Photo is not worth your life...

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iczek

iczek

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This is not a post about gear. This is a post dedicated to those who trust too much in their invincibility.
As a cautionary tale. For reflection.
I survived life while chasing the perfect shot.Take care of yourselves!
(if the post and link violate the forum's rules, please remove)

iczek.pl

THE PHOTO IS NOT WORTH YOUR LIFE – fotopropaganda

No photo is worth a life. None! When photographing birds, remember safety above all. I saved my life even though I did everything wrong.
iczek.pl iczek.pl
 
I read your odyssey with interest. These trials can challenge our resourcefulness and become life threatening if not deadly. Terrain should always be scouted out in daylight and any changes to ingress or egress carries risks. Granted, the muck in the narrow waterway is not dangerous in itself. But navigating a new exit route under thise conditions was not a good decision. I’ve spent years photographing black bears (as many in this forum have) and have done some not so smart things to get “that shot”. Most were “measured risks”. You could have died from hypothermia….. The new exit route that you picked was not considered a “risk’. You were not thinking about your safety. Have a plan and stick with it.
 
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Most of us have done stupid stuff and the fact that we're reading your post shows that we've been lucky -- so far. A fair number of people have died trying to take photographs of waterfalls or just getting a little closer to the edge of a cliff. Now that I'm over 80 I stay away from those places, but when I was young and dumb I didn't -- never underestimate luck.

Just as an aside, most fishermen wearing chest waders use a tight belt to keep the waders' legs from quickly filling with water.
 
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Woody Meristem said:
Most of us have done stupid stuff and the fact that we're reading your post shows that we've been lucky -- so far. A fair number of people have died trying to take photographs of waterfalls or just getting a little closer to the edge of a cliff. Now that I'm over 80 I stay away from those places, but when I was young and dumb I didn't -- never underestimate luck.

Just as an aside, most fishermen wearing chest waders use a tight belt to keep the waders' legs from quickly filling with water.
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Yes, good advice with that belt! Thanks for pointed it.
I'm not making excuses. I did everything wrong that day. Even though I'm quite a reasonable person. This post is simply intended to be a warning. This is just a one second sometimes…. and life has no remakes!
 
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Larry S. said:
I read your odyssey with interest. These trials can challenge our resourcefulness and become life threatening if not deadly. Terrain should always be scouted out in daylight and any changes to ingress or egress carries risks. Granted, the muck in the narrow waterway is not dangerous in itself. But navigating a new exit route under thise conditions was not a good decision. I’ve spent years photographing black bears (as many in this forum have) and have done some not so smart things to get “that shot”. Most were “measured risks”. You could have died from hypothermia….. The new exit route that you picked was not considered a “risk’. You were not thinking about your safety. Have a plan and stick with it.
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Fully agree. Be safe!
 
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Reminds me of the time I got stuck alone underground in the north side of Antelope Canyon (Lower) in late November. This was before they installed ladders. Fortunately I was young and strong enough to wedge my feet on one side of the canyon and my arms on the other and chimney climb up the 10 or so feet facing the sky with my backpack and tripod dangling behind me. Today I wouldn't have been so lucky and been totally dependent on some passerby to hear my yells for help coming out of a crack in the ground. I'm grateful to be here.
 
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SilverSurfer said:
Reminds me of the time I got stuck alone underground in the north side Antelope Canyon in late November. This was before they installed ladders. Fortunately I was young and strong enough to wedge my feet on one side of the canyon and my arms on the other and chimney climb up the 10 or so feet facing the sky with my backpack and tripod dangling behind me. Today I wouldn't have been so lucky and been totally dependent on some passerby to hear my yells for help coming out of a crack in the ground. I'm grateful to be here.
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I am glad that you made it! There is nothing better in our life than… life :)
 
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Thanks for sharing. Glad to hear you made it out without any permanent physical damage (or worse).

I think this is a good reminder for all of us. I have to admit that I've been known to take (in hindsight) unnecessary risks from time to time as well (although less and less as I get older). I've been lucky enough to never have it lead to anything serious though (a few tumbles without consequences). Definitely makes one think.
 
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iczek said:
This is not a post about gear. This is a post dedicated to those who trust too much in their invincibility.
As a cautionary tale. For reflection.
I survived life while chasing the perfect shot.Take care of yourselves!
(if the post and link violate the forum's rules, please remove)

iczek.pl

THE PHOTO IS NOT WORTH YOUR LIFE – fotopropaganda

No photo is worth a life. None! When photographing birds, remember safety above all. I saved my life even though I did everything wrong.
iczek.pl iczek.pl
Click to expand...
Sorry for the loss of your gear, glad you made it out alive.

Oliver
 
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Thanks for sharing, glad you are OK 😊 Sorry for the loss of your gear, when you get your gear replaced I would strongly advise you to get It insured. I have my Z9 and 600 TC insured, even if it costs a bit it also feels better bringing the expensive gear out in hars environments.
 
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Kjellis said:
Thanks for sharing, glad you are OK 😊 Sorry for the loss of your gear, when you get your gear replaced I would strongly advise you to get It insured. I have my Z9 and 600 TC insured, even if it costs a bit it also feels better bringing the expensive gear out in hars environments.
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You are absolutely right! I will do that for sure!!
 
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iczek said:
This is not a post about gear. This is a post dedicated to those who trust too much in their invincibility.
As a cautionary tale. For reflection.
I survived life while chasing the perfect shot.Take care of yourselves!
(if the post and link violate the forum's rules, please remove)

iczek.pl

THE PHOTO IS NOT WORTH YOUR LIFE – fotopropaganda

No photo is worth a life. None! When photographing birds, remember safety above all. I saved my life even though I did everything wrong.
iczek.pl iczek.pl
Click to expand...
A challenge is fun and rewarding as long as it is NOT life threatening, careless, threatens wildlife (including people) or the environment.
 
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My respect for telling this story to the public. Most people would probably brush this kind of experience under the carpet and keep it for thmeselves in order not to get "unwanted input". To me it is always the question what is the bigger risk,
  • being on home turf where you think you know everything, you feel at home, you feel "safe" and strong, thinking "here nothing can happen to me" or ...
  • being far away, travelling, probably in a so called one-in-a-lifetime-location and going beyond your limits because you think you will not have this opportunity a sevcond time in your life.
The truth is probably in the middle - or everywhere in this spectrum.

It is good if people like you share their experience to make others think of what they are doing.

Murphy is everywhere and he doesn't step back from experienced people. The difference is that they are more aware about him standing behind them and waiting for an opportunity to apply "his law". But as your story shows, he always finds a gap :).

Glad you made it and good - no, better - luck for the future.
 
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Woodpecker said:
My respect for telling this story to the public. Most people would probably brush this kind of experience under the carpet and keep it for thmeselves in order not to get "unwanted input". To me it is always the question what is the bigger risk,
  • being on home turf where you think you know everything, you feel at home, you feel "safe" and strong, thinking "here nothing can happen to me" or ...
  • being far away, travelling, probably in a so called one-in-a-lifetime-location and going beyond your limits because you think you will not have this opportunity a sevcond time in your life.
The truth is probably in the middle - or everywhere in this spectrum.

It is good if people like you share their experience to make others think of what they are doing.

Murphy is everywhere and he doesn't step back from experienced people. The difference is that they are more aware about him standing behind them and waiting for an opportunity to apply "his law". But as your story shows, he always finds a gap :).

Glad you made it and good - no, better - luck for the future.
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You have no idea how important for me is what you wrote. Thanks!!
 
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I was at my old stomping grounds at Circle B Bar ranch and reserve in Polk County, FL, heading for a pond where some pelicans had landed when I stepped on a patch of weeds that looked like every other patch of weeds...and was suddenly up to my chest in muddy water in a sinkhole I had no idea was there. Thankfully, another photographer was nearby to take my lens and then help haul me out, but if it had been just a little deeper, I might have been in big trouble.
 
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RikWriter said:
I was at my old stomping grounds at Circle B Bar ranch and reserve in Polk County, FL, heading for a pond where some pelicans had landed when I stepped on a patch of weeds that looked like every other patch of weeds...and was suddenly up to my chest in muddy water in a sinkhole I had no idea was there. Thankfully, another photographer was nearby to take my lens and then help haul me out, but if it had been just a little deeper, I might have been in big trouble.
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Oh my. I'm glad you made it through! It's good to have some backup.
 
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Thank you for sharing your story with us and glad you made it out alive. Very well written, like a novel you can't put down. Pity about the gear but that can be replaced. I've had close calls and thought at the time I was a bit silly to tempt fate, I am not as young as I used to be! A friendly reminder how close we can sometimes go to a life-threatening situation.
 
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iczek said:
This is not a post about gear. This is a post dedicated to those who trust too much in their invincibility.
As a cautionary tale. For reflection.
I survived life while chasing the perfect shot.Take care of yourselves!
(if the post and link violate the forum's rules, please remove)

iczek.pl

THE PHOTO IS NOT WORTH YOUR LIFE – fotopropaganda

No photo is worth a life. None! When photographing birds, remember safety above all. I saved my life even though I did everything wrong.
iczek.pl iczek.pl
Click to expand...
I was sitting in a lawn chair snapping away when out of the corner of my eye I spotted a osprey land behind a tree limb. I nudged forward in my rickety chair and tipped into the canal--camera and all-----short story I was OK but my d500 and 300f/4 pf bit the dust. 4k lost to my stupidity. aLive and learn.
 
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RikWriter said:
I was at my old stomping grounds at Circle B Bar ranch and reserve in Polk County, FL, heading for a pond where some pelicans had landed when I stepped on a patch of weeds that looked like every other patch of weeds...and was suddenly up to my chest in muddy water in a sinkhole I had no idea was there. Thankfully, another photographer was nearby to take my lens and then help haul me out, but if it had been just a little deeper, I might have been in big trouble.
Click to expand...
I was waiting to hear about the gigantic gator under the weeds....
 
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