PPA Today

PPA Calls for Changes in Orphan Works Proposal

The Copyright Office has suggested legislation that, in its current form, could have a devastating impact on the professional photographer. The proposal would limit, or in some cases eliminate, the damages available against an infringer of an orphan work. An orphan work is a work presumed to have copyright protection, but whose owner cannot be located even after a reasonably diligent search conducted in good faith.

Professional Photographers of America notes that while it does not oppose the creation of a narrow orphan works exception, the Copyright Office proposal goes too far by making it impossible for a copyright owner who later discovers the use of an orphan work to recover even a reasonable royalty. For the last three weeks, PPA has been actively lobbying Congress to make sure that any orphan works legislation that is introduced differs significantly from the original proposal.

Noritsu America Corporation and ExpressDigital Announce Strategic Alliance

ExpressDigital, the leader in digital workflow software, internet storefronts, and lab solutions along with Noritsu America Corporation, the worldwide leader in photo processing and digital imaging, today announced the launch of a multi-year strategic alliance. The arrangement brings together award-winning digital imaging hardware and software to provide a best-in-class photo kiosk and online home software solution.

The alliance strengthens both companies’ offerings in the retail photo processing market, where the demand for integrated digital imaging workflows has been increasing due to rapid consumer adoption of digital cameras.

Noritsu America Corporation and ExpressDigital also plan to collaborate towards development of the next generation of printing solutions for the professional and retail photo markets. 

NSA’s 2006 Stereo Photography Convention in Miami

MIAMI -- For the first time in its 32-year history, The National Stereoscopic Association (NSA) will host its annual convention in South Florida. The event, to take place at the InterContinental Miami overlooking Biscayne Bay, is scheduled for July 11 - 17, 2006, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday and 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Sunday.  The NSA convention is expected to draw more than 500 stereo photography enthusiasts from across the U.S. and the world.  To register or volunteer, visit http://2006.nsa3d.org/.

International Print Competition Rules Available

Rules and entry forms for the 2006 International Print Competition are available online now at competitions.ppa.com. The International Print Competition will be held in Daytona Beach, Florida from July 16-19, 2006. The Judges Workshop course will be held concurrently.

Download the rules and forms:

• Photographic Open Rules & Forms
• Art/Tech Rules & Forms
• Electronic Imaging Rules & Forms

If you had images accepted into the 2005 International Exhibition, those cases and images are being shipped this week. Cases are being returned via FedEx ground, unless your return address included a P.O. box, in which case they are being returned via regular U.S. post.

IAPEP leads the way in Sports & Event Certification

IAPEP, the International Association of Professional Event Photographers, and the Professional Photographic Certification Commission came together in 2005 to create the first ever accreditation for the sports and event photography field. IAPEP selected several members from across the country with experience in a variety of specialty fields to participate in focus groups to assist in creating the guidelines for the Certified Professional Photographer, Sports & Event exam and specialty endorsement.

“Certification is a respected professional credential used by many different fields to show that you are an authority in your field. It just made sense for IAPEP to get involved and assist in creating this credential for this industry,” said Michelle Hatch, IAPEP Association Manager.

The exam is now available to the entire industry and IAPEP members can apply for the exam at a discounted rate of $100.

Based on the Certified Professional Photographer exam, this certification is specifically designed for sports and event photographers. The written exam consists of 100 multiple-choice questions that cover the following areas: camera, lenses and attachments; composition and design; digital post production; exposure and meters; film, digital capture, and output; and lighting.  Images are also submitted for judging and for specialty endorsements.

Consumers seek certified professionals, regardless of the industry. So in the photography world, certification gives you a distinct marketing advantage over your competition.
Learn more about certification at CertifiedPhotographer.com.

For more information on IAPEP, please visit IAPEP.com

Olympus Innovates Again With Evolt E-330: The World's First Interchangeable Digital SLR With A "Live View" LCD

100% Digital SLR Camera Combines a Live View 2.5-Inch Articulated LCD, Exclusive Dust Reduction System for Spot-Free Photos, and TruePic TURBO Image Processor with Largest Selection of Digital-Specific Lenses

Since the introduction of the first single-lens reflex (SLR) camera, photographers have prized SLRs because they can see with the naked eye, through an optical viewfinder, exactly what is passing through the camera's lens. The "reflex" of a mirrored shutter that bends light to the camera's viewfinder, and then snaps open rapidly to create exposures, makes this possible and gives the SLR its advantage. But this SLR advantage, while delivering high-performance speed and accuracy, has one drawback in the digital age. Because the image sensor is blocked by the mirror and shutter until the moment the shutter button is pressed, the mirror and shutter mechanism prevents a traditional digital SLR from viewing and composing a photo using only the camera's Liquid Crystal Display as a viewfinder.

As anyone who has used a compact digital camera knows, composing a photo just by viewing the camera's LCD is easy and commonplace, and many compact cameras do not even offer an optical viewfinder. Composing on an LCD has its own advantages, and Olympus engineers asked the question: How can we design a new digital SLR that delivers not only the traditional through-the-lens optical viewfinder experience of an SLR, but also adds the ability to frame photos with an LCD like a compact camera?

The solution to this technical challenge is the revolutionary Olympus EVOLT E-330 digital SLR - the world's first interchangeable lens digital SLR to feature a true "Live View" image on the LCD screen, in addition to the optical viewfinder, and unite the best of both worlds.

New "Photoshop Killer Tips" Daily Video Podcast Launched by NAPP

Straight from the National Association of Photoshop Professionals (NAPP), comes "Photoshop Killer Tips, an exciting new daily video Podcast featuring Photoshop® Guru Matt Klowkowski, one of the co-hosts of the top-rated weekly Adobe® Photoshop show "Photoshop TV" (http://www.photoshoptv.com).

This new video Podcast is short and sweet, with each daily segment only one to two minutes in length, but each episode is packed with nothing but the coolest Photoshop tips, tricks, timesaving shortcuts, and easy-to-follow step-by-step tutorials. Subscribe (for free) to Photoshop Killer Tips at http://www.photoshopkillertips.com .

Al-Liquindoi Photography Workshops

Al-Liquindoi Photography Workshops presents a new program of workshops for Barcelona, 2006.   Organized with Centre de Fotografia Documental de Barcelona, with the collaboration of Centre de Cultura Contemporània de Barcelona, CCCB.

10 – 13 April 2006

• CLEMENTE BERNAD
  “Raising Questions...”
  Participants: 12
• DONNA FERRATO
  “Troubleshooter”
  Participants: 12

The workshops will take place at the CCCB, Barcelona.

For detailed information about the workshops, tuition, and to apply:
www.al-liquindoi.com
Jessica Murray (+34) 635 79 83 78
jessica@al-liquindoi.com

For information about Centre de Fotografia Documental de Barcelona please visit
www.lafotobcn.org