Jesse Rivest's Blog

I went to a photo lab today to print this picture, I've always been curious about how it might look. I am a bit disappointed that I didn't wait longer between my exposures (to get more distance between the moons), or that I didn't make it simply one exposure. But it's still cool as it is!

This is a picture that captures the event of Staircase to the Moon, in Broome, Western Australia, during the latter weeks of August, 2005. I was living in a tent at the MCG, which is adjacent to Town Beach (Roebuck Bay). When Staircase to the Moon occurs, all the crafts-people come out and set up a night market at Town Beach! Many tourists come down to the Beach to see the staircase phenomenon and to shop at the night market! This is not a typical staircase picture, where you will see the moonlight reflecting on miles of water pools in the tidal flat - I will explain why I think this picture is cool.

There is a ridge of rocks to the left of Town Beach, where all the tourists set their chairs, and stand, to see the moon rise over Roebuck Bay. I was among them on this ridge, with Barnaby and Zoe, Dan and Chloe, and with my camera and tripod. As the moon began to rise, EVERYBODY started taking pictures with their little snap-and-shoot cameras, and their digital cameras, each one of them with a flash blasting the darkness of the night. Here's a secret everyone, write this down - you probably won't be impressed with your moon photo if use a flash! I thought this was funny, so I went onto the flat behind the ridge and waited for the moon to rise above the ridge, silhouetting the tourists with their flashing cameras! You can see one of the flashes firing on the left of the ridge.

I hope you can see the people on the ridge, I suppose it depends on the brightness of your monitor. It could be a better picture, but hopefully you get the idea. Seeing this picture reminds me of Will-the-fire-juggler-from-Dublin and Trumpet-Dave who busked during the night market. I had a serious flu and didn't join them. It also reminds me of Cormac from Tullamore, Kelly from Adelaide, Jess from Albany, Aaron and Fionna who made and sold fire staffs and poy, Kamali and his home-on-wheels that included a kiln for firing his clay flutes, Mark (?) with the didg and Joy, Jana and Viola who missed the whole thing, and so many other great people. Broome is such a wonderful memory for me!

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