The Friedman Archives Newsletter March 2008
Well, let's get right to it then!
Photo Expedition to Latvia (July 13-20, 2008)
You've heard me mentioned it previously, and now the details and arrangements have been finalized. A photo expedition, designed specifically for the unique needs of photographers, will be taking place in the beautiful former Soviet Republic of Latvia. You can read all about the trip and detailed itinerary at
http://friedmanarchives.com/expeditions/latvia
Latvia is a beautiful country. (See the web page for some photos.) Based on initial feedback, the trip has been shortened to 8 days to leave more travel time to and from Riga (Latvia's capital). We have room for only 14 people, so if you're thinking of going, signing up sooner is better than later!
I feel especially proud that we were able to secure as our "home base" one of the best retreat properties in Latvia. From the website:
"This property was once an exclusive retreat for KGB VIP's where satisfaction was guaranteed for the Soviet elite: Deer were tied to a tree so old Generals could shoot it, and divers would secretly hang fish onto submerged fishing hooks to please their high-ranking vacationers. (I'm not kidding!!)" The new facility built to European standards and situated on Valguma lake where you can sit at breakfast and enjoy the view of the hills and woods.
If you're even thinking you might want to join us, please send me an email to let me know your intent and I can let you know when spaces are about to run out. This is going to be a fun trip, but there is room for only 14 people, so please let your intentions be known!
Photo Expedition to China's Nujiang River Gorge
Spring, 2009 (Yes, 2009!)
As many of you know, I spent about six months in China in 2003, and found the country, its people, and the landscape simply fascinating. I have always wanted to return to see more of the country, and now I have found the right travel industry partner (who also has a background in photography!) to make it happen.
The Three Parallel Rivers region begins in Shanghai but very quickly takes you to the rural china which is changing very dramatically as China continues its march to rampant capitalism. This particular region is of extra historical significance, since China is in the process of building yet another large hydroelectric dam, displacing its people and permanently altering this beautiful region of the world.
This is still in the planning stages, so there's no website to look at yet, but it is shaping up to be an equally unforgettable trip. It will occur sometime in the Spring of 2009 (plenty of time to plan!), around the end of March / beginning of April (the time when the wild peach blossoms are in bloom). The trip will be 10 days in duration, starting and ending in Shanghai. A gain, if this is even of mild of interest to you, please email me at Gary@FriedmanArchives.com so we can keep you informed about developments.
Seminars!
You probably already know about the seminars. (If you don't, check out http://www.FriedmanArchives.com/seminars. They're really a lot of fun!).
The next one is in Southern California this coming weekend, Feb. 2-3, and the next will be in Boston (Cambridge to be specific) on October 18-19, 2008. See two topics down as to why there are only two scheduled for this year.
Adventures with Sony's In-warranty Repair
It is somehow ironic, but the very day my book on the A700 was released, my A700 died. It just went into "brick" mode and nothing I tried would revive it. Of course this represents a great opportunity to test Sony's warranty repair service and see if it stacks up against the current market leaders.
The first thing I learned is that, at least here in the U.S., Sony expects the customer to pay for shipping to their lone repair facility in Texas. (Even for work covered by warranty!) Finding this unacceptable, I called the 800 number on Sony's confirmation email to see if they could wave their magic customer service wand and make things better. I spoke to two people on the phone; the first was surprised to learn that Sony made cameras with interchangeable lenses, and the other who re-stated their policy of "the customer must pay shipping even for in-warranty repairs" and then transferred me to a supervisor who quickly promised to reverse that policy for me. The next day I got an email with a printable UPS shipping label attached.
It takes three days for UPS to deliver the package to Texas, and Sony guarantees a turn-around time of 10 days. The afternoon of the 9th day I get a call from Carlos - the technician who was actually fixing the camera! - saying they couldn't find anything wrong with it. He even took it apart completely, examined the flexible circuit boards for cracks, looking for cold solder joints, anything... to no avail. He suggested that maybe my battery was dead (both of them? Charged by two different chargers?? I don't think so!) I told him to send it back, and by the end of the week I had it in my hands, working beautifully. Of course I'm now a little uneasy - why did it fail to begin with, and when will it fail again for no traceable reason? I have always carried backups of everything on important assignments, and so this just kind of reinforces the lesson that complex things have innumerable failure points, and your best insurance is redundancy, not hope.
If I had any voice at Sony at all, it would be "Don't let your consumer products division handle your DSLR customers". These folks tend to be in love with their products more than your average consumer, and need a direct line to people who know the products well and can speak about them intelligently without having to wade through Tier 1 and Tier 2 call center support. If you are serious about capturing the high-end DSLR market as you have stated, pay attention to what Fujifilm, Nikon, and Canon have set up to support their most demanding users.
(Oh, and also "Pay for shipping both ways on in-warranty repairs!" :-) )
Why There's a Light Schedule This Year
There are many other Expeditions in the planning stages, and more cities to visit for seminars. But about a month ago my wife Carol and I learned that we are about to become grandparents!
The very thought! Time to clear out the schedule and postpone projects! Time to start ordering bifocals, canes, and eating prunes! (And I'm already practicing being more forgetful.) Being available for family is kind of important.
And that's it for now. I hope this email finds you and your family well, happy, and stress-free.
Yours Truly,
Gary Friedman
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