San Pietro al Monte, Civate

[csant]

I did call, just to make sure they'd let me shoot with a tripod. "Sure, just no flash". So I lug all my equipment (currently I only own a Linhof Kardan Color - but I desperately long for some lighter field equipment…) one hour hiking up the steep path to the San Pietro al Monte monastery (662m), near Civate (Italy).

But as soon as I start mounting my large format camera, a concerned guardian asks me which magazine I am shooting for. "None, I am just shooting for myself - I am no professional" and he seems to be re-assured.

But after just 3 or 4 minutes he is over at my side again: "Is it going to take you any longer? There are visitors!". It doesn't help to stress that visitors should just wander about as if I wasn't there, I was certainly not going to ask anybody to move out of my shots - he feels extremely at unease seeing me fumble around under the darkcloth with my big camera.

I am allowed one hasty shot: not enough time to carefully compose the image, not enough time to carefully focus, not enough time to make sure the image circle would still cover the sheet after quite a lot of movements to summarily compensate for the perspective, not enough time to carefully study the difficult lighting conditions…

(The rest of the story is that I ask him if I may shoot with my "small camera" instead. That's no problem. I disassemble the beast, mount the Rolleiflex I always have with me on the tripod, and finish off the interior of the church in MF. He didn't dare saying anything anymore… Pictures will follow on Flickr.)

[Mark Sampson]

Next time get a letter from the abbot giving permission... that should take care of any officious security people. From your one shot, it's worth going back.

[John Cahill]

Does anyone know if this is near the village of San Pietro, where John Houston filmed his controversil (at the time) documentary "The Battle for San Pietro?"

[csant]

John, no. The movie was shot near San Pietro Infine, while the monastery is located on the mountains above Civate.

Mark, I most definetly will go back - with a clear permission. It was jut very unfortunate the security folks felt so at unease - I don't even think they wanted to make it sound as if it was *forbidden*, they just didn't *want* me to shoot. A clear OK from the abbot should clear things up…