There was a giant full-moon this morning when I went to the university chapel at 6.30 for prayers. Usually I like to walk outside for the few steps that go from the ground-floor of the theology building to the entrance of the chapel, on the lower level. If nothing else, it reminds me not to stay indoors all day.
In any case, the moon shone round and bright — this is the night of the full moon. The sky was very black and the air very cold. I wanted to grab my camera, but I remembered the words of one of my instructors in the summer of 1965 when I took a course in photography at Bonny Dune. That instructor was Mike Perry, and he noted that the moon is always moving, but we only notice when we try to photograph it. If we use a shutter speed of less than 1/30th of a second, it will be blurry because of that movement. Of course, my camera is a simple little kodak digital, with no f-stops, no changeable lenses, and not much else. I really cannot take photos in low-light because my hands are not steady enough. Oh no, this is not a condition of aging. Its part of my story since I was at least 12 years old… but that’s for another time.
With this knowledge, I knew I could not photography the moon. All I could do was to gaze up at the moon and marvel at its incredible brightness this morning in the still-night sky.
It was still dark when we began the mass at 7.00, and still dark when we left the church at 7.30. I saw the sunrise while I sipped a caffè-latte for breakfast. I was thinking of all the deadlines that I have to meet this week, and how next week is the last week of instruction. No time for hesitation.
On Sunday night I sent in my syllabi to DSPT for the Spring Term, which begins in Berkeley on 30 January. My departure from Rome is set for 28 January… I will have a day to regroup my strength, if there is any left. Meanwhile, I have 11 more class sessions here in Rome before the exams. I had better start packing soon.
In any case, the moon shone round and bright — this is the night of the full moon. The sky was very black and the air very cold. I wanted to grab my camera, but I remembered the words of one of my instructors in the summer of 1965 when I took a course in photography at Bonny Dune. That instructor was Mike Perry, and he noted that the moon is always moving, but we only notice when we try to photograph it. If we use a shutter speed of less than 1/30th of a second, it will be blurry because of that movement. Of course, my camera is a simple little kodak digital, with no f-stops, no changeable lenses, and not much else. I really cannot take photos in low-light because my hands are not steady enough. Oh no, this is not a condition of aging. Its part of my story since I was at least 12 years old… but that’s for another time.
With this knowledge, I knew I could not photography the moon. All I could do was to gaze up at the moon and marvel at its incredible brightness this morning in the still-night sky.
It was still dark when we began the mass at 7.00, and still dark when we left the church at 7.30. I saw the sunrise while I sipped a caffè-latte for breakfast. I was thinking of all the deadlines that I have to meet this week, and how next week is the last week of instruction. No time for hesitation.
 |
| Roman sunrise at the UPS |
On Sunday night I sent in my syllabi to DSPT for the Spring Term, which begins in Berkeley on 30 January. My departure from Rome is set for 28 January… I will have a day to regroup my strength, if there is any left. Meanwhile, I have 11 more class sessions here in Rome before the exams. I had better start packing soon.
No comments:
Post a Comment