I got so excited that I didn’t pay attention to where I stepped on my way down and I slipped. I fell, with the camera going down first. This is the first time in 20 years that I broke a camera. Normally I manage to put my body between hard surfaces and the camera. Not that I fall that often, but I had my share of running high speed through a moving train or the woods, with a 35mm camera on my shoulder, or doing a balancing act on high riser construction sites to shoot some steel working Mohawks.
But of course, to break my first camera I had to go to Mongolia! In addition, it’s the new one, the one I just bought, the one with no insurance yet. ... :(
Khosoo told me later that mountains are seen as very moody, particular towards women. Mongolian women try to avoid having to climb mountains.
Funny enough, that’s what I felt. I had climbed the mountain many times, actually during my very first visit to Byambaa’s farm, three years ago, but this time it did feel weird, something was very off. Although I got this beautiful shot, I felt a strange vibe coming from the mountain, which I attributed to the snow storm.
When I returned home I carefully checked the camera. The housing was in pieces, exposing the bent motherboard and the focus was locked in one position. I couldn’t deal with the pain, so I just stored away the camera and grabbed the back-up, tape-based camera.
A little later the sun came out, so I went back to get the same high angle Wide Shot of Byambaa’s farm for a “different season”. Hanging out on the top of the mountain, waiting for the clouds to move, I felt the usual positive vibe around me which I had experienced so many times before. It was the weirdest thing.
Two days later I pulled out the broken camera to test it again and it worked just fine! It is absolutely a miracle. To thank the mountain spirits, I spilled a little milk towards east and west, a Mongolian custom.
Great story!
ReplyDeleteThat landscape is so other wordly. Incredible.
ReplyDelete