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Photography Karma – I’ll Trade You A Lens For A Kitten

Aug 13, 2015 by JP Danko 7 Comments

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I'll trade you a lens for a kitten on craigslist

Wedding photography can be a roller-coaster of ups and downs.

Here’s one way to tell if you’re having a good day:

Leave a brand new Nikon 20mm f/1.8 lens laying on the ground during the park photos.  Have it found by a random passerby who proceeds to jump into her car, drive in the general direction she thought the limo went, spot the bride’s dress while she’s having her photo taken in the garden of the banquet center, pull over and return the lens.

Yes, someone found a $1000 lens sitting on the ground – then tracked down the wedding party just to return it to the wedding photographer (me).

The whole experience left me feeling really awesome about the state of the world – and also feeling like I owe someone some serious karma.

Meet My New Cat – Karma

Two days later, I received this text from my wife: “Hey look what we found in the backyard”.

I'll trade you a lens for a kitten

Now, I’m pretty sure that cat karma isn’t really equivalent to people karma.

I mean, I already own three cats, which is one more than I originally agreed to.

Its a long story, but it involved adopting two kittens and temporarily taking in their mother until she could find a home (which of course she already had).

So, according to my wife and kids – by taking in a stray kitten I’d actually be saving someone else from having to shell out for a lifetime of food and vet bills – so I’d be even with the universe.

I'll trade you a lens for a kitten

Free Family Photo Session – Or a Free Cat – Or Both!

Somehow, I have a sneaking suspicion that the universe is getting the better end of this deal…

So, if you are the amazing woman at Morningstar Mill at DeCew Falls in St. Catharines Ontario on Saturday August 8th around 3:00 in the afternoon and you returned my lens to me at Amici’s Banquet Centre in Thorold – I am really sorry that I didn’t get your name – but in the extremely rare chance that you read this – I’d like to offer you a free family photo session – just leave me a message.

Or how about a free kitten.

Or how about both a free kitten and a family photo session?

I'll trade you a lens for a kitten

The Moral Of The Story

OK, so you’re probably all wondering – HOW COULD YOU FORGET A $1000 LENS AT THE PARK?

I know – pretty dumb right?

(And the more humorless among you are probably also wondering, what does this have to do with DIY or Photography?  Nothing really, its just a fun story.  Also, yes I do realize that the title reads like a bad Craigslist ad – that was kinda the point).

I'll trade you a lens for a kitten

The thing is, wedding photography moves extremely fast.  I had less than 45 minutes to photograph portraits of the bride and groom and the wedding party, so in the interest of speed and versatility I decided to leave my camera bag in the car and just grab the one additional piece of gear I thought I might need – the 20mm f/1.8.

Unfortunately, that lens is just a teeny bit too big to fit into a pocket – so that meant putting it down while shooting, then grabbing it again to go to the next location.

In hindsight, it seems pretty obvious that sooner or later I would forget about it while rushing to capture everything I needed to get.

What Have You Lost During A Wedding Shoot?

I have a suspicion that in the heat of battle, wedding photographers leave gear behind all the time.

What have you lost at a wedding?

Have you ever been reunited with gear that you thought was gone forever?

Do you think agreeing to keep a stray kitten is sufficient karma to repay the universe for returning my lens?

Leave a comment and let us know!

I'll trade you a lens for a kitten

Update

Between writing and publishing this story Karma the Kat (who was re-named Tina by the kids for reasons only they understand) has been adopted out to a happy forever home – thereby relieving me the duties of caring for another poop machine.

(To be completely honest, it relieves my wife the duties of caring for another poop machine, but I scooped frozen poopsicles from a Bernese Mountain Dog for 8 years – so who’s keeping score?)

Anyway, I think that means I am still in debt to the universe.

Maybe the kids will find a karma chameleon tomorrow.

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Filed Under: Inspiration Tagged With: fun, funny, humor, humour, Wedding Photography

About JP Danko

JP Danko is a commercial photographer based in Toronto, Canada. JP
can change a lens mid-rappel, swap a memory card while treading water, or use a camel as a light stand.

To see more of his work please visit his studio website blurMEDIAphotography, or follow him on Twitter, 500px, Google Plus or YouTube.

JP’s photography is available for licensing at Stocksy United.

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