While visiting Yellowstone National Park during my recent trip, I very much enjoyed taking photographs of the Prismatic Spring.

Grand Prismatic Spring The Prismatic Spring is one of the most spectacular locations I have ever seen. It looks like a rainbow lake!

While I was photographing the spring, hundreds of other tourists were walking the boardwalk. It was so crowded, that it was difficult to find an open second when the boardwalk wasn't shaking from walkers.

In the midst of that large crowd, one man carrying a Nikon camera approached me and asked if he could borrow my prized 14-24 lens! He said that he was visiting from China and had only a few more minutes at the spring--so he didn't have time to hike to his car for his 14-24. He was with a small group of people who had a flight to catch in Salt Lake City.

To be honest, I was very hesitant to grant his request. For one thing, the 14-24 is an expensive lens. And, I am far more careful with expensive optics than most photographers. Also, I just met the man--and there was little to stop him from getting lost in the crowd or simply walking away with my lens.

He must have sensed my hesitation, because he quickly offered his Nikon 24-70 lens as collateral! He pointed out that the two lenses were priced approximately the same. And, he said that if he were to walk away with my lens, I would have one of comparable value in its place. Little did I know that my own 24-70 would be destroyed just a few days later in an accident at Glacier National Park!

As it turns out, the man from China was to be trusted. He enjoyed using my 14-24 for a few photographs. He then asked if I would take some photos of him with his group in front of the Prismatic Spring. I gave him a business card before he hiked back to his car. So, it's very likely that he will be reading this blog entry at some point!