Do you shoot for a magazine?

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By Jeff Dannay|2016-08-23T18:08:25-07:00January 14th, 2014|Arizona, Landscape, Photography Genres|0 Comments

I got this question from a visitor while I was shooting a sunset over the Grand Canyon. At first, I felt bothered as he was interrupting me from the next award-winning shot. Then I thought, man, maybe I should pretend I was shooting for a magazine – have a little fun at his expense. Right then I really wanted to say, “yes.” I certainly had the right equipment to look the part – which leads me to our little story for the day.

For over a year I’ve had my eye on a couple of pro level lenses (for you gear nerds, they are the Nikkor 24-70 f/2.8 and the 70-200 f/2.8). As you would expect, these lenses are quite pricey. So I waited. And waited, looking for any justification to purchase. Finally, the stars and the planets aligned. My other business (check us out at www.machinevc.com) had greatly improved, providing some extra money. And, Nikon had holiday sale on its lenses. Voila! The perfect storm. Of course to get the lens discount I had to buy a new camera! 🙂 And when I get a new camera, Kas gets my old one. We are both now shooting D800s.

And, to finish the story – we have been lacking in having a sturdy tripod. Ever since Kas was told (by a pro) that she really needed a “Really Right Stuff” tripod with a proper ballhead, she has been eyeing one everywhere we go. So, to finish the look, we purchased two of these high-end tripods. Outfit complete! Checking account emptied!

Now, back to my visitor friend. He was obviously wowed by my camera with large lens on a fancy tripod. He asked many questions, perhaps, a few too many. Well, definitely too many. I answered every question patiently. He was becoming a real nuisance. I secretly was hoping he would either go away or fall over the edge (No!). And Kas would not rescue me as she chuckled just a few feet away. After what seemed forever, he left leaving me to shooting the Canyon. This is my third time there and it never disappoints. Here a few shots from the evening.