"Rest in Peace" my Nikon D700 and Words to the Wise!

This is the last image I made with my D700 before it bounced, banged and drowned.
At least it is a good one to remember her by...Image file #18, 887.

My images live here.  Take a look.  Thanks!

Well, it finally happened.  After over 43 years as a serious photographer, I finally embarrassed myself by dropping one of my favorite cameras.  Let me tell you my sad story...

On Saturday, September 14, 2013, I saw that it looked like it potentially would be a really nice sunset.  I'm not much into making sunset or sunrise images, but I've lived a stone's throw from the lower James River for over 16 years and have never made an image of the sun going down on the other side of the river, which is 4 miles across at this point.

So, I walked over to the river, down the bank and onto the large boulders that were put there to keep the bank from eroding.  I started moving around on the large rocks to compose and make some images as the sun neared the horizon.

I had made about 25 images and the sun was getting lower and lower.  I moved to my left and placed my left foot on the sloped side of a large rock.  The slope was about 60 degrees--pretty steep.  It was dry so I subconsciously wasn't concerned with my foot slipping.  I was wearing my tennis shoes. 

All of a sudden, I believe my foot started to lose its grip, and I'm guessing here because I really don't know exactly what happened.  I was concentrating on getting in the exact position to have the sun peek out around the corner of the boathouse (at F/16 to produce the star effect) and next thing I know, my camera and lens are out of my hands and bouncing and banging down the rocks. With a splash, it ended up in the river.  I stood there in disbelief as I watched bubbles rise to the surface.  Idiot!  I am an idiot for dropping my favorite camera.

I climbed down to the edge of the river, got down on my hands and knees and fished the camera out.  Dead.  Dead.  Dead.  The electronics are fried. The lens is bent and the front element is damaged.  I suspect the electronics in the lens are fried also.

I have never dropped or hurt a camera before, but I have had a few close calls.  I like to photograph railroads, sometimes from the edge of the roadway.  One time, I was photographing a steam engine while standing on the shoulder of the road on an overpass. The train was passing under.  After determining the composition I wanted for the approaching train, I waited until it got into place, took my shot, then my plan was to run across the road and make another photograph as the steam locomotive was going away.  But, you have to remember to look for traffic before you cross the street.  I almost ran in front of a car as, again, I was totally concentrating on making image and not to anything else.  I learned a lesson from that and never did that again.

But that experience translates to anytime you are making images. I get into a sort of "zone" and block out everything else except making the image.  You can't do that as it can be dangerous. You always have to maintain situational awareness.  That is where I failed in dropping my camera.  I was so intensely concentrating on my position to achieve my composition, that I was not aware of the potential to slip.

Take my advice.  Never ever get so oblivious to your surroundings that you put yourself or your gear in danger.  Situational awareness is imperative.

All that being said, my gear is fully insured with full replacement for any loss.  So, I will be made whole in that my gear is getting replaced, but it doesn't make me feel any better or less aggravated with myself, less embarrassed or feeling less stupid.

Take my advice again.  Insure your gear with full replacement value. I had done it for several years and I'm really happy I did.

Thanks for looking.  Enjoy!

Dennis Mook


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