Does size really matter?
Several years before I purchased my first 600mm I ran around with a 300 2.8 lens. A very nice lens. When I bought it I had feelings of great fortune and opportunity. Done shooting with the 200 4.0 lens. Now I am really reaching out there.
On the lower Madison River in Yellowstone is a large flat area. Often elk gather there. Especially during the rut. A perfect spot to shoot is high on a knoll where you can see the whole valley. The serious photographers gather there. With my 300mm lens in hand I proudly marched up the hill and set up. Next to a the real thing. A professional. I could tell. He had an assistant. Two camera bodies on to very long lenses. Kinda felt like I brought my pinewood derby car to the Indy 500. Oh well. The subjects we were photographing were putting on an incredible show. Bulls herding cows. Bulls racking the ground and doing the stuff they do when wanting to mate. At one point A bull ran straight at us. All the “pro’s” were chatting about their last adventure, the best selling shots and of course the latest gear. I was shooting. It was my favorite shot of the day for me. No one else got it. As I inherently said “wow” the photographer commented; “the shot wouldn’t sell one time” “especially through a smaller lens”. I didn’t even reply because I wasn’t there to make money. I was thrilled with the actions of the elk I witnessed. The beautiful scenery of Yellowstone. The smell of pines. At peace with nature. I thought I had a pretty dang cool shot. One that tells a story about what I had witnessed that morning……
