How do you react when your $10,000 lens is smashed on the sidelines by a football player? I think photographer Mike Simons is a class act. His reaction was to apologize. He has been shooting football on the sidelines for 26 years now. Never once has he had an incident until now. His luck ran out this Saturday when Oklahoma Sooners Sterling Shepard went up for a touchdown pass in the in zone. He landed right on a Canon 400mm f2.8 lens. That’s a big lens with a big price tag.
When he landed, he fell into me and came down on my Canon 400mm F 2.8 lens. Shepard was hurt. He let me know it while he writhed in pain. For that, I would like to apologize that our paths crossed. I felt horrible and still feel very bad about that. I was relieved when he came out and played in the second half.
Some comments have been made about camera gear lying by my side. I have always felt that flat on the ground is the safest place for gear that isn’t being used at that particular moment. It is where most photographers keep their gear. It allows me to move out of a player’s way quickly. And there are no monopods (the metal poles on the bottom of our cameras) sticking up needlessly. It has worked perfectly for 26 years. On Saturday, while lined up with dozens of other photographers in the designated photo area, it didn’t.
Source: Tulsa World
Image Source: Fan Sided Gif
