This is my friend's version about the episode, with one step further and a very personal and kind way to think of me as a photographer.
So here is a pretty cool story for you ...
You might call it coincidence, you might call it synchronicity, or you might call it miraculous.
I’d say it began a little more than five years ago.
Gary passed through this life on April 7, 2011. Without him, the business we built together would not succeed.
In addition to being an artful photography gallery, we planned to become an authorized Nikon dealer.
We also had a decent inventory of vintage Nikon camera bodies, some incredible NIKKOR glass, and other accessories meant for the more traditional photographer. After choosing the best species of every item that Gary selected so carefully (left to Charlie as his legacy to her), we were still burdened with way too much inventory, and so I took to liquidating on eBay.
In the early part of July in 2011, Aguinaldo Paula (the greatest living photographer) purchased an amazing piece of NIKKOR glass.
To my delight he continued to be a happy customer. Eventually we bypassed eBay, and I soon began to learn to detest Brazilian customs. [I’m pretty sure he beat me to that punch.]
Aguinaldo has a huge case of wanderlust, and so he and his beautiful wife Criss make their way to the U.S. annually. We have become very good friends, and even incorporated our families.
It has also become clear that Gary had some say in the fact that the best of his selected glass belongs in Aguinaldo’s hands. It was always meant to be, and here you will realize that truth along with us.
An especially important lens for Aguinaldo is the Nikon 16mm f/3.5 Fisheye-NIKKOR. It was the first fisheye model that he became acquainted with some thirty years ago. And because he is such a wonderful friend, he found romance in the fact that he acquired a version of this lens from Gary’s collection.
Every photographer knows that B&H Photo in NYC is comparable to paradise.
Earlier this summer, Aguinaldo and Criss made their annual trek to NYC. Aguinaldo carried his beloved Nikon 16mm f/3.5 Fisheye-NIKKOR along with him in order to have it converted to an Auto Indexing (Ai) lens.
He learned that while B&H does not make such conversions, they do offer referrals to a local shop for the Ai ring to be added.
Being as though the referral was made by B&H, he had every reason to trust that this smaller shop would provide excellent service.
Understand that this lens is in pristine condition, and still one of the older models of this variety – so not just a happy lens to use, but also very collectable and valuable. This “Mom & Pop” shop proved to be very good at one thing – making exceptional lenses disappear.
The police would not file a report; they suggested that Aguinaldo file suit (not really a good option because he was a guest in our country).
Then he approached the B&H Photo representative who presented the referral, and nothing. There was no help.
We were both devastated at the loss of this very special lens.
Aguinaldo surfed the interwebs trying to find a suitable replacement.
A little while after returning home, he found a listing for a used Nikon 16mm f/3.5 Fisheye-NIKKOR on B&H Photo’s “used” section and purchased it sight unseen.
He was already home in Brazil, so the lens was shipped to me.
After having been handling glass for a decade, I knew what to look for … I photographed the blades (no signs of grease), I knew to check for scratching, haze, and mold on the lens glass –so I photographed the perfection I saw. The rear element was clean, and the exterior showed no scratches or marks. It was as close to perfect as it could be.
I sent all of the photos to Aguinaldo. We were both excited!
Upon closer inspection of the photos, Aguinaldo discovered that the serial number on the lens was identical to the one he had purchased from me years ago, and to the one he trusted in the hands of the repair shop recommended by B&H.
What is the explanation for this? A lens once belonging to Gary, and passed from my hands to Aguinaldo’s ending up “stolen” and then returned to me to once again pass to Aguinaldo?
It gets better.
The lens was never converted during its separation from Aguinaldo.
He was now looking for the appropriate conversion ring. I had shipped a rather large box to Brazil with a few lenses and other photo accessories. It was returned because Brazilian customs sucks (ass).
I immediately took the tattered shipping box to our storage unit just to keep it out of the way.
I knew there was a gallon sized Zip-Loc bag full of conversion rings in that box.
This evening, I went to our storage unit, cut open that box, and found that every lens had been removed, along with several vintage exposure meters in their golden mint boxes. Also missing was the gallon-sized bag of Ai rings.
Coming home to let Aguinaldo know that I did not have a conversion ring for him did not make me so happy.
We had a little chat on facebook regarding some of the other missing items when I remembered I had a Longaberger basket filled with some little last minute trinkets from our move.
Guess what I found? There was an Ai ring, but it was not in its original packaging (which is why it ended up in the trinket basket – so it would not be scarred), and we were not sure if it was the correct part number.
A little more surfing the interwebs and we learned that it was just the Ai ring to perfect Aguinaldo’s beloved fisheye glass.
So, how is it that a lens shows up missing … is placed in my hands to place back into Aguinaldo’s?
How is it that the bastards at Brazilian customs would help themselves to some rather important items in quite a large carton, yet I have just the Ai ring (the ONLY Ai ring) here to complete the lens’s conversion?
I might say “Mind Blown!”. But I won’t. I have always believed that Gary wants only the world’s greatest living photographer, and great friend, to enjoy NIKKOR’s best glass.
