Disaster strikes - tell me your stories.

[Jody_S]

I have fallen into frozen water twice while photographing, once with a Canon F1, motor drive & 500mm lens around my neck, and once with an 8x10 in a satchel. The 8x10 didn't get wet, the satchel stayed on the ice while I broke through. I had to use my tripod to crawl back out onto the ice, and it was about a 2 mile walk on safe ice to get back to the car. The F1 was submerged and repaired, but the motor drive started losing frames after. That time it was about a 10 mile boat ride back to the car.

[Tin Can]

Your name could be Shriek!

I spent my youth on northern ice, we knew where the spring water was.

But then again it was much colder 60 years ago.

Lucky man.

[David Lobato]

I saved all of my photo gear (a large collection of cameras and lenses) when Hurricane Harvey hit last year. Everything put into plastic containers and stacked as high above the floor as possible, top of the fridge, counters, high cabinets, washer/dryer. I did lose a boxed Epson 2450 scanner that I forgot was on the floor. That was half the battle, after the 4 feet of rain it was getting everything aired out and kept dry away from extreme humidity and heat. Soon after I left Houston, bound for Maryland. Haven't had any problems with any pieces of equipment since. I lost most of my household items and all the furniture but all my photo gear was safe.

[neil poulsen]

Here's a near disaster that happened to me in a workshop.

We were on Garrapata Beach just south of Carmel, and the weather wasn't great. Cold, wind, and a little rain, so it was taking all my attention to manage an image. I had my backpack on the beach nearby, when a sleeper wave approached.

Had it not been for the quick reaction time of myself and a couple of others, my backpack would have filled with saltwater. Of course, all but one of my lenses were in the backpack.

Talk about a near miss. it still sends shivers down my back, when I think about it.

[Jody_S]

Your name could be Shriek!

I spent my youth on northern ice, we knew where the spring water was.

But then again it was much colder 60 years ago.

Lucky man.

After the 2nd time, maybe 4 years ago (?), I decided I'm too old for this shit. I've stayed off spring ice since then.