The Stone Pine or Pinus Pinea is a species of pine native to the old world, more precisely in the Mediterranean region. Portugal has about 9% of the total world's area of ​​this species, which can also be found in other countries bordering the Mediterranean, such as Spain, France, Italy and Turkey. Therefore, it is a relatively rare or unknown tree in a global context or even in Portugal since the vast majority are concentrated in the Setúbal peninsula, where I live, as well as in the Alcácer do Sal area in large plantations for the production of pinion, the delicious and valuable fruit of this tree.

In this photographic project I am not interested in portraying Pinus Pinea planted, pruned or straightened, explored in plantations or ornamental. I want to portray the wild Pinus Pinea which is free to grow, survive, break and fall, which has a story to tell us of its legendary strength and tenacity along the Atlantic coast or its relationships with other trees in the coastal pine forests. 

The type of photography I intend to carry out in this project is more intimate, often focusing on a specific lone tree or a group and not on the vast landscapes of the Portuguese coast. This project will be in the woodland photography category, as it is usually called, with hints of documentary photography.

These trees, known for their resistance to summer drought, grow easily in weak sandy soils, heroically resist strong coastal winds and the salty air. Throughout their life, which usually can reach 150 years, they suffer countless fractures caused by storms or by the weight of their crown, which gives them striking strong personalities and, in most cases, incredible shapes that tell us the story of their lives and their fight against the elements.