Amputating body parts in photography is one thing but it’s something else altogether when you do it to yourself. And your guillotine is a very sharp knife instead of a camera.
1/3200, f/6.3, ISO 320, Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM + EF 1.4 III Extender, not baited, set up or called in
I’ve often complained on Feathered Photography about clipping or cutting off body parts of birds in my photos, particularly in flight and takeoff shots where it’s so very easy to do. It’s always frustrating when I do it and I was especially upset when it happened with this spectacular Ferruginous Hawk at takeoff.
I think this would have been very close to a “perfect” shot (whatever that is) if I hadn’t clipped those wingtips. So it’s painful and embarrassing to admit, especially after yesterday’s post where I featured a photo of a Yellow Warbler with a cut-off wing, that precisely at noon yesterday I cut off the end of one of my own fingers.
I did it while opening this package of new bank checks I received in the mail. And stupidly I used this monster knife to do it instead of a pair of scissors as suggested by the graphic at the top of the package. I cut the end of the finger clean off – it wasn’t even still hanging by a thread of tissue. Thankfully it wasn’t very much of my finger but the piece I lost was significantly thicker than just all the skin layers. I saw some tissues that I’d only seen once before on myself (I used to spend a lot of time operating a table saw if that tells you anything).
So why did I use the knife (a huge one at that) instead of something safer? I just wasn’t thinking. This knife is part of a complete set my wife and I received as a wedding gift over 30 years ago. Since I’m no longer married and I love to cook for myself and others I spend a lot of time in the kitchen. I use those knives every day so I take good care of them and I sharpen them regularly (they’re Chicago Cutlery, made back when they still made quality knives). When I need to cut something I instinctively reach for them because they’re always so sharp and they’re handy. Not always a good idea…
I’ll spare you a photo of my bandaged finger. It isn’t pretty.
So why am I spilling my guts about all this on my bird photography blog? For the time being I almost can’t type on my keyboard. Last night I tried using that finger and typing through the pain but it just made it bleed again all over the keyboard. It’s taken me an incredible amount of time just to type this much and correct all my typos.
So for the next few days my posts are likely to be unusually short and lacking the stories I like to tell and the explanations I like to go into.
Maybe that’ll be a relief for some but either way I thought I should give my readers a heads up.
Ron
PS – It’s the index finger on my left hand. Thankfully it isn’t my shutter finger! And why do they call it the “index” finger anyway? Just because we point with it?? I always wonder about stuff like that…
I’m glad you hold the knife and camera with the same hand … and glad I did not read this until after reading about your rapid recovery.
Me too, Dave. If I’d cut my shutter finger I’m sure I’d wouldn’t have those SEO shots I took the next day.
Oh my goodness Ron! That is horrible. It hurts just thinking about that as I am typing this with my index finger. I hope it heals fast for you!
well done
Thanks, Jolene – assuming you’re referring to the hawk photo or the post in general and not the knife incident… 🙂
True confessions.
Heal fast.
That’s right, Karen. And hopefully I will. So far, so good.
Great photo with those elongated legs taking off. Well worth posting, thanks. And the finger is a reminder to all.
I’m glad you liked it, Chuck. Broke my heart to cut off the wings.
Sometimes I zip through to look at pictures first and read second. Well the picture of the large knife stopped me quick❗️ Ouch… take care of that important index finger😁
I’ll bet that photo DID get your attention, Diana!
Aaargh.
There is a reason why rhubarb and custard is ALWAYS known as thumb and custard in our family. And don’t those wounds bleed. And bleed. And bleed some more.
A wound like that reminds us just how often we use/bump the affected part too.
I hope you heal v quickly.
I hope no one in your family has served rhubarb and custard again, EC!
Well yes, it was served again. But prepared by a different (less klutzy) family member.
Holy crap, Ron! I’m so sorry! I think many of us have been there, so you’re not alone. I sacrificed the tip of my L thumb to a mushroom incident many years ago. And yes, fingertips (and scalps, for that matter) bleed like Niagra Falls.
Do whatever you need to do to take care of yourself! We’ll be here on the flip side. 🙂
Thanks, Marty. Long term it may not be as bad as I thought it might be.
OMG – I am so sorry to hear this Ron. Hope you heal quickly and completely w/full use of your finger. S$%^ happens and we’ve all been there. Don’t be too hard on yourself. Again, saddened to hear about this. Be well my friend.
Thanks very much, Zaph.
Heal quickly Ron.
And no mor clipped human parts
Diana
I’ll sure try, Diana!
OUCH, like everyone else mentioned, glad it’s not your trigger finger. Try some Tagaderm on it.
I hadn’t thought of that, April.
YEEEEEOOOOWWWEEEE! YiIIIIIKES!!! I am so sorry! You pooooor, pooor thing!!! I hope is stops hurting SOON and heals well…you don’t need this on top of a bad back!!! Please forgive yourself, too…you must be mad as Hell at yourself. But…jeeeez!!!
Yes, mad as hell!
YEEEEEEEOOOOWWWW!!!! You poor thing!!! Hope it stops hurting and heals SOON…YOU DIDN’T need that!!! The back was bad enough….
I sure didn’t need that, Patty. Thanks.
Ron, I know how it hurts. I did the same thing to the same finger about 6 months ago – using a serrated knife. It bled and bled and my husband was ready to take me to the emergency room.
And yes, it hurts like hell when you put any pressure on it.
The hawk picture is great, even with the wings cut off.
Feel better, Ron
That’s why I’m not putting any pressure on it, Alice! Hopefully that won’t last long.
Ouch ouch ouch!
Yup, x 3.
The headliner kind of had me worried, but see you did not loose your finger. Wow that is good. It will hurt like heck I am sure. Sometimes the scissors” won’t cut those darn plastic wraps and so we do reach out for a knife. We are all “dumb” sometimes. Sure glad it was not worst. I sure do like that picture you posted even if it was clipped. Hope your recovery is fast.
I couldn’t believe how tough that plastic was, Trudy!
Been there, done that, most recently with the end of my long finger on my right hand. That was several years ago now, but I still remember it vividly. Apparently I was very well trained as a child that knives (of the kind you used) are for cooking and scissors are for everything else. I was trying to cook dinner with my last such injury. I hope you heal quickly. I’m one who will miss all the stories and explanations – they are a good part of why I enjoy your blog.
It’s feeling somewhat better now, Susan. I’m typing these comments faster than I could last night. There may be some short stories after all.
Hi Ron,
Ouch. I hope you get well soon. And, I’ll be thinking all day long about the time I did it to my left index finger. It was sewn together (I’m looking at the scar now), but half of the tip is still numb. Worse, I did it while trying to impress a young lady I had just started dating. Used a folding Swiss Army knife when the situation called for an ice pick (don’t ask). The knife did its job and folded. The young lady was not impressed – the relationship ended soon after the trip to the ER…
Cheers,
Dick
What we do as young men to impress the ladies! Made me smile, Dick!
So sorry, tried to do that to my little finger while peeling a cantaloupe and slipped. Boy did that ever bleed. You know what letter on your left little finger uses the most…. Heel quickly. I think I have one of those knives, it was my grandmothers and she had my husband make a new handle for it.
T’s and R’s are giving me the most trouble typing, Jo but I’m having a difficult time with all of them I use that finger for, partly because of the thick bandage.
Many years ago, I did almost the same thing. I did go to the ER because no matter what I did, it wouldn’t stop bleeding. I cut off the pad of the finger to the bone. Not fun. I can almost guarantee you that you will use scissors from now on, or you’ll lay the package on a cutting board and draw the knife across it. Very glad you weren’t more severely injured. Good luck with the healing.
BTW, the picture is terrific.
Your injury sounds significantly worse than mine, Ann – even so, I had a very difficult time trying to stop the bleeding.
There’s “clipping”, then there is “clipping”. Must be a sign. Time to go with FF.
When I started reading your post this AM I had to stop and go get another cup of coffee. My imagination went directly to the possibility that you had “clipped” your trigger finger and I was starting to have problems in my stomach. Fortunately not the case and you did not take too much of it off. Hope you heal quickly!
I think I will, Frank. It’s feeling a little better already.
This former surgical supplier wishes you a speedy recovery. Appreciate your candor, sharing this humiliation. May your cautionary revaluation be taken to heart by your followers.
Yup, it was pretty embarrassing, John. Thanks.
GEEZ! Nothing like having a stupid attack! 🙁 It is fortunate out are right handed – suspect there would be no living with you had you gotten your shutter finger! 😉 Didn’t get to yesterdays post until WAY late! 🙁 VERY good information and certainly something I appreciate!
I’m glad you liked that post, Judy. I’m quite fond of it myself.
Sorry about your injury Ron. Hope you have a speedy recovery.
Thanks, John.
Ron, good morning. All through your story I kept thinking – I hope he did not cut his trigger finger. First the photo. It is gorgeous. If I ever get a photo that good of a Ferruginous Hawk, or maybe any hawk, I will frame it and retire from taking wildlife photos. That is such a perfect photo and because of its height with wings outstretched I don’t think it would have been possible to get it within the frame even if you were a second faster. It sounds as if the piece you cut off was not large enough to race to emergency and have it sewed back on. Hopefully you have self treated it properly so that it will eventually heal without any problems. In the meantime take it easy and just type short intros for us.
Everett Sanborn, Prescott AZ
Ha, I couldn’t even find that piece after I got the bleeding stopped, Everett. But yes, I’m sure it was too small to sew back on.
OH NO !! I’m glad you indicated ( no pun intended, certainly ) which finger got the hit—at least it wasn’t the indispensable one …….your knife-sharpening practise sounds impressive
and useful, while totally scary………..your blog fans will be plenty willing to forgo some words in exchange for the promise of intact and functioning hands……give ’em some much-deserved
rest and coddling !
“at least it wasn’t the indispensable one”
I dunno, Kris. That was my nose-picking finger…
Just kidding…
You need to become ampickdextrous! 😛
The first thing that popped into my mind…’Oh no, NOT the shutter finger?’ Well, so glad to hear that it wasn’t that one. Sometimes those little slices bleed more than a big slice which makes them so much more annoying. I recognized the knife right away…it’s sitting in my cutlery drawer. And yes…it is from a time when Chicago Cutlery was the best. If I remember correctly ‘index finger’ may have a Latin origin…doesn’t most everything. 🙂 I’ll miss the lengthy narratives though…
This bled terribly, Kathy. Finally got it stopped about an hour later but it would start up again when I bumped it slightly or tried to type.