Umbria | northumbrian : light

Weekly Photo Challenge: Treasure

Posted on February 19, 2014 by northumbrianlight

My wife is a Geordie. Pam speaks a language that, even after these many years, I sometimes struggle to interpret. She is a constant source of amusement and surprise. She does a fine impression of Kate Bush which, at its best, might shatter glass. She is a rare treasure:

The photograph was taken in Todi Cathedral. We had driven there from Perugia in a searing July heat so the cool shadows of the Duomo provided welcome relief. The bright summer sun pierced the dark interior as shafts of dusty light from high windows. You could choose your moment and step into the limelight – anyone could do it – the good, the bad, the rich, the poor, the loveliest and the best.

Travel theme: Architecture

Posted on August 10, 2013 by northumbrianlight

This is the interior of Todi Cathedral in the province of Perugia in Italy. In the heat of an Umbrian summer the thick stone walls and large open space provided welcome cool sanctuary from outside pavements hotter than a match head (The Lovin’ Spoonful). As may be all too obvious, the angels in the architecture have been “re-positioned” from elsewhere inside the cathedral. The lyric from Paul Simon’s You Can Call Me Al have also been subject to minor adaptation:

Travel theme: Costume

Posted on June 2, 2013 by northumbrianlight

I had to dig deep for this week’s Travel Theme: Costume; these pictures were taken at the Bevagna Festival in 2000. This annual event takes place every June in the searing heat of an Umbrian summer, less than ideal for the heavy medieval costumes of jute, wool and velvet.

On initial inspection most participants seem indistinguishable from their ancient ancestors except for a few obvious signs which continuity failed to notice – designer watches, spectacles and some very good dentistry:

The pictures pre-date full conversion to digital and were taken with a Minolta Dynax SLR and then transferred to Picture CD by Kodak; when edited I was amazed by just how low resolution the images are when compared to what the modern full frame DSLR manages to capture inside the camera – almost medieval.