LEGALDR wrote:
It was July 4th and I was gathering my family to attend a Fourth of July Show and Display which was scheduled to start at 4PM and last to the fireworks finale from 9 to 9:30 pm. The picnic banquet was prepared. Now to load the bottled water, iced tea, cold cans of soda into the cooler, get the folding chairs out of the garage, blankets, potato chips, tripod, camera, suntan lotion, umbrella......got it all loaded. Drove to the site and got the car parked and loaded all of the stuff on the kids, wife and me. Walk to the area and staked out our claim. All unloaded, umbrella up. Plopped down into the chair. Girls started unpacking the food, I reached for my camera and tripod. Set up the tripod, took the cap off of the lens, hit the on switch.................ahhhh.....no live view. I know that the batteries are charged. I should be ready to go. Hit the button, nothing, zip! I then inspected the camera. HMMM, the memory card door is open and...gulp....no card! A quick check of the pockets, nothing, a little lint but no memory cards. I sat back to reflect on how stupid I feel. Five hours to go and too far to go home and get a card. A great shooting afternoon and a fireworks show, all to be remembered but not photographed. What to do, What to do???? I walked around the area and spotted a fellow with a camera. Do I dare embarrass myself and explain my predicament to him? Should I ask him if he has a spare card and will he sell it to me? I decide that it will be better to embarrass myself and shoot some shots rather than sit in my chair staring at a hunk of camera. I approach and introduce myself to him. His family smiles and understands my feelings. He reached into his pack and brings out a card holder, pulls out a large capacity, high quality card and gives it to me, a total stranger. I offer to buy it and he refuses. He does not ask where I live but he gives me his card. I assure him that I will return the card. This morning I mailed a package to him with my humble thanks. My gosh, photographers are a grand lot.
It was July 4th and I was gathering my family to a... (
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LEGALDR...What a fantastic story you've shared. I can't imagine being in the same situation, but I've learned a valuable lesson from you: ALWAYS have back ups, batteries, cards, lenses in case the one you brought decides not to work, and a camera if your lucky to have two. The gentleman who helped you out in your time of need was definitely a savior because if it were me I would have stewed all day. (Of course making the day unpleasant for my family also.) Well all good things happen for a reason and maybe you'll have made a new friend in the photography world.
BTW...love the photos, especially the first one. What's a large gathering without some shiny, new porta potties...𗀯𗀯