Adventures in the Swamp
Taking last week’s Friday Photo was a unique experience. I found myself paddling a kayak to various locations on a 400-acre pond in Southeast Georgia. Once I found a promising composition, I used my paddle as a depth gauge.
My hope was to hit bottom with a few inches of paddle to spare. If it did, I knew the top of my tripod would be above water.
If the location was shallow enough, I jammed my tripod legs into the unseen muck on the bottom. If I was lucky, the tripod ended up above the surface. Next came attaching my camera to the tripod.
I have to admit that my trepidation never lessened. I kept worrying about seeing my expensive gear drop into the murky depths. After that, I needed to fine tune the composition. Trying to move a heavy, waterlogged tripod with a camera on top from a kayak was sometimes maddening.
Finally, it was a matter of trying to keep the kayak close enough to my gear to take the pictures.
A much easier shot
Today’s Friday Photo was easy compared to the kayak. This one was taken from a dock with a telephoto lens. There was no problem moving slightly to improve a composition. I didn’t drift away from my gear.
And best of all, I could see my tripod on solid ground.
Thanks for looking,
Chuck Derus