tough on equipment...

a week ago this morning, i had a camera malfunction.  

or more accurately, a human malfunction...

i was out taking photos with my sister in albany ny.  

 

everything was just beautiful - dramatic skies, colorful trees, rolling hills and bubbling creeks.  

we ended up on a bridge by a reservoir.

i  always carry two cameras - one with a wide angle lens, one with a 300mm zoom.   

i had one around my neck and one on my shoulder.  

as we walked back to the car, i was digging in my pocket for my keys 

and forgot to put my arm through the strap on my shoulder.  

in an instant, the camera slid down my shoulder and my 55-300mm lens went nose first into the road.  

it broke right off.  it was gone.  

in a split second, i felt like i went blind.   

i silently, with my heart in my throat, bent down, picked up the pieces and went to the car.  

i had to go home.  

it was a long four hour ride back to the cape.  

the radio was off, my cell phone was quiet and my heart was sick.

when i got to the house, joey met me at the door with a silent hug.  

then he took the pieces and a wrench and went in the other room.  

when he came back, he handed me my camera - intact.  

amazingly, it still worked!  

it felt like a rebirth of some sort, like there is life after death.    

i hate that i lost the lens.  it was like losing a friend. i felt like i let it down.

this lens was not the one i wanted when i bought it 3-4 yrs ago.  

i was replacing another broken lens - a 70-300mm but they were unavailable so i settled for the 55-300.

it was a workhorse.  and i put it through a lot. 

i went out on monday to find a replacement.  i was able to get the 70-300mm this time and for that, i am grateful.  i also have huge gratitude to that 55-300.  

it was a beauty and gave me sights i would never have seen without it.

rest in peace, big lens, RIP...