After reviewing all the photos I have made while diving the wrecks of the Ferndale and Parat in Sognefjord, Norway, I had been dreaming of making a photo featuring the side of the Parat looking up at the Ferndale. There is a distinctive curve to the superstructure that I wanted to capture. Being geared up for long exposure photography this last trip (summer ’16) I knew it might take a novel approach with the tripod if there were no wreckage jutting out into the water to simply clamp the camera onto. Confidence was low from my recollection of previous dives.

During a dive with just my camera to recon suitable clamping wreckage and finding none, I decided I would have to return with the tripod, but instead of it being vertical like its normally used, I would have to use it horizontally – sideways. Tying it in snug to the wreck would be enough to support the camera exactly where I wanted it.

There are two small port holes in the side of the superstructure and I thought I would use them to anchor the tripod spread onto the side of the wreck using a rope. A rope connected to the tripod, into the hole and then up to the top of the wreck to tie off or possibly just back down to the tripod was the plan. Camera, tripod, and rope while swimming next to the wreck could be a recipe for disaster.

I decided to stage my camera on the seabed and get the tripod set up first. I swam the tripod up to the side of the wreck with one hand and the rope in the other hand, and as I put the rope into the porthole I thought “How am I going to get the rope UP to the top of the wreck now?” I had noticed a torch inside the wreck while I was doing this, and then a hand appeared and like magic, I had a little help from my friend. All unplanned but executed to perfection, and with that momentum, I proceeded to anchor the tripod, clamp the camera, and make the shot.

And Chris got it all on his GoPro vid of the dive. Here is an edited version. Thanks Chris !