{"id":22133,"date":"2014-02-18T05:18:23","date_gmt":"2014-02-18T12:18:23","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.featheredphotography.com\/blog\/?p=22133"},"modified":"2017-01-30T18:07:07","modified_gmt":"2017-01-31T01:07:07","slug":"saying-goodbye-to-an-old-friend-and-remembering-the-kindness-of-another","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/featheredphotography.com\/blog\/2014\/02\/18\/saying-goodbye-to-an-old-friend-and-remembering-the-kindness-of-another\/","title":{"rendered":"Saying Goodbye To An Old Friend And Remembering The Kindness of Another"},"content":{"rendered":"

In this case the old friend is a beloved lens and the kindness remembered was from my cousin Ken Dudley.<\/p>\n

Ken and I were\u00a0cousins but we were truly like brothers.\u00a0 We grew up together on the\u00a0adjoining Montana farms of our families and as the years passed\u00a0we became even closer as I regularly returned to the farm for extended summer visits.\u00a0 He eventually owned\u00a0and operated the entire spread (a big operation)\u00a0and it was always like a homecoming when I went back.\u00a0 By 2005 I was flirting with my\u00a0developing interest in bird photography and\u00a0Ken loved and nurtured\u00a0the resident\u00a0Great Horned Owls that hung around in the old farm buildings\u00a0so he encouraged my attempts at\u00a0photographing them but knew that I was frustrated by\u00a0the limitations of my camera gear.\u00a0 Photographing birds well usually requires\u00a0a significant investment in\u00a0equipment and I was a recently retired\u00a0high school teacher on a limited income.<\/p>\n

Long story short\u00a0\u00a0– Ken struggled for years with polycystic kidney disease\u00a0(PKD)\u00a0and tragically very soon after a successful kidney transplant he passed away from an unrelated cancer in early 2007.\u00a0 We spent a lot of time together during the years he was sick because even\u00a0though he lived in Montana all of his many treatments and surgeries were\u00a0here in Salt Lake City so he always stayed with me.\u00a0\u00a0 Our already very strong bond grew.<\/p>\n

Several months after he died I learned that Ken had left me a “gift”.\u00a0 When I received the check from\u00a0his brother Jim (estate executor) it included the following note:<\/p>\n

“Ron, Ken asked me to help him show his appreciation for all your help and support.\u00a0 On his behalf I am sending this gift from his estate.\u00a0 Enjoy.\u00a0 You were his best friend.”\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

I was floored.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Though I agonized over the decision for months\u00a0I eventually decided to spend a significant portion of the gift on what I consider to be the ultimate bird and wildlife lens, Canon’s EF 500mm f\/4L IS USM.\u00a0 I agonized because I was afraid it might be an impulsive and frivolous decision\u00a0– that in the end bird photography might be a passing fancy for me.\u00a0 I needn’t have worried…<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"new<\/a><\/p>\n

Here I am in my back yard with my brand new toy (June, 2007) and wearing a silly\u00a0smirk on my face.\u00a0 One of the fingers on my left hand was dripping blood because I’d pinched it in the tripod (also new) and the grubby T-shirt was\u00a0a gift from one of my students\u00a0(as you can see I was too fond of it for\u00a0much too long).\u00a0 At this point I was\u00a0wondering just\u00a0what in the hell I’d done!\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0I had a new, expensive and\u00a0complex piece of\u00a0equipment that I had no idea how to use to potential.<\/p>\n

I\u00a0began to pursue my photography with a vengeance and “Ken’s lens” has been a huge factor in whatever success I’ve had for almost 7\u00a0years.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0But last year when Canon\u00a0came out with the new version of the same lens (EF 500mm f\/4L IS II USM)\u00a0my second “lens\u00a0seduction” began.\u00a0 I’ve tried to resist it (I really have) but in the end they nailed me.\u00a0 It’s twice the price\u00a0of the older version but\u00a0eventually the reduction in weight and other significant improvements won me over so a\u00a0few weeks ago I made the plunge.\u00a0 I’ve now had the new lens for\u00a0seven weeks.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"both<\/a><\/p>\n

Physically\u00a0the two lenses look very similar (the new version 2 on the left covered with a Lens Coat, version 1 on the right).\u00a0 Obviously I have a lens redundancy issue\u00a0so I need to\u00a0sell version 1 but\u00a0I’ve been procrastinating for a couple of reasons.\u00a0 Before selling the original 500mm I wanted to make sure there were no problems with the new one.\u00a0 There aren’t.\u00a0 Recently I’ve come to the realization that part of the reason for\u00a0my hesitation\u00a0is the emotional attachment I have for\u00a0Ken’s\u00a0lens\u00a0but it’s now\u00a0time to let go.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"ken<\/a><\/p>\n

This is Ken in 1999 on the farm and the tractor that he loved so much (Glacier National Park is\u00a0about 30\u00a0miles out of frame to the right – wish you could see the mountains in this shot).<\/p>\n

I suspect that many of my readers\u00a0know how much Ken’s gift means to me.\u00a0 It changed my life for the better and has\u00a0given me\u00a0much joy for seven years.\u00a0\u00a0And even with my new lens Ken’s thoughtfulness will keep on giving because\u00a0I’m sure I’d never have pursued my photography to the extent I have without his gift.<\/p>\n

Thank you, Ken!<\/p>\n

“Spirit in the Sky”.<\/p>\n

Ron<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

In this case the old friend is a beloved lens and the kindness remembered was from my cousin Ken Dudley.<\/p>\n

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