The Roman Emperor Justinian built the Basilica Cistern in Istanbul in 532 to hold the water supply for the city of Constantinople. To affirm his conversion to Christianity, and show his disrespect for Roman gods, he placed the heads of Roman gods upside down and sideways at the bases of the 336 columns holding up the roof. Now a tourist attraction containing only about a foot of water, it is lit dimly but dramatically with red lights. A long exposure was called for and no tripods are allowed, so I left the ball head attached to my camera, lay on my stomach on the concrete walkway, and held the flat bottom of the ball head on the concrete with my left hand while pressing the shutter with my right hand. Nikon D70 with Nikkor 12-24mm lens, Really Right Stuff ballhead: f/7.1, 4 second exposure (with 2 second delay), ISO 400. Minor enhancements in Photoshop.

Wayne Becker