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Protecting Picture Copyright with Stipple

May 24, 2013 by Leave a Comment
stipple screens

 

stipple screens

The United Kingdom passed the Enterprise and Regulatory Reform Act on orphan works, which means images found online without identifying info can be used, even commercially, without the creator being able to demand proper compensation once they discover the infringement. And this type of bill could pass in the U.S. as well.

What can you do to prevent this from happening to your work? Online imaging service Stipple says its image tagging and network of publishers can help ensure your photos are not misused. In this episode of the Imaging Executive podcast, VP of Licensing Paul Melcher tells us more about the UK act, and working with Stipple.

You can download the interview here.

Or listen to it now with this player:

Filed Under: AIE, Podcasts Tagged With:

On the DIMAcast: Boost biz with Pinterest pictures

May 20, 2013 by Leave a Comment
pinterest book

 

pinterest book

A new book claims you can boost your business by strategically using the Pinterest website.

The social bookmarking site allows users to create a visual, online pinboard with images around topics of their choice. According to “Entrepreneur Magazine’s Ultimate Guide to Pinterest for Business” by Karen Leland, it’s the fastest growing social media site in history, and now the third-largest network after Facebook and Twitter. It has more than 25 million members and 10 million unique visitors a month — and it can be “a valuable source of prospects, promotion and profits,” the author says.

“Great business brands are about telling compelling, congruent stories, and Pinterest is at its core about storytelling in pictures,” Leland adds. “Pinterest has tapped into this visceral lover of visuals, and no small business, entrepreneur or corporation can afford to miss the boat on bringing what they offer beyond words and into images.”

In this interview on the DIMAcast, Leland talks specifically about how photographers and photography businesses can best benefit from using the site.
The full interview is here.

Leland’s business consultation site is here — with bonuses to the book’s content.

 

 

Filed Under: PMA News, Podcasts

PMA announces continued support of fair tax legislation

May 16, 2013 by
PMAlogo_CMYK_small

PMA announces its support of federal legislation mandating online companies to collect PMAlogo_CMYK_smallstate sales taxes. Earlier this month, the  United States Senate passed the Marketplace Fairness Act, which requires online retailers with annual revenue of more than a million dollars to collect sales tax on transactions across state lines. Foes of the legislation say complying with 50 different tax codes would put an undue burden on online retailers. The bill is now going before the United States House of Representatives.

“Although we oppose more taxes in general, PMA stands in support of legislation to level the playing field for local businesses. Right now, brick-and-mortar retailers must charge sales tax for the same merchandise that people can buy online without paying sales tax. This puts brick-and-mortar retailers at a huge and unfair disadvantage,” said PMA President Allen Showalter. “While PMA also supports its members who do business online, the situation as it exists today is very one-sided. The Marketplace Fairness Act will allow all retailers to operate under the same conditions when it comes to charging sales tax. Provisions in this bill dictate that states have to provide tax software free of charge to online businesses, and update it regularly; thereby mitigating the hardship this legislation will create for online retailers.

“PMA endorses legislation that allows local, brick-and-mortar businesses to compete and thrive, which in turn supports their local communities, and the growth of the imaging industry as a whole,” Showalter added.

 

Filed Under: Business, PMA News, Retail Tagged With: , , ,

New video of exhibitor interviews from The Big Photo Show now available

May 14, 2013 by
Dave McKenna

Dave McKennaWondering what The Big Photo Show was really like? Here’s your chance to find out. I had the very fun opportunity to interview a handful of the exhibitors at the show, and we have just posted a video of those interviews on Youtube. Taped during the event, held May 4-5 at the Los Angeles Convention Center, the video is now available at http://youtu.be/goBWF3_ck3c or you can watch it below.

Featured are John Bruehl from Sony; speaker Cheyenne Rouse from Cheyenne Rouse Photography; Ron Talley from Photographers and Digital Artists of Los Angeles; Christian Gaspar from the Los Angeles Photoshop Users Group; Lou Schmidt from Hoodman; and Dave Mason from McKenna Pro.

In the video, these exhibitors talk about their experiences at the event as it was happening, and how it compared to their expectations.

“We had a really great morning. We were so busy that we gave away about two days’ worth of material in our first two hours. We were really surprised by that,” said Dave Mason in his interview. “It’s…one of the busiest shows we’ve ever done.”

More than 16,100 advanced amateur photographers and photo enthusiasts attended The Big Photo Show, which was the first in a new series of photography shows for consumers from PMA. The event presented photography equipment from top manufacturers and retailers; an array of education sessions and workshops taught by some of the best professional photographers in the United States; live model shoots featuring themes like belly dancers, film noir and Star Wars; and creative innovations in framing and photo display.

The Big Photo Show will return to Los Angeles in Spring 2014. For more information, contact Jeff Frazine at jfrazine@pmai.org.

Filed Under: Big Photo Show, CliQ, Consumer Interest, Events, Featured, PMA News Tagged With:

On the DIMAcast: What Sony learned about imaging consumers and more at The Big Photo Show

May 13, 2013 by
New DIMAcast 2.0 logo

New DIMAcast 2.0 logoIn this week’s DIMAcast, Mike Kahn of Sony talks about his company’s experience at The Big Photo Show. Listen and discover who the most passionate photography consumers are and what they are most interested in; how Kahn knew The Big Photo Show would be a hit when others doubted; and how he suggests photo business can capitalize on the enthusiasm for imaging among consumers today.

Download the interview here or at www.dimacast.com, or listen without downloading, using the player below. (Interview begins at 06:08.)

Filed Under: Big Photo Show, CliQ, Consumer Interest, DIMA, Featured, Learning Opportunities, Marketing, PMA News, Retail, Trends Tagged With: , ,

On the DIMAcast: Bill McCurry interviews Phil Wrzsinksi of The Toy House on teambuilding

May 8, 2013 by
New DIMAcast 2.0 logo

New DIMAcast 2.0 logoWe know building the right team is critical to our business – yet we often miss this critical step of management. Phil Wrzsinksi of The Toy House in Jackson, Mich., is back on the DIMAcast this week, telling Bill McCurry how crafting a team is like a potter’s whee: if you faithfully follow a consistent process, you can make beautiful, unique things. Failing basic steps will lead to piles of broken pottery or frustrated organizations. Phil shares what works for his organization and will work for your as well.

Listen in using the podcast player below or visit DIMAcast.com to hear the interview or read the transcript.

Filed Under: DIMA, Marketing, McCurry Marketing Idea Exchange, PMA News, Podcasts, Retail Tagged With: ,

PMA announces more than 16,100 attendees at The Big Photo Show

May 7, 2013 by
Crowd from above JH

Crowd from above JHWe called it The “Big” Photo Show for a reason! I’m so excited to announce the huge number of photo enthusiasts who attended The Big Photo Show this past weekend! Our press release is below. Drumroll, please….

PMA announces 16,184 advanced amateur photographers and photo enthusiasts attended The Big Photo Show, held for the first time May 4-5, 2013, at the Los Angeles Convention Center. Attendees were able to discover, try and purchase the coolest new equipment and tools from top manufacturers and retailers; learn from some of the country’s best professional photographers/educators; take part in live model shoots in several photo shooting zones; explore creative new ways to frame and display their images, and much more.

“We are thrilled that more than 16,100 people attended The Big Photo Show – a number that does not include exhibitors or staff. That’s 16,184 of the most passionate photography consumers in Southern California, who came to The Big Photo Show and experienced the fantastic event we put together for them,” said PMA President Allen Showalter. “Looking at the show floor, we could see nothing but booths crowded with eager buyers, standing-room-only education sessions and packed photo shooting areas. The remarkable success of this, our inaugural event, speaks to the high caliber exhibitors, programming and opportunities offered at The Big Photo Show.”

Attendee Thomas Cuadras, who describes himself as a “newbie hobbyist” photographer, said he came to the event because, “I wanted to see what The Big Photo Show was all about, and attend the workshops. I’m a Pentaxian, but I wanted to swing by the Sony booth and check out the NEX 6 and NEX 7 cameras, their new stuff that I’ve been wondering about. I’ve never used Sony cameras before, but I’d like to. My camera has a Sony sensor, so it makes me curious to see what they have. Sony would be a good system to buy into.”

David Metz of Sigma, an exhibitor at The Big Photo Show, said, “This is a great show and we’re very pleased to be here. I have been really, really surprised by the turnout of the crowd. We absolutely are seeing a lot of interest from people who will be first-time Sigma customers. There are a lot people here who are new to photography. They are aware of the Canon name or Nikon name or Sony name, but they don’t know who Sigma is. They have come to the Sigma booth saying, Can I get a Sigma lens for my Canon or Nikon camera? For us, in terms of brand identification, this is really powerful. When they ask us that question, we send them right over to the booths of our retailers who are here  – Samy’s Camera and Paul’s Photo – to make those purchases, so they are able to leave the show with a Sigma lens in their bag. We want to be back at the Big Photo Show, in a bigger and better way, when it’s here again in LA next year.”

Commented Mark Comon of Paul’s Photo, “Our booth has been going mad all day. I can’t believe how many people we’ve seen here at our booth. The Big Photo Show is rocking, like I knew it would. Our booth is full, and there’s not a lot of stuff left on the hooks. We have to go back tonight and get more products to sell tomorrow. My staff is going crazy.”

The Big Photo Show will return to Los Angeles in Spring 2014. For more information, contact Jeff Frazine at jfrazine@pmai.org.

About The Big Photo Show

The Big Photo Show is a series of photography events for the millions and millions of U.S. consumers who consider themselves photo enthusiasts. The Big Photo Show will have exhibits from imaging suppliers, retailers and service providers; as well as an array of educational opportunities for attendees offered by professional photographers, framers and other experts. Among many other things, attendees will learn how to take better photos; what new innovations are available in equipment and services; and the coolest new ways to creatively display their images. The inaugural event will be held May 4-5, 2013 at the Los Angeles Convention Center in Los Angeles, Calif.

About PMA – The Worldwide Community of Imaging Associations

As a professional trade association, PMA® helps the worldwide photo imaging community achieve business success and adapt to new technologies. Its commitment to members in 100-plus countries is part of an 88-year legacy that connects business owners to a network of knowledge and support. PMA furthers this purpose through the development of educational programs, marketing research, publications, and trade shows. As a not-for-profit organization, any success PMA achieves in its endeavors directly benefits the industry, providing the means to continually develop services and activities for members.

Filed Under: Big Photo Show, CliQ, Consumer Interest, Events, Featured, PMA News, Retail Tagged With: , ,

Day two of The Big Photo Show — the excitement continues

May 6, 2013 by
Crowds at the Sigma booth
Paul's Photo had to work fast to keep products stocked

Paul’s Photo had to work fast to keep products stocked

The Big Photo Show got off to a blazing start on Saturday, with big crowds at exhibitor booths, education sessions and photo shooting zones alike – and the excitement continued on day two. I could tell you myself how fantastic everything was, but instead, I’ll let the attendees and exhibitors do the talking:

Marty Glickman from MAC Group: I was pleasantly surprised with the activity we had at The Big Photo Show.  Sales were fantastic. Compared to what I expected? I’ll say it again: It was fantastic.

Professional photographer and Big Photo Show speaker Robert O’Toole: I’m a photographer and consultant for Sigma, and I do

Sony's booth was packed

Sony’s booth was packed

a lot of workshops for them. I’m here as a speaker, but I was asked to help out in the Sigma booth, because it is so busy. We gave away all our brochures and business cards within the first two hours of the show. We’ve had a huge amount of people at the booth, way more than we expected. The show is excellent, and Sigma is doing great here. The attendees of this show are pretty serious. They are not just “lookey-loos” or tourists. Everybody has good equipment, and they are here looking for more.

Amateur photographer attendee Erik Clark at the Fromex booth: I’m not a pro photographer yet, but later this summer, I’m shooting my first wedding. I came to the Fromex booth to check out the cool

aluminum prints they produce. I’ve never seen

Buyers, buyers, everywhere!

Buyers, buyers, everywhere!

anything like that before, and I want to give one of those to a friend of mine as a gift. I came to The Big Photo Show for the education sessions; I just attended Portraiture 101 and a session about lighting. Now that I learned more about lighting, I’m looking for some lighting equipment here at the show.

Pro photographer Cutter Cutshaw at the Sony booth: I came because I wanted to see if I could find new technology here to help my business, or any new tips and tricks I could learn to help me grow. The technology advances so fast, and it’s important to keep up on what’s going on, so I can stay competitive.  I was interested in seeing the lighting setups, because that’s one area I

Shopping at Tuttle Camera's booth

Shopping at Tuttle Camera’s booth

want to grow into – studio lighting. I shoot a lot of natural light stuff, so I am very familiar with that, but studio lights is an area

where I need to grow and expand.  I usually buy my equipment at Samy’s and I was at their booth for a while.  I shoot with Sony equipment and with Canon; which camera I use just depends on what I’m shooting. I’m at the Sony booth now so I can ask them about some lenses that I’ve been looking to add. It’s cool to have the manufacturer here. They have first-hand knowledge of every aspect of the equipment; they are the experts.

Packed education sessions

Packed education sessions

The Big Photo Show Seriously Fun Photography Photo Challenge winner Bob Hume, who received the Grand Prize trip to LA for the show: The show is very informative. I didn’t get to do a lot of the hands-on shoots because it was so crowded, but I did listen to every lecture in the two days that I’ve been here – a couple of them more than once.  I especially liked Lee Varis’ session. The

Selling at Samy's

Selling at Samy’s

education is very well done, and I like seeing the gadgets on the show floor. I’ve learned a lot!  I have all the equipment I need,

although Rob Shepherd talked extension tubes during his session, and I might get some of those. I’m not much of a portrait

photographer, so learning some tips from Erin Manning about how to make people relax and proper lighting was important. I would definitely come back to The Big Photo Show in future years.

The Big Photo Show will return to Los Angeles in Spring, 2014.

 

 

 

Filed Under: Big Photo Show, CliQ, Consumer Interest, PMA News Tagged With:

Custom framed photos and mementoes honor Army canine

May 6, 2013 by
Espinoza copy

 

Espinoza copy

They say every dog has its day, but this canine – a retired military working dog – has her own custom framed shadow box.

“Staff Sergeant Lady,” an 8-year-old black Lab, was a working dog for the U.S. Army, doing tours in Afghanistan with her handler, Sgt. Roque Espinoza. He is currently assigned to the Engineer Canine Company, 5th Engineer Battalion, 4th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade, at Fort Leonard Wood. Recently retired, Lady is enjoying life as a pet with Espinoza and his family.

The shadow box contains her Honorable Discharge papers, collar and leash, photos with Espinoza, and her favorite toy, a tennis ball.

“She played with the tennis ball during her overseas tours and when it got in really bad shape, the medics ‘bandaged’ it with surgical tape and anything else that was handy since it couldn’t be easily replaced,” says Espinoza, who had the idea to frame these items long before his canine companion retired. “When Lady was first assigned to me I told myself that I would only use the one tennis ball for as long as I had her and that I would get it framed once I adopted her. I never would have imagined it to have turned out so great.”

While Lady has noticed her ball in the frame a couple of times, she is mainly concerned with her new ball. “Life as a pet has not been a hard transition for her at all, and she now has a new ball that she loves and constantly wants to play fetch with,” Espinoza says. “Even when I’m trying to relax and watch television, she drops the ball on my lap and nudges it with her nose – her way of saying ‘Come on, dad, play with me.’

“She absolutely loves the retired life – she lounges around the house, occasionally getting into some mischief when left unattended. I can never get mad at her though because she’s my girl and she just gives me the saddest ‘I’m sorry’ look that I can’t help but fall for.”

Lady was three years old when she first teamed up with Espinoza, and she’s now been at his side for almost five years. “The love and bond we share is hard to describe,” says Espinoza, who will soon attend a Specialized Search Dog course and team up with another working dog. “I’ve spent more time with Lady than with my own family. She’s been my friend, my companion, my protector, and occasionally the thorn in my side, but I love her. To me, she is a lot more than just a dog, to me she is family.”

Espinoza took Lady’s precious possessions to Joyce Michels, MCPF, owner of Michels Frames & Things in Saint Robert, Mo. “He wanted the tennis ball integrated into the frame design but did not want a deep shadowbox,” says Michels, who used a small acrylic case from Gemini Moulding to hold the ball – creating quite a challenge.

“We had to cut an opening in exactly the right place in a sheet of acrylic, cut it straight and not have any cracks surrounding it – sounds simple enough, but we did a lot of trial and error on scraps before attempting the real thing,” she explains. “We weren’t sure how to keep the cracks from happening until I made some phone calls to a few framer friends and an acrylic company.”

To create support under the acrylic, Michels used a piece of ½-inch plywood with a hole cut out, and clamped the edges together to quiet the vibration from the jigsaw. “Other than that, the project was very straightforward, using clear polyester filmstrips and a heavy polyester thread to mount the collar and leash,” she says. “The customer loved it. We were proud to do this piece and are so happy that Lady has a loving owner and family in her retirement.”

Michels, who does a lot of framing for the Fort Leonard Wood post, is a Master Certified Picture Framer (MCPF), and member of the Professional Picture Framers Association (PPFA) where she serves on the Board of Directors and the Certification Board. An “Army brat” as a child, she is married to a retired Army NCO, and specializes in preserving and framing military memorabilia.

For more information on custom picture framing and a searchable database of PPFA framers, visit www.findapictureframer.com.

 

Filed Under: Consumer Interest, Custom Framing, PMA News, PPFA, Retail

Attendees, exhibitors and speakers of The Big Photo Show voice opinions on event

May 5, 2013 by
Mark Comon said of The Paul's Photo booth: "Our booth is full, and there’s not a lot of stuff left on the hooks. We have to go back tonight and get more products to sell tomorrow."
Mark Comon said of The Paul's Photo booth: "Our booth is full, and there’s not a lot of stuff left on the hooks. We have to go back tonight and get more products to sell tomorrow."

Mark Comon said of The Paul’s Photo booth: “Our booth is full, and there’s not a lot of stuff left on the hooks. We have to go back tonight and get more products to sell tomorrow.”

The Big Photo Show is in full swing, and day one drew throngs of photo enthusiasts, advanced amateurs and professional photographers to the Los Angeles Convention Center.

I had the chance to spend a few minutes stopping people on the  show floor to ask them what they were seeing and learning, and what they thought of the event. Here’s a look at some of the comments they made:

Attendee Rodrigo Molina, at the Sony booth: “I found out about The Big Photo Show through a Flickr forum. I’m an advanced amateur. It’s my hobby. My camera is a D90 and I use a Tamron 1750 2.8 lens. At the Sony booth, I learned there is new version of their 70-200 telephoto lenses coming out; when it comes out, I want it.

Attendee Rodrigo Molina

Attendee Rodrigo Molina said talking to Sony at The Big Photo Show and getting the hands-on experience has made him more interested in Sony’s products.

I also learned a lot about the advances in Sony’s technology today and their new light gathering sensors. Talking to Sony here today and getting the hands-on experience has made me more interested in Sony’s products. One thing I liked is the vertical grip on the cameras. I had never tried that before. Before trying it, I was thinking I wasn’t going to dish all this money out on just an accessory, but now that I felt it, I really like it. It’s probably something I will get in the future.

Attendees Shirley Ly and Buddy Clements, at the Paul’s Photo booth: I found out about the big photo show through [Buddy]; he heard it on the radio. I’m a professional photographer, and I came because I wanted to check out some new technology and see all the new gear, see what they have out and meet some new people. I want to purchase a new body. I’ve had my camera body for 6 or 7 years, so I’m thinking about purchasing a new one. I’m using a D80 right now, and I’m interested in getting the D7000. I had never heard of Paul’s Photo before, but they have some things here in the booth that I’m interested in. I would go to the store, now that I know about them. (Shirley)

I just moved back to Redondo Beach, so we’re really close to Paul’s Photo. It’s good to know about them. (Buddy)

We also just went to a workshop at the education theater, and that was really good. We learned about profiting and fun in photography, and how to market yourself. (Shirley)

Standing room only crowd to hear Lee Varis in the Education Theater

Standing room only crowd to hear Lee Varis in the Education Theater.

Attendee Justine Jagoda, at the Incognito Technology booth:  I bought a cool little mini camera. It’s a spy camera, and it’s really tiny and adorable. It comes with a mini charger, it has a USB cord, it has a flash drive and a wall charger. It’s video, spy, and you can take a regular picture and nobody would ever know you were taking a picture of them. It’s really cool, and it was only $135 for the little memory card and the whole thing. I didn’t come here planning to buy this, but I just happened to find it. I came here because I wanted to learn how to use my camera better. We didn’t plan to buy anything here, but we also already bought rechargeable batteries for my other camera and a charger for it, too. And, I just learned [at the Photo Doctor Zone] how to use the camera I bought my mom. I am an amateur photographer, but I want to become more involved in photography and learn. That’s why I came here.

Attendee Francisco Noriega, at the Samy’s Camera booth: I have learned a lot. I came in here because I wanted to upgrade my camera, and I found what I wanted at the Samy’s Camera booth. It’s all thanks to hearing a radio ad about The Big Photo Show and finding out it was here, so I decided to get my tickets early and come. I have not been a Samy’s customer before. I have heard of them, so I know who they are and what they do, but I would go to their store now that I have seen them here. I’m always shopping and looking around for new gear. I don’t see why Samy’s wouldn’t be the first place to go.”

Exhibitor Mark Comon, Paul’s Photo: Our booth has been going mad all day. I can’t believe how many people we’ve seen here at our booth. The Big Photo Show is rocking, like I knew it would. Our booth is full, and there’s not a lot of stuff left on the hooks. We have to go back tonight and get more products to sell tomorrow. My staff is going crazy.

Education Zone speaker Lee Varis: I think The Big Photo Show is a great success. We have quite a few crowds here. Everyone is eager to learn and experience photography in the 21st century. There was standing room only at my sessions; I’d say 150-200 people. It was great. I was not expecting even half of this. I was thrilled we got so many people there. I also got to look around the show, and I think people are very excited. The education session have tons of people, and there are big crowds in the shooting zone. It’s all been very popular, people all have cameras, and there is a lot of excitement. I think that’s translating into sales for the exhibitors; there is a lot of action at the booths.

Filed Under: Big Photo Show, CliQ, Consumer Interest, PMA News, Retail Tagged With:
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