After 22 years of loyal service, I’ve decided to permanently retire my original Domke F2 bag. I bought it in the summer of 1989, the summer I knew I was going to be a photojournalist for the rest of my life, the summer I got serious.

It’s traveled up and down the east coast, to the west coast, to Hawaii, to Ireland, to Spain and to Canada. It has outlasted 16 cars. It has seen me move from Canon to Nikon and back to Canon. From film to digital. From freelancer to staffer to photo editor to director of photography to professor.

It’s been an excellent friend, but it’s done. Worn out, beat up. Shredding itself.

I still have half a dozen or more other Domke bags, but I’ll never forget my first. It’s been a damn good bag.

I remember this scene … it was in Lord of the Rings, right?