..a life lived in bright light
or in deep dark shadows
lends no room for imagination
It’s on the boundary
between shadow and light
where your quest to perfection lies
that’s where you’ll meet the Terminator
and maybe one day
you’ll find the place
of the Jura Mountains
where the Golden Handle lies
-carol-
I’m not a youngster anymore and I’ve learned many lessons in life. One lesson that stands head and shoulders above the rest: learn, admire and be inspired but always nuture your inner self. With all the technology at my disposal, striving for perfection could easily become the main objective.
Since taking this image, I have updated my equipment and imaging software. I have read and learned, but when I browse through older images to the days of make believe dslr’s, I realise how powerful an honest image can be.
Technically the image may be flawed, but I gasped when I saw it after many years because I remember the moment. The Moon wasn’t even that clear, being covered by wispy clouds, but I noticed what seemed like a cluster of stars in the reflection.
Without any manipulation, I’ve recovered my sense of calmness. No matter what equipment, no matter textbooks, this was me, the Moon, vineyards and a lake.
Long long ago, before internet, computerised telescopes and dslr cameras sketching at the eyepiece was a bit tougher than today but for me, no reason to throw away all pencils and blending stumps. I still believe that if I want to get up really close and personal, I have to sketch the objects that I observe.
To stay in practice I sketch the first mission that catches my attention in the live feeds on Slooh, preferably not my own mission. Each mission is 5 minutes and I have to pay close attention. The process of reducing my rough sketch is much easier now with the added bonus of an image and imaging software. The coolest is the ‘invert’ tool in photoshop!
Some may argue that sketching while observing online is crooking. Then maybe doing astro photography using specialised cameras and software falls in that category too 😛
I say as long as you enjoy doing astronomy to the full, any which way is more than ok.
My own copy has arrived in South Africa. As with all my books, it is lying on my table and no-one is allowed to touch except me. One should not attack a new book. The covers should be opened gently and pages turned slowly one by one. A book needs to adjust to its surroundings and get used to its new owner.
In due course when this process has run its course, I will tell you more about this wonderful publication….
My first impression was the weight of the book. A great deal of information lay waiting behind the impressive front cover. For a day or two I pondered over the enormous task the author had undertaken. Somehow I just knew that I had laid my hands on a special publication.