19
Sep

Living Poetry

2015/09/19
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“If your relationship to the present moment is not right — nothing can ever be right in the future — because when the future comes — it’s the present moment.”

~ Eckhart Tolle

20150919-111
J.F. Ceprano photographing an Italian balancer

BAWI 2015
Massa Lubrense, Italy

Variation I

my favorite part about this balance was how the middle triangle decided to balance at the perfect angle to align with the slight curve of the distant cliffside. couldn’t have lined it up better myself.. but the parallel was a central highlight for my photos.

this guy…! one of the locals! ^^

This was a completely spontaneous event..  he just jumped in the frame and started posing… so i ran with it. despite my usual worry of rocks falling.. but this guy was an incredibly poetic individual. Worthy of romancing the rocks haha!

 

2015-09-massa-lubrense-jfceprano

 

<–      I’m slightly less poetic . . . (Photo by John Felice Ceprano)

 

 

 

 

Variation II

I guess my favorite part about this variation was the sheer challenge.. it took significantly longer to build than the first. I also love the different light that came out during its lifespan..  and the moon <3

Seen in the night shots is the small town of Massa Lubrense.. really beautiful little place just south of Sorrento


Rock Report:

rocks here are an interesting change.. lots of sedimentary, essentially useless for technically involved balancing such as this. also lots of volcanic rock which is a bit harder but fairly lightweight, meaning.. they do not work well as top rocks because they are both lightweight and still slightly brittle. then there are these other rocks… (pictured here) which are fairly angular, gray, whose biggest challenge is lack of friction, meaning the balance must be that much more precise, especially in top heavy multidimensional arrangements like this.. good thing is they feel as hard as granite. but one wrong slip or twist could lead to a sudden accident, cuz when they slip at the wrong angle, they slip faster than one can think. from there it’s all luck of quick reflexes. so as with all balancing… GO SLOWLY. also, i couldn’t build this without sitting comfortably, which can also be a challenge given the terrain. but still, with all the challenges, really beautiful things are possible.

 

212 Responses
  18. Rita McBride
    Reply

    There are so many things in life that amaze and baffle me. This is one of them. How in the world can someone do this? I can’t balance on one damn foot!

  26. Mary Anne Campbell
    Reply

    That is totally what I thought. We’re all a stack of bones, not all as gorgeous as your rocks and stones but all a stack, still, in motion and in reference to the earth always.
    And he’s got great color and a hat and a beard and he thinks in Italian, all of which makes the inevitable collapse to the earth more like poetry.

  38. Tommy Leonard
    Reply

    Sadly, we were in Boulder a few months ago. When you come to San Antonio, I will pose continuously for you. Your work is pretty awesome so it’s the least I can do

  107. Gabriele Crobu
    Reply

    Sono quasi 15 anni che pratico quest’ arte rilassante / zen . Sono stupito dalle tue opere . Ci sono andato molto vicino . Spero non ti dispiaccia se ho postato lo screenschot della mia pagina ! Grazie

  134. Alex Engoian
    Reply

    Always eager to see you new work.. love it….just to humour you, i was starting BBQ and ended up spending time building coals on top of each other….and asking the question…how the hell does he do this !!!!

    1. Gravity Glue
      Reply

      i guess it is now… ! incredibly convenient design.. functional, ergonomic. tho the pockets should stay snapped shut or zipped when not in use.. already lost a camera remote and almost an ipod due to unsnapped pockets + bending down to pick up a rock in the creek.

  162. James Hudson
    Reply

    When I see these images I get a form of Tourettes. Profanities issue forth and I foam a little at the mouth. If I owned a gun I may very well blow my brains out

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