet forest.
I’ve learned that nature doesn’t always cooperate with our plans. Sometimes the light isn’t right, the weather changes, or the photograph I had in mind simply doesn’t happen. But that’s part of what makes photography interesting to me. I’ve learned to be patient, observe what’s happening around me, and enjoy the experience, even when I come home without the photograph I was hoping for.
For me, pressing the shutter is only the beginning. Editing is an important part of my photography, where I can work with light, colours, and atmosphere to bring my own interpretation of a scene to life. I’m not necessarily trying to reproduce exactly what the camera recorded, but rather to create an image that reflects how I saw and felt that moment.
I enjoy taking the time to develop each photograph, experimenting with light and subtle details until the image feels right to me. It’s a creative process that allows me to express my personal vision while keeping the character of the place that inspired me.
In the end, I want my photographs to be more than a record of somewhere I’ve been. I want them to reflect the way I see the world.

2023 1

Brief details about me

Camera that I currently use:

Sony Series A7R

Dronw To:

Quiet Landscapes

Most Inspired By:

The Light In The Golden Hour

My favorite lens:

Sigma 20-200mm

When I have time, meet me.:

Far From The City

My travel companion:

My wife

Let’s work together

Have a story to tell? Let’s bring it to life.

error: Protected by copyright.