The first major thing that has happened is I landed a full time job as a helicopter camera (video) operator for U.S. Helicopters. This company then subcontracts me to work for ABC 7 Chicago. My work can be seen on tv and the internet.
The next thing that has happened is I had to buy a replacement for my Nikon D200 that I'd only had for about 6 months. I noticed that I had some dead pixels, so I sent it in to Nikon for repair. They had to completely replace the sensor. In further investigating the issue later on, I found that the dead pixels had been an issue from the moment I took the camera out of the box.
I then discovered another issue with the D200 - it did not have a sharp focus. I performed several in depth tests to determine if it was indeed the camera or the lens. I discovered that it was definitely the camera. I then contacted Nikon, and after about two months of debating the issue, they finally agreed to replace the camera (rather than repair it again). I should be receiving my replacement sometime this week.
When Nikon and I came to an agreement that it was definitely the camera body causing this problem, I realized I now had another problem - I had a wedding to shoot the following day, but only a faulty camera to shoot it with. My solution? I decided to buy a brand new Nikon D200.
I have to admit, I was extremely hesitant to buy the new camera based on my fear of it performing in such a disappointing manner as the first one I purchased. Since I already had invested in other Nikon gear, I didn't have a choice... I decided to buy the camera from Best Buy because it was cheaper, and they have this amazing damage warranty plan you can buy separately (it covers damage - dropping, water, etc. - for 4 years after the purchase date; no questions asked).
After reviewing my images from the wedding, I was thrilled! Never had my previous D200 produced such gorgeous results. It completely restored my feeling about Nikon. I've continued to have nothing but pleasing results.
I also picked up some other equipment. I decided to buy a new lighting kit. After several months of research, I had narrowed my choice down to two or three brands, but decided to go with a completely different brand in the end. I chose White Lightning, a brand of lights created by Paul Buff, the creator of Alien Bees. I haven't gotten to experiment with the kit too much, but I have to say that so far, the colors and amount of control these lights give to me are just out of this world. When you add the price tag to the factor, it's unbelievable!!! I'd already dealt with the amazing customer service through Alien Bees, and when I found out that it's the same company, it was a no-brainer.
So one last thing to touch on are my upcoming projects. I plan on venturing out and doing a few experiments this summer... Of course, I'm not going to talk about them until the projects are complete, but I'm definitely excited about it.
