05/29/2026
Taken seconds before disaster!
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I was standing on the beach, patiently waiting for the perfect shot as waves crashed dramatically against the rocks. Feeling like a professional nature photographer, I crouched down low with my camera balanced on the tripod, ready to capture pure artistic genius.
Click.
Nailed it.
Unfortunately, my celebration lasted about half a second.
As I stood up to step back, the tripod slipped right out of my hands and launched itself — camera and all — straight into the ocean like it had been training for the Olympics. One second I was a photographer… the next I was a lifeguard diving after expensive electronics.
I grabbed the camera as fast as I could, ripped out the batteries, and spent the rest of the day treating it like a drowning victim. Back home, I removed the lens, opened every compartment possible, and let the poor thing air out for a week like it was recovering from surgery.
Amazingly, after reinstalling the batteries, the camera powered right up and worked perfectly.
My favorite lens, however, gave its life for the photo.
It now focuses on absolutely nothing.
https://mellenphotography.com/index.php/2026/05/28/sea-sand-and-sudden-disaster/
