PPA Today

Marathon Awarded Hot 1 Award for Online Marketing Service

Norfolk, Nebraska  Marathon was recently honored with the Professional Photographer 2005 Hot 1 Award for Client Connections. This innovative online service lets studios create personalized correspondence featuring the clients image in a matter of minutes.

"The most cost-effective marketing available to photographers involves marketing back to the clients you already have," states Bruce Price, President of Marathon Press. "They know your quality and how you do business, so half the marketing battle is over."

However, developing and executing the best long-term marketing strategies to get clients to come back again and again takes time, and thats why many photographers miss out on this outstanding marketing opportunity. Thats where Marathons Client Connections comes in.

MTV Casting Call - Young Couples Getting Married in March or April

MTV is casting a brand new documentary series that will feature a young couple (18 - 21-years-old) in the process of getting married. The idea behind this show is to tell a coming of age story, not so much "a wedding story" that you've seen on other networks. These young people have made one of the most important decisions in their life and now must deal with all the stress that comes with it. Within this documentary we will get to know the couple as they proceed through the last few weeks of their wedding planning. We will discuss the issue of age and marriage with the couple and their parents...does age matter or not? Of course the highlight of the show will be the couple's wedding day and the celebration of their marriage. As producers, we would be completely supportive of the young couple and remain true to their story, this is NOT a reality show!

Protecting Your Business with Insurance

What if your camera equipment was stolen today?  What if your light stands fell on a bystander knocking them out?  What if your hard drive, with all the images from today’s assignment crashed?  Are you and your business protected?  How would you recover?  Or will you?

While no one enjoys sending premium payments to their insurance company, the simple truth is that stuff happens in life and in business.  However, knowing that you need insurance for your business – and attempting to determine how much and what kinds you need are two entirely different things. Here is a basic rundown of some of the areas you might want to consider:

Equipment Insurance
As a professional photographer your livelihood is very dependent on specialized equipment.  How would you be able to make a living if that equipment suddenly was stolen, lost or severely damaged?  Can you afford to run down to the local camera store and replace everything?

Photo Distribution Companies Expand Product Offerings and Unify New Catalogs

Cleveland, Ohio - Three major photo-industry distributors, Wooden Nickel Albums, Benton, Kentucky (www.WNAlbums.com); Crown Photo Products, Dallas Texas (www.Crown-USA.com); and Western Photographic Supplies Inc., Garden Grove, CA (www.WPSI.us); announced today the releases of their new catalogs for 2006. These catalogs offer an expanded lineup of products, a shared design theme and compatible pricing for all three companies.

As part of their recently announced alliance, the three companies are working cooperatively, adding a variety of new photo packing products, developing compatible services and pricing, and transitioning to a new look with share graphics in their catalogs and marketing presentations.

Tune in to IUSA TV 2006

IUSA TV is back for 2006 to cover all of the action at Imaging USA, Austin! View the lastest clips from our biggest conference yet by tuning in to iusatv.imagingusa.org. The fun begins Sunday as our cameras roll to bring the Imaging USA experience from Austin right to your computer. Check back daily to catch the latest video blogs and information about Imaging USA 2006!

IUSA TV IS BETTER THAN EVER!
IUSA TV has been a big hit every year we’ve produced it at Imaging USA, and we’ve made some big changes this year that we think you’ll like:

• IUSA TV ’06 will feature exclusive spotlight interviews with Imaging USA sponsors – the companies that make this exciting convention possible!
  
  
• IUSA TV ’06 will be presented blog-style. This format allows faster and closer to real-time posts and updates each day about programs, special events and other IUSA goings-on.
  
  
• IUSA TV ’06 also features an Exhibitor News section with the latest press releases and announcements from our exhibitors.

Invitation to Hallmark Museum of Contemporary Photography's Grand Opening

Hallmark Museum of Contemporary History is proud to present its inaugural exhibition featuring the artwork of  Barbara Bordnick, January 28 - April 2, 2006.  Ms. Bordnick will give a public artist's talk in the lecture hall at Hallmark Institute of Photography, Industrial Boulevard, Turners Falls, on Saturday evening, January 28,  at 8:00pm. Admission to this event is free. Ms. Bordnick will be available for signing her book, Searchings: Secret Landscapes of Flowers, following the artist's talk. 

Join us on Friday, January 27, 2006 for an exclusive evening of celebration to commemorate the grand opening of the Hallmark Museum of Contemporary Photography. Reception, exhibition, music and hors d'oeuvres are Friday, 7:00pm - 9:00pm, with book signing by Barbara Bordnick immediately following. 

Canon Poland Organizes Press Photography Competition

Canon Poland together with the Press Photography  Foundation organizes Press Photography Competition
In today’s society, the fastest and most easily translated way of  communicating is the image. From movies to advertisements, people are  constantly bombarded by images. Many newspaper images are more powerful than  the words used to describe them. The Society of Polish Press Photographers is  constantly increasing its membership and more and more freelancers are having  their work published in newspapers. How do we determine the best photograph out  of all news and wire publications? What type of photographer does it take to  capture the problems of Poland and the rest of  the world?  What are the functions of  press photography in Poland?  How do we learn about the conditions of press  photographers’ work and the effort it takes to make a good picture great?

Press Photography Competition
Answers to these questions are found in press photography competitions.  The biggest and most important among them - World Press Photo - is celebrating its  50th anniversary. In Poland, there is no  competition of similar significance — no way to verify the level of our press  photography and to evaluate the work of our photographers.

To change this, Canon Poland became a patron  of the Press Photography competition organized by the Press Photography  Foundation. "We hope that this cooperation can establish a competition,  which in time could turn out to be an event to consolidate all the photographic  trade in Poland and improve  awareness of press photographers’ work among mass audiences. We would like to  run a competition for all persons working with press photography - from photographers  sending in their works, to newspapers, magazines and photographic agencies willing  to popularise the competition’s ideas" says Izabela Rogulska, Junior  Marketing & PR Manager in Canon Poland.

STRUT! Olympus Fashion Week: Backstage and on the Catwalk

From January 19th through February 11th 2006, the Fashion Institute of Technology and Olympus America are hosting an exhibit of photographs and behind-the-scenes video from Olympus Fashion Week.

All work on exhibit was shot by student photographers using Olympus digital cameras and lenses. Strut! documents the entirety of Olympus Fashion Week, from the set-up of the tents and the backstage frenzy, to the runway glamour and the attending glitterati. The exhibition includes 50 images, chosen from over 8,000 shot during the project; documentary video; and original fashion designs by “Project Alabama”.

To celebrate the exhibition, F.I.T. and Olympus will host a reception at The Great Hall at F.I.T. (Building C) on the corner of 27th and 7th Avenue on Wednesday, February 1, 2006 from 6:00 p.m. until 9:00 p.m. Media, students, photographers, and industry professionals are welcome to join in this celebration. To learn more please go to http://www.fitnyc.edu/aspx/Content.aspx?menu=FutureGlobal:Museum:SpecialExhibitionsAndEvents:UpcomingExhibitions.

Photography Business Essentials

Sponsored by PPA and Marathon Press

LOCATIONS & DATES

Pasadena, CA - Monday, Feb. 5, 2006
Co-Sponsored by Professional Photographers of California

Atlanta, GA - Monday, Feb. 20, 2006
Sponsored by Professional Photographers of America

Omaha, NE - Saturday, April 1, 2006
Co-Sponsored by Heart of America Professional Photographers

For Information about these venues, go to www.marathonpress.com and click on the “Schools and Events” tab.

If you have questions, please contact a Marathon Press Customer Service Representative at 800-228-0629.

Storage expert warns of short life span for burned CDs

Do you archive your images on burnable CDs? John Blau, in an article on Computerworld.com warns that burnable CDs can begin degrading in as little after two years resulting in possible data loss. Experts recommend using magnetic tapes to store your important pictures, music and videos for a lifetime.

check out the complete story at http://www.computerworld.com/hardwaretopics/storage/story/0,10801,107607,00.html?source=NLT_PM&nid=107607