A real Doh! moment :-(

[redhed17]

I'm in Venice atm, and took a trip put to Burano today. So far so good. Got off the boat at Burano and started walking around, only to then realise I'd left my Tripod on the boat.

The chap at the Vaporetto stop said that boat wasn't coming back from Torcello, which one route does. He said sometimes the boats go out of service during the day and to get in touch with the Lost Property Dept. Rather than phone I went to the office on getting back to Venice, and nothing had been handed in so far. It was a long shot, but I'll try again tomorrow.

I'm here till Wednesday and had a lot of Tripod stuff planned. Trying to plan some options if the Tripod doesn't appear, which is a huge long shot at this point. First idea was to replace tripod and head in a local shop. OK try and find some local shops. Not as easy as it sounds. I've found 3-4, one of which I've visited before. Too late to go to any of them now. One of them has a website and their prices are way more than I have in the Bank atm. Get paid the day I come back. As an aside, looking on some UK sites the Tripods and Heads are way more than I paid 8-9 years ago. I expected them to be similar or cheaper.

So now the plan is to try and get a cheap aluminium tripod from one of those shops in Venice, or even a street seller I find in the street.

 

[Fuji Dave]

Agree, a bit of a Bart Simpson moment indeed. Enjoy the holiday and hope you get a Tripod sorted

 

[PaulButler]

Maybe a bean bag? - you could quickly make one (any bag and sand/rice) ... just a thought - or go for some ICM shots

 

[Nod]

Even something as simple as a (clean!!!) sock filled with dry rice or beans/grain.

 

[redhed17]

Thanks for ideas, not keen on getting too close to the ground to compose the scene, even with the tilt screen. Though the pavements are kept pretty clean in Venice it has to be said.

I have a knock off Gorillapod (bought on a previous trip to Venice from a chap in the street) brought for doing Time-lapses or videos with my compact, which wouldn't take the weight, but may be slightly better than a 'beansock'.

I've give up worrying about it for the night, as there is nothing I can do, and feel in the mood for now, and shall take stock in the morning. At least I don't have to get up at 5am as I had planned to. Always a silver lining.

Fingers crossed the Tripod turns up anyway, as there should hopefully be some good karma flying around as I alerted the driver on the bus from the airport that someone had forgotten their backpack.

 

[BruceMo]

Cheap and Venice, not two words you see in a normal conversation
That's a real shame, was there last year and wished I had a tripod a few times but never a real issue. Enjoy theholiday and if you need a slow shutter id do as above and use a bean bag. and enjoy editing the photos that all look squint due to the leaning buildings haha

 

[redhed17]

Cheap and Venice, not two words you see in a normal conversation
That's a real shame, was there last year and wished I had a tripod a few times but never a real issue.

I normally do most places I visit pretty cheaply. Not a drinker or a foody, and I travel alone. This Tripod thing will definitely add to this one not being as cheap.

Enjoy the holiday and if you need a slow shutter id do as above and use a bean bag. and enjoy editing the photos that all look squint due to the leaning buildings haha

In Venice if there is more than one building in a scene you can guarantee they are not vertical too each other, and maybe neither true vertical. It is mainly the mornings that this is going to affect, and maybe a few nights, but we'll see.

 

[redhed17]

Well I tracked down a Photography shop and the chap showed me two tripods that could take the weight, one was quite large and €49 and the other was smaller and €79. I then went to the Lost Property office to see if my Tripod had been handed in, which it hadn't, so went back to buy the €79 tripod. The ball head on it looked really small, but he showed me the box which said it could take the weight. (about 3 Ibs) I said can I try it with my camera on, and he said fine. So I put the camera on, and all looked OK, and the I turned it to the portrait orientation and it kept on moving down. The ball head couldn't be tightened enough to stop it moving. He showed me another one which was slightly larger (folded) but could take the weight for the same price. It was a cost that sadly had to be paid to allow me to get the pics here in Venice in low light. It is a Photography holiday after all. You can't say I don't pay for my mistakes. Lets just hope I learn from them.

I'm still going to check the Lost Property again a few times before I leave, just in case.

 

[TLR-330]

Manfrotto are made in Italy .... just sayin...

 

[RaphaelSamad]

I am sorry to hear of your troubles and hope that you manage to get things sorted okay.
I hope that you manage to enjoy Venice anyway.

 

[redhed17]

Manfrotto are made in Italy .... just sayin...

Maybe it escaped back home. Brings a tear to your eye.

I am sorry to hear of your troubles and hope that you manage to get things sorted okay.
I hope that you manage to enjoy Venice anyway.

Thanks. I'll always enjoy Venice. My favourite place in the World. Saying that, my feet aren't enjoying it as much as they used to.