Last week a photographic equivalent of the Brinks Job (the 1950 heist that netted the culprits more than $1 million in cash) happened in Ireland. Nikon Professional Services’ (NPS) traveling trade show lost $150,000 of camera gear in Dublin. Lenses, flashes and cameras, including two yet-to-be-released cameras, the D4 and D800, were taken when a security van was stolen on its way to the show.
The National Press Photographers Association (NPPA) holds its annual Flying Short Course seminar in various traveling locations around the country in October and I’ve been to a few. Along with lectures by the industry’s top photographers and photo editors, and portfolio reviews, NPS and Canon Professional Services are the biggest vendors who attend (in the days of film Kodak and Fuji were also prominent at these events, but they no longer show up).
They provide minor repairs and free cleaning services to NPPA members but one of the most fun things is the hands-on experience that we get with demo equipment that they have on display. Nearly every photographer gets a chance to play with the latest and greatest offerings from the top two camera manufacturers. Despite being jaded professionals, we all have oohed and aahed over some fancy piece of glass, plastic and metal at least one point in time.
As of yet no one has been caught and the Ireland heist. Living about 5,000 miles away at the time, I have an alibi, but I bet that with all the shutterbugs out there there is no shortage of suspects in the case.
