One night at dinner I described how I planned to swim out into the harbour at night and capture our home away from home as a long exposure in the starlight.

Later that night when all was quiet I put my camera attached to a small tripod on top a boogie board and gently slipped out into the water.

I’m not sure what I was thinking that night. Even at my highest ISO it was not possible to make out our waterfront villa shrouded in darkness and despite how calm the evening was, even the tiniest movement of the water sent the lens peering off into an infinite variation of contorted directions.

Not one to give up on an idea I took the time to play with ideas, point the camera in other directions and experiment all the while being super careful as the camera was NOT in its housing.

This is the image that finally worked for me that night. It is the view looking back at the lights of the township of Neiafu while floating 10cm above the water.

Photo: Robert Rath, ‘Drunken Neiafu’ 8s f/4 ISO1600 40mm