An Improvised Studio 349 
only I could use this branch as a ‘‘stand,” I might be able to hold 
the camera on it steady enough to get a 30-second exposure. | 
found however that I needed both hands to keep me from swinging 
off the bough and even then my weight caused it to bend slightly, 
quite enough anyway to spoil a photograph. To depend on the 
rope alone as my support was out of the question, for there is a 
lot of vibration in 30 ft. of 14 in. rope. 
Looking around, I espied only a couple of feet overhead a 
still stouter bough and_ realized that herein lay my opportunity. 
So, carefully overhauling the end of my rope, I made it fast to 
this branch so that I remained suspended just below it by the 
small of my back. By good luck I was now able to jamb one 
foot into a cranny and thus to steady myself completely. I 
now laid the camera on the lower bough in front of me and 
found to my joy that it was to all intents and purposes steady. 
Determined not to lose such an opportunity, I took a series 
of photographs with both cameras. One set, alas! owing to the 
same defective films which had served me so cruelly in the case 
of a Bearded Vulture’s nest only the day before were spoilt. Of 
the others in three cases the camera slipped and in some the 
olive branches vibrated in the wind. Owing to my constrained 
position and the fact that the eggs were below me I could not 
look into the finder when photographing and hence lost one or 
two exposures owing to the eggs being on the edge of the film. 
Curious to say, my greatest trouble was to find a spot where I 
could deposit my watch in order to time the exposures. Eventually 
I managed to suspend it to a twig. I made a vow there and then 
never again to attempt photography in awkward places unless 
provided with a wrist watch. It all sounds very trivial, but there 
are assuredly troubles enough for the unfortunate climber en- 
deavouring at one and the same time to retain his balance and 
to manipulate a folding-camera without any such extra annoyances. 
