csant
19-Apr-2009, 23:56
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 (http://www.amicidisanpietro.it/) 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 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/csant/3457146094/): 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.)
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 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/csant/3457146094/): 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.)