Hanging It Over the Side

I'm a gondolier and a photography fan.

As the fanatic behind the Gondola Blog, both disciplines come in handy.

I've already taken loads of pictures from the back of a gondola - many of which have been seen here.

Getting a tripod involved isn't a new idea either.

But mounting my beloved camera to the top of the tripod, and hanging it out over the water was a new exercise in faith.

The timer setting was an important thing.

So was a firm grip.

Doing it all while rowing?

well that seemed like a fun challenge,

and I was just brave or stupid enough to give it a try.

Here's a shot with the lady's hand resting along the rail.

Rowing in the tight canals added to the challenge.

Getting the camera so close to the surface offers some great reflections.

I managed to snap this photo

as we were approaching a message-in-a-bottle.

Sure, I had plenty of blurred attempts, and shots that were almost right, but I came away with a few that I was happy with.

I was also happy that I came away with a dry camera!