Calling them CPS reminds me of "Child Protective Services", so remember... it's NOT that CPS.
This is the group you can join once you have collected enough professional equipment and are doing photography full-time. I have been putting off joining (no reason, really) but decided to go ahead and do so about two weeks ago. Boy, was I glad I did.
CPS is designed to cater to their members as true professionals who need/deserve better treatment than consumers. As a pro, if a lens malfunctions on the job... you can't wait weeks for a repair. You need it quickly. You ALSO need it repaired correctly. Sending it back and forth is simply not an option. CPS addresses this need and I have a personal experience to relay...
A week after joining CPS at the Gold Level ($100/yr), I am in the third-base line photo pit shooting the Pirates/Braves game at PNC Park for Icon Sports Media. Two pitches into the inning, I start seeing a faded band across my images. Normally, I don't have the "review" option on. I'm glad I did this time. I guess the photography Gods were looking down on me. Because of this, I noticed the anomaly... otherwise I would have not seen it until I started "chimping" halfway through the game.
WTF? Wasn't sure what it was, so I kept on shooting - it kept getting worse. Then, CLICK! The camera made an odd sound and NOW the images had a black stripe across the bottom. Not a straight stripe, mind you, but a diagonal one. I tried a few more frames and it just wouldn't go away.
SHIT! The camera I had become comfortable with is now toast. It took my a lot of time to get comfortable with the Canon 1D Mark II and now it's out of commission. It was only the top of the 2nd inning.
LUCKILY I had brought my Canon 50D mounted on my Canon 70-200mm f/2.8 IS USM lens for when I was going to be in the "on-deck circle" photo pits. At that distance, the 300mm f/2.8 is too much lens - in my opinion. So, I call CPS and they say that it's definitely a shutter issue and to send it in. Here's where the best part comes in...
I send it in to their NJ location. They get it in 3 days (I chose 3-day shipping) and the NEXT day I get an email with a summary of what is wrong and a price. Being a CPS member, I get expedited service and save 30% off the total cost. Let's just say that when I got the email yesterday saying that my camera had been repaired and it was being sent, little did I know that it would arrive at my door today. Talk about quick turnaround!!
It went from broken to fixed/cleaned (nice of them) in less than a week. For me, that is reason enough to love Canon. Customer service goes a long way in brand loyalty if you ask me. I can't tell you if Canon is better/worse than Nikon, but I am pleased with Canon's customer service - at least for CPS members.
UPDATE: I had a long Pirates home-stand coming up in July. I also have been thinking about adding a 1D Mark III or IV to my bag as my primary and retiring my Mark II to a back up role. I put in a "loaner request", which is a benefit of being a CPS member, and got an email the next day saying that I would be receiving a 1D Mark IV on "loan" from July 15th (two days before I asked) until July 27th (two days more than I asked). What did it cost me?? Zero. Just pay the shipping. How cool is that?
My conclusion, the differences between Nikon and Canon can be debated forever. For me, Canon has just earned a loyal customer. Not just because I think their gear is great, but they gave me GREAT customer service. If you qualify, join CPS. You'll be glad you did.
My next entry will be my review of the Eye-Fi SDHC card I just got. I'm going to try it with my Mark II and my home wireless network. Then, I'll try it over my iPhone's network (it's jailbroken, that's why I have that feature).
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Day 5 @ PNC
It's now been 5 days since I started covering the Pirates for Icom SMI. Will I ever make any $$$ doing this? I have no idea, or expectations. I view this as just another step forward in achieving my ultimate goal... an image in a major magazine like Sports Illustrated or ESPN the Magazine.
There are a limited number of photographers who get the chance to cover professional sports with full-access credentials. I realize that I am fortunate to be one of them. Through Icon SMI, I'm fully credentialed for the Pirates and Pitt football. Through my contacts at Pitt, I'll be covering mens basketball as well.
The simple fact is that by using the access to my advantage, I'm getting the chance to become a better sports shooter. I'm getting good advice from some folks who have been at this for awhile. I'm also getting resistance from those arrogant photographers who think that the profession starts and stops with their place in life.
Who are these people? I won't name names. When I put all this into a book, I'll name them and even include correspondence I've received. It'll be interesting, for sure - a must read for any photographer just starting out.
I cover my last Pirates game tomorrow for about a week. I'll take this time to study up a little on studio lighting, and maybe sleep.
- Posted using iPhone
There are a limited number of photographers who get the chance to cover professional sports with full-access credentials. I realize that I am fortunate to be one of them. Through Icon SMI, I'm fully credentialed for the Pirates and Pitt football. Through my contacts at Pitt, I'll be covering mens basketball as well.
The simple fact is that by using the access to my advantage, I'm getting the chance to become a better sports shooter. I'm getting good advice from some folks who have been at this for awhile. I'm also getting resistance from those arrogant photographers who think that the profession starts and stops with their place in life.
Who are these people? I won't name names. When I put all this into a book, I'll name them and even include correspondence I've received. It'll be interesting, for sure - a must read for any photographer just starting out.
I cover my last Pirates game tomorrow for about a week. I'll take this time to study up a little on studio lighting, and maybe sleep.
- Posted using iPhone
Emotional Assignment
I've been getting lost in my new world of covering MLB. New media policies and such have consumed me. It's been a crazy first eight days. But, it's what I wanted and the opportunity is one I can build off of.
Sandwiched in between two Pirates' games was a 6:30am request to be the official photographer of the annual "Race for the Cure" here in Pittsburgh. I had never been to it and, even though my mother is a breast cancer survivor, I really had no idea what it was all about.
Let's just say that the day was emotional. I love to shoot tight on faces when covering sports so I used that same technique here. Besides shooting the start and finish of the actual race, I decided to try and capture the emotions I witnessed. Here are some images:
If I could have turned the camera on myself, you would have seen even more raw emotion. These are the assignments that bring you back to Earth.
- Posted using iPhone
Sandwiched in between two Pirates' games was a 6:30am request to be the official photographer of the annual "Race for the Cure" here in Pittsburgh. I had never been to it and, even though my mother is a breast cancer survivor, I really had no idea what it was all about.
Let's just say that the day was emotional. I love to shoot tight on faces when covering sports so I used that same technique here. Besides shooting the start and finish of the actual race, I decided to try and capture the emotions I witnessed. Here are some images:
If I could have turned the camera on myself, you would have seen even more raw emotion. These are the assignments that bring you back to Earth.
- Posted using iPhone
My 1st Day at PNC Park
Well it was definitely a hectic day. As a newbie to the world of MLB, I really had no idea what I was doing. I didn't know where to go, where to stand, etc. It was nerve-racking to say the least. But, it was the pros.
I'm lucky to have a long homestand to get to a comfort level there. Tonight, I felt like I was not getting good shots. I keep forgetting that the 1D has a crappy LCD. I need to remember that the "histogram" doesn't lie. TRUST IT.
I'm exhausted and will be editing/ingesting the images tomorrow early. For those who wondered, this is what it looks like from the photographer's pit.
The next couple of days should get much better. At least I'm doing something I love. Not many can say that in today's world.
I'm lucky to have a long homestand to get to a comfort level there. Tonight, I felt like I was not getting good shots. I keep forgetting that the 1D has a crappy LCD. I need to remember that the "histogram" doesn't lie. TRUST IT.
I'm exhausted and will be editing/ingesting the images tomorrow early. For those who wondered, this is what it looks like from the photographer's pit.
The next couple of days should get much better. At least I'm doing something I love. Not many can say that in today's world.
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