A Houston wedding photographer suffered a major setback in his career after thieves broke into his car and stole over $ 20,000 worth of camera equipment.
Photographer Gaurav Hariyani had just finished a wedding photo shoot last Monday when he parked at a Costco and went to a Buffalo Wild Wings to have lunch with friends. When he went back to his car afterwards, he found that someone had smashed the windows of his car and stole all of his equipment.
“When I got to my car, I saw that my car window was broken,” writes Hariyani. “The first thing that crossed my mind was my camera bag, which I had a gut feeling, was gone.”
The photographer says he lost some brand new gear that he worked hard for and saved up to invest in.
Lost were a full-frame Sony Alpha 1 mirrorless camera valued at $ 6,500 (purchased just three months ago), a Sigma lens valued at $ 2,500, a Canon 5D Mark IV valued at approximately $ 2,700 and more.
“[The Sony Alpha 1] was my dream camera, ”continues Hariyani. “I bought it after working as a photographer and videographer in the wedding industry for eight years.”
“It was definitely a heartbreaking moment for me,” Hariyani told Click2Houston. “[…] I worked for several years to get this basic equipment first and then I just invested a lot of money in new equipment and now I see that there is nothing left for me. “
The photographer says that while he had insurance that protected his property, his policy didn’t cover this type of theft.
If you’re a photographer, make sure your insurance policy covers car break-ins and always try to have gear and photos from shoots with you (although this comes at its own risk).
“If you’re trying to go out or to eat out, make sure you have your things with you, don’t keep them in your car,” Hariyani told Click2Houston. “[…] It can happen anywhere. “
also read: Steps You Can Take To Prevent Camera Theft
This story has a silver lining, however: Others are now rallying around Hariyani to help the photographer get back on his feet. After receiving local coverage and launching a GoFundMe fundraiser, Hariyani has already received over $ 4,500 in donations to purchase new camera equipment.
