My most expensive image ever?

What do you think is the most expensive image you’ve ever taken (no jokes please about it being one on a Natures Images trip or workshop though please!) ? It’s a question I’ve found myself pondering this week as I’ll explain shortly.

I’ve racked my brains through the trips that I’ve done in search of images of a location or a species and there’s certainly some that have had a high monetary value in that respect.  I know that I’ve spent hours, weeks, and days waiting for certain things to happen or appear in front of my lens on many many occasions so there are plenty that fall into the high cost in terms of time.  I’ve walked to some endless places and up some pretty steep hills with plenty of heavy gear to lug in both directions (and these too have been fruitless treks on plenty of occasions) so the cost has been high in terms of physical effort.

But this week I hit a new height in terms of cost and it’s that of anxiety (accompanied with a potentially high replacement financial replacement cost) as I managed to completely submerge my beloved 500mm in a local lake while working on some Great Crested Grebes that I’ve been enjoying greatly over the last few weeks. It’ll teach me to sit in the water for that perfect shot (and I’ve had some amazing experiences and some fantastic images and video too with them but that’s for another day as it’s still work in progress) – my wife and children think I’m barmy for doing that anyway – but it’s what I’m driven to do in search of greater intimacy in my work so I can’t see myself really learning too much on that front, but the anxiety wave that hit me as I turned to see bubbles where my lens and tripod used to be (fortunately no camera body attached at the time) and having rescued it watched the muddy smelly water drain out of the focus ring was very high I can assure you.  The air was mildly blue too! 

 My anxiety is still high as the lens is currently sat with CPS awaiting their verdict and although early indications from the insurers appear positive nothings sorted until it’s sorted on that front and there will of course be financial penalties even if it’s a successful claim – if not it’ll be even higher as life without a 500mm is impossible to contemplate. Fortunately it’s tolerable at the moment thatnks to great friend Kevin at TFC who’s helped me out with a 600mm to tie things over until the verdict is reached.

If you own expensive kit the moral is clear – don’t do stupid things with it like I do, and make sure it’s insured. And then ask yourself what the most expensive image you’ve ever taken and why too – here’s mine: not the best by any means but the last one of the morning before the sinking of the 500!

Postscript: Just been told the lens is “beyond economical repair” – the anxiety just got higher!!