GREAT OUTPUT

"Hacking the Digital Print" Redefines What It Means to Be a Photographer

2015-02-23T09:30:00.000-05:00

Digital photo printing has reached the point at which anyone who knows how to push the right buttons can create a decent print. Getting a high-quality image out of a desktop printer is no longer the challenge it once was.

In her new book, “Hacking the Digital Print,” artist Bonny Lhotka illustrates how photographic artists can take their work to the next level through alternative methods of capturing and printing photographs. She proves that the hands-on art of printmaking is alive and well in the digital age. And she explains why you don’t always need Photoshop to alter the reality that you capture through your lens.

By using analog distortion filters and lens modifiers you can create images that look like you—not an app—made them. As Lhotka explains, “Capturing altered reality is different than altering captured reality.”

In the book’s introduction, Lhotka points out that, “A photograph is a two-dimensional representation of a three-dimensional world. We can restore the third dimension by using materials such as slate, granite, wood, or metal that have heft, mass and texture.”

In “Hacking the Digital Print,” Lhotka shows how to make original art objects and hand-crafted photo gifts by transferring your photographs to materials such as wood, glass, plastics, and metal. Lhotka also shows how to create skins that can be layered to make mixed-media photographs.

Some projects explained in the book use non-toxic digital alternatives to re-create classic printmaking techniques. For example, Wonder Sauce is a water-based transfer solution that is safe enough to use anywhere, whether it's the studio, classroom, or kitchen counter.For the truly adventurous, Lhotka shares her custom techniques for taking photographs and applying them to 3D-printed objects created with popular consumer-model 3D printers.

Part artist/part mad scientist, Lhotka has spent many hours experimenting, hacking, and tearing things apart to discover new ways to take, make, and print images.

In the early days of wide-format color inkjet printing, Bonny Lhotka organized "Digital Atelier: A printmaking studio for the 21st Century" at the Smithsonian American Art Museum and was an artist-in-residence there for 21 days. The artists of the Digital Atelier demonstrated some of the creative possibilities of scanning and inkjet printing.

Lhotka is also a recipient of the Smithsonian/Computerworld Technology in the Arts Award.

Bonny says she designed "Hacking the Print" for “artists and photographers who enjoy serendipitous discoveries—those intuitive accidents that lead to new discoveries and possibilities.”

She encourages you to take the techniques in this book, hack them, and make them your own. She cautions that the process will be messy, and failures may require you to keep trying: "But in the process, you will make your exciting discoveries, find solutions, to your problems, and create a body of work that is uniquely yours.”

You can purchase “Hacking the Digital Print,” through Amazon or buy a signed copy through the DASS ART website. “Hacking the Digital Print” was published by Peachpit, the Pearson imprint the publishes technology books, e-books, and videos for creative people.

On the DASS ART website, you can also register for related workshops or order the specialized transfer media Lhotka has developed for transferring images printed with pigment inks on inkjet photo printers.

DASS has also started a Facebook group for artists and photographers who are creasting work with the techniques featured in Bonny Lhotka’s two previous books on contemporary printmaking techniques: Digital Alchemy and The Last Layer.

According to Lhotka, “The Facebook group is a place to post your work, share processes, and ask questions. I will pop in an out to answer questions and post tips.”

LINKS:

Hacking the Digital Print: Alternative image capture and printmaking processes with a special section on 3D printing (Voices That Matter)

The Last Layer: New methods in digital printing for photography, fine art, and mixed media (Voices That Matter)

DASS ART

Facebook: DASS ART

For Photoshop's 25th Anniversary, Adobe Encourages Creatives to Dream On

2015-02-22T09:41:00.001-05:00

As the creative economy kicks into high gear, visual communications are taking off in multiple forms. From smartphone apps to building-size wall murals and interactive digital signage and museum displays, we see imaginative imagery everywhere we look. So, it’s surprising to realize that it's only been 25 years since the very first version of Photoshop was introduced.

According to a fascinating timeline and an interview published on the Adobe website and Photoshop blog, Adobe shipped its first version of Photoshop on February 19, 1990. The program originated in 1987, when Thomas Knoll developed a pixel-imaging program called Display. It was a simple program to showcase grayscale images on a black-and-white monitor. However, after collaborating with his brother, John Knoll, the two began adding features that made it possible to process digital image files. The program eventually caught the attention of industry influencers, and in 1989, Adobe decided to license it.

"Adobe thought we'd sell about 500 copies of Photoshop a month," recalls Thomas Knoll, Adobe Fellow and Photoshop co-creator. "Not in my wildest dreams did we think creatives would embrace the product in the numbers and ways they have. It's inspiring to see the beautiful images our customers create, the careers Photoshop has launched, and the new uses people all over the world find for Photoshop every day."

On YouTube, you can watch a video of Thomas Knoll giving one of his first demonstrations of Photoshop.

"For 25 years, Photoshop has inspired artists and designers to craft images of stunning beauty and reality-bending creativity," said Shantanu Narayen, Adobe president and chief executive officer. "From desktop publishing, to fashion photography, movie production, website design, mobile app creation, and now 3D printing, Photoshop continues to redefine industries and creative possibilities. And today that Photoshop magic is available to millions of new users, thanks to Adobe Creative Cloud."

Photoshop's massive popularity can be attributed to its constantly evolving capabilities and pipeline of deep image science. This steady stream of innovations is now reaching customers faster than ever before. The Photoshop and Lightroom desktop and mobile apps are constantly updated as part of Adobe Creative Cloud.

Photoshop preceded color inkjet printers and sophisticated digital cameras

In an interview with Russell Brady posted on the Photoshop blog, Thomas Knoll points out that the first version of Photoshop was really ahead of its time: “Photoshop 1.0 and the first several versions weren’t really tools for photography – not only because there wasn’t appropriate hardware available in digital cameras, but more importantly, because there were no digital printers. The only real way to get photographic-quality output from Photoshop back then was to create four-color separations on film and take them to a printing press, where the first copy of your photograph might cost you $2,000…If you wanted to print a roll of 35 millimeter film, you’re talking $35,000 to $40,000. So, Photoshop 1 was primarily aimed at the publishing and graphic arts markets.”
After full-color inkjet printers were introduced, Photoshop users could scan the film, manipulate the images, and print them out. The explosive growth of digital photography in the mid-1990s further accelerated the widespread adoption of Photoshop.

Photoshop's success has helped Adobe develop and deliver a wide range of products and services used by tens of millions of creative people around the world. In addition to Photoshop, applications such as Adobe Illustrator, InDesign, Premiere Pro, After Effects, Dreamweaver and others have pushed creativity forward, no matter what the media. Adobe Creative Cloud services such as Behance and Creative Talent Search are helping a new generation of creatives find a global audience and market for their work .

Adobe is celebrating Photoshop’s milestone in a big way. For example, Adobe is showcasing 25 of the most creative visual artists under 25 who use Photoshop. To be considered, artists upload their projects and use the tag "Ps25Under25." In the coming months, those selected will take over the Photoshop Instagram handle (@Photoshop) for two weeks and present their work for the world to see. Fredy Santiago, a 24-year old Mexican-American artist and illustrator based in Ventura, California is the first one chosen to display his incredible images.

During The Academy Awards broadcast, Adobe is launching its “Dream On” advertising campaign as a tribute to 25 years of amazing art created In Photoshop. The TV commercial includes incredible work from Photoshop artists and iconic images from major motion pictures that used Photoshop in the making, including Avatar, Gone Girl, How to Train Your Dragon 2 and Shrek.

LINKS

Adobe

Adobe Blog Post: Celebrating 25 Years of Photoshop

Thomas Knoll Q&A

Adobe Photoshop Anniversary Timeline

Survey Shows Pro Photographers Are Optimistic about 2015

2015-02-03T20:11:00.000-05:00

According to PhotoShelter’s Photographer’s Outlook survey for 2015, 65 percent of photographers get most of their revenue from commissioned assignments and 11 percent get most of their revenue from in-person sales. Only 5 percent got most of their revenue from print sales online and 5 percent earned most of their revenue from stock photo sales. The highest source of revenues for the remaining respondents included personal-use downloads (3%), commissioned video work (3%), gallery shows/events (2%), workshops and seminars (2%), and other (4%).

Dozens of other insights about what professional photographers and photography enthusiasts hope to accomplish in 2015 are featured in PhotoShelter’s new guide, “The Photographer’s Outlook on 2015.”

The survey offers insights from almost 7,500 professional photographers and enthusiasts worldwide. The responses indicate some of their top business goals and challenges and their plans for marketing their work, using social media, and attending industry events.

According to the survey, 65% of the photographers feel positive about their prospects this year, with 52% expecting to get most of their revenue from new clients. This is the third consecutive year PhotoShelter conducted the survey. Compared to the 2014 survey, The Photographer’s Outlook on 2015 reveals:

64 percent of enthusiasts aspire to one day earn a majority of their living from photography (down 10% from last year).
The number of professionals who use Instagram as their number-one social-media platform was up 150 percent.
The number of professionals who expect to make most of their revenue from new clients increased by 30 percent.

“We’re thrilled to release The Photographer’s Outlook survey for the third year running,” says PhotoShelter CEO, Andrew Fingerman. “We’re encouraged to learn that a majority of professionals and enthusiasts are optimistic about 2015. But as the survey revealed, we know that photographers are most challenged to find new clients. As a leader in business resources for photographers, we’re committed to continue educating the community on how to market themselves more effectively and reach the clients they want.”

The Photographer’s Outlook on 2015 survey was emailed in November 2014 to the PhotoShelter community, which includes users of PhotoShelter products, as well as members of the photography community at large who receive PhotoShelter’s monthly newsletters. Of the 7,408 photographers who responded, 69 percent were male and 31 percent were female.

The professional photographers (those who said they earned more than 50 percent of their income from photography) received a different set of questions than enthusiasts. The results of the two groups are reported separately.

The top specialty among enthusiasts is landscape/cityscape photography (19%). Among professionals, the top specialty is portrait photography (15%)

PhotoShelter is a world leader in photography portfolio websites and sales and marketing tools for photographers. “The Photographer’s Outlook on 2015” is the latest in PhotoShelter’s ongoing series of free business guides for photographers and marketing professionals.

PhotoShelter’s library includes 40+ educational guides including topics such as creating a successful photography portfolio, email marketing, and starting a photography business.

LINKS

The Photographer's Outlook for 2015

PhotoShelter

Exhibition of New Visionaries: Photographers Who Bridge Art + Commerce

2015-01-21T19:42:00.002-05:00

An upcoming exhibition at Mount Ida College in Newton, Massachusetts will show how the genres of fine art and commercial photography are converging.

Entitled “New Visionaries: Photographers Who Bridge Art + Commerce,” the exhibition (Feb. 5 - April 21) features work by a roster of 63 photographers from Boston, the United States, and around the world, who are constructing a new paradigm within the medium of photography.

Their images have become part of the visual landscape for editorial work, advertising, and major campaigns for clients such as J. Crew, New York Times, Hermés, and W Magazine.

“In our new commercial photography degree program we are driving home to our students that photographers must possess the ability to translate personal visions into real world commercial imagery. We could think of no better way to teach our students than by bringing together this international group of photographers and guest speakers,” states Alison Poor-Donahue, the chair of Mount Ida’s department of Graphic Design and co-curator.

“We want to illustrate with this exhibition, that in today’s hyper-visual culture, there is a need for brands to develop visual identities,” says Michael Donnor, adjunct professor of photography and co-curator.

Photographers included in the exhibition range from recent graduates of other programs to advanced career professionals. Their work highlights the many possible paths for a long sustainable career in photography.

For example, the exhibition includes photographers such as Andrew Eccles, who has quite literally, photographed everyone who is a “who’s who.” It will include local and recent graduates from the region’s programs, just beginning to build their client list, as well as French photographers Estelle Hanania who won the photo prize at the 2006 Hyères Festival and Charles-Henry Bédué who recently won the internationally recognized Foam Talent Award 2014.

“We are extremely excited by the response and support for the exhibition for celebrating our new major,” says Poor-Donahue.

The opening reception takes place February 5, 2015 at 6 pm in the School of Design at Mount Ida College, 777 Dedham Street in Newton and is being sponsored in part by Hahnemühle Paper and Panopticon Gallery. The exhibit is free and open to the public. It runs until April 21, 2015.

LINKS

Facebook: New Visionaries at Mount Ida College

Instagram: New Visionaries

Mount Ida College: New Visionaries

Epson To Promote Digital Couture During New York Fashion Week

2015-01-12T13:59:00.001-05:00

With the announcement of their "Digital Couture" project, Epson is continuing to inspire creative professionals. When Epson collaborated with world-class photographers, they helped make pigment-ink prints suitable for museum exhibitions of fine art photography. Epson StylusPro printers gave professional photographers greater control over how their enlarged prints would look.

Now Epson is showing fashion and textile designers some of the creative possibilities of top-quality dye-sublimation inkjet printing. During New York Fashion Week February 8-13, Epson will host a “Digital Couture” event.

Epson is teaming up with 11 select fashion designers from New York, Los Angeles and Latin America to demonstrate how fashion and textile designers can use Epson SureColor F-Series dye-sublimation printing technology to bring their ideas and inspiration to life.

“We are excited for today’s fashion designers to bring their creative visions to fabric in new and versatile ways with advanced digital technologies during New York Fashion Week,” said Agustin Chacon, VP, subsidiary sales and operations, Epson America, Inc. “Epson’s dye-sublimination printing technology provides another level of creativity and functionality for young fashion entrepreneurs and well-established fashion brands looking to produce their in a more efficient and affordable manner." In the dye-sublimation printing, designs and images are printed with specialized inks onto a transfer paper.

Epson SureColor F Series 7170

When the printed transfer paper and blank polyester fabrics are run through a heat transfer press, the Epson dye-sublimation inks on the paper permeate the surface of the fabric. The printed fabric retains its softness and wearability because the inks don’t sit stiffly on the surface of the garment.

Dye sublimation is already a popular method of decorating performance apparel for marathons, cycling races, and other sports events. The process is also used to make photo gifts and custom-designed snowboards.

Epson SureColor F-Series dye sublimation printing technology offers designers a versatile, accessible, high-quality method of printing for printing short runs of polyester fabrics that can be cut and sewn into garments or sold for use in other textile goods.

In keeping with Epson’s proven expertise in image reproduction, the Epson SureColor F-Series are designed to produce sharp, vivid images with rich colors, intense blacks, and smooth gradations on fabric. This capability provides greater freedom and control in printing original designs that will define your signature style.

“Art + Fashion Meets Technology” Show in Las Vegas

At the 2014 SGIA Expo for digital printing businesses in Las Vegas, Epson hosted a poolside fashion show entitled “Art + Fashion Meets Technology.” Models showcased a collection of resortwear designs that were printed on demand on the SureColor F7170 64-inch dye-sublimation printers. The designs were brought to life under the guidance of Carol Yeager, the owner and creative director of MY Prints, a Los Angeles-based digital sublimation print house that prints fabrics for the apparel and movie industry.

Carol started her fashion career more than 10 years ago and has held Design Director and Merchandiser positions for leading garment/textile companies in Los Angeles. Her designs have been sold in major department and mass-retail stores, including Nordstrom, Macy’s Kohl’s, and Target. Yeager is known for her instincts in color and trend forecasting with technical knowledge.

For the “Art + Fashion Meets Technology” fashion show, Yeager said her goal was to create a visually graphic collection with vibrant colors and whimsical earthy elements. Her garment designs fused contemporary artwork by artist Sohail J. Coelho and fashion-forward silhouettes with the drape and movement of the sublimated fabric created with Epson’s advancements in dye sublimation.

“I love that there was a story behind each print,” said Yeager. “I designed swimsuits and cover-ups that would best showcase the prints as well as the beauty of the woman’s form. I kept the silhouettes refined and elegant.”

Garments featured in the show included geometric deep-V one-piece swimsuits paired with a colorful, maxi-length kimono for a poolside party, a graphic black-and-white athletic one-piece layered with a short, matching feminine cocoon kimono for a backyard barbecue, and a playful rash guard paired with a lotus flower bikini bottom for a surfer girl ready to catch a wave.

"I was very particular about the fabrics used to maintain the high-end look," said Yeager. "Finding the right polyester fabric is key to maintaining a nice hand. The swimsuits were made from a Poly Spx swim fabric and the cover-ups and kimonos were made with a Poly sheer chiffon and Poly woven with a silk hand."

Yeager said the beauty of digital dye sublimation is immediate gratification. The collection for the fashion show at SGIA Expo was designed, printed and sewn in less than a week: “With dye-sublimation printing, there really are no boundaries or restrictions to designing and executing prints. Samples can be printed within days of conception, and a collection can come to life in the fraction of time it used to take with old methods like pigment or wet printing.”

She believes the advances in dye-sublimation will change the way that the apparel world can capitalize on speed-to-market trends. Eleven designers who are early adopters of digital sublimation printing will be featured at the “Digital Couture” event during New York Fashion Week. The designers include:

Ay Not Dead from Argentina
Pilar Briceño from Colombia
Dual from Costa Rica
ESOSA from New York City
Leonor Silva representing the Caribbean (Venezuela to Miami)
Elisa Guillén from Ecuador
Maggie Barry from Los Angeles
Marco Antonio Farías from Chile
Mariana Morrell from Brazil
Moah Saldaña from Peru
Pineda Covalin from Mexico

"Dye sublimation for textile applications is trending in Latin America. Many Latin American have been textile exporters for centuries," said Catalina Frank, product manager for Epson Professional Imaging. Epson Latin America has participated in several fashion and textile-related events in Brazil, Colombia, Peru, and Ecuador.

"Incorporating dye-sublimation into some of the processes of fashion creation can help designers and manufacturers reduce overall operating costs," said Frank. Dye sublimation makes it easier to produce one-offs, small limited editions, or short runs for proofing and merchandising.

"In addition, a company can reduce inventory levels, turnaround times, and offer versatility for cut-and-sew sublimation printing or blank garment sublimation printing."

At SGIA Expo, Pacific Coast Fabrics, which supplies a range of fabrics suitable for dye-sublimation printing, displayed some board shorts decorated with black-and-white photographs.

Pacific Coast Fabrics' Poly Spandex Tricot 4-way Stretch material was used for swimsuits in "Epson's Art + Fashion Meets Technology" event at SGIA Expo.

LINKS

Epson Pro Imaging

You Tube: Epson Ecuador Presents Fashion Show at Xpotex

You Tube: High-Performance Apparel Production with Epson SureColor F-Series Dye Sublimation

Ultimate Guide to Starting Your Photography Business Presents Tips from Emerging and Established Pros

2015-01-07T07:28:00.000-05:00

In "The Ultimate Guide to Starting Your Photography Business," the experts at PhotoShelter help you see that starting a photography business a process. It requires thinking and acting like a professional even before you get your first paying client.

The advice presented in the guide comes from discussions with established and emerging photographers who know what it takes to make a photography business work.

The free 30-page guide includes

the four most important questions to ask before launching your business
tips to manage your finance and come out on top
Video: 11 Essential Tips for Freelance Photographers

Also included are interviews with four photographers. Kyle Johnson talks about what he learned in his first year as a photographer. Jade Beall discusses how to turn a passion project into a business. Nicholas Goodman explains how to use social media to grow your audience. Garry Crabbe shares secrets to selling your photography.

The introduction to the guide emphasize several important steps:

Define yourself. Find a niche that will help you target your marketing efforts.
Set goals. What do you want your business to look like in five years? What types of clients do you want to be working for?
Build a portfolio and strong website. Show the type of work you would like to be hired to do. Give yourself assignments, shoot for friends, or look for internships to get started.
Network like crazy. "A strong network is the lifeblood of any thriving photography business."
Don't forget the basics. Write a business plan, and learn about insurance and taxes.

"The Ultimate Guide to Starting Your Photography Business" is part of PhotoShelter's library of free photo business and marketing guides. Other titles in the collection include:

Pricing Your Work: Magazine Photography

Creating a Successful Photography Portfolio

What Photographers Should Know About Insurance

PhotoShelter is a leading provider of websites for photographers. They offer SEO and social sharing capabilities, and options for licensing photography, selling prints online, and pro-strength tools for delivering files to clients.

LINKS

The Ultimate Guide to Starting Your Photography Business

PhotoShelter

PhotoShelter Library of Free Business Guides

Fine Art Photographer Converts 2D Prints into 3D-Printed Lithopanes

2014-12-29T19:38:00.001-05:00

According to the Future 100 trends report from JWT Intelligence, 2015 may be the year 3D printing grows up. While there has been a slew of publicity about 3D printing, many artists, designers, and photographers are still experimenting with ways to use it.

For example, last fall, fine art photographer Sandra Canning exhibited four 3-D printed photographic lithopanes alongside three of her traditional 2D prints. The event was part of an artist’s night gathering at the LMNT fine-art collaboration and event space in Miami.

Lithopanes look like a bas relief to the naked eye, but when the lithopane is backlit, the picture is revealed. Lithopanes were made from translucent porcelain when the art form was popular in the 1800s. Canning’s exhibit at LMNT demonstrated how 3D printing can be used to convert fine-art photos in the 21^st-century lithopanes.

Backlit "Tree in Key Biscayne" 3D printed photograph (lithophane). This 2D to 3D conversion was printed at a 16 micron layer height in Vero White on a Stratasys Objet260 Connex 3D printer. Photo by Sandra Canning, www.sandracanning.com The unlit version is below.

Canning created the lithopanes in collaboration with Prototyping Solutions Inc., one of the largest resellers of Stratasys 3D Printers in North America.

The exhibit was entitled “Photography’s Past, Present, and Future as Expressed Through 3D Printing” and represented the inaugural get together of “The Art of 3D Printing” Meetup Group that Canning founded for Miami-area artists. Along with Canning’s 3D printed photography, the September event featured a TED-style talk by engineer/3D-printing pioneer Werner Blumenthal, and “3D-printed selfies” produced by FORGE, a 3D-printing studio based in Jacksonville, Florida.

Canning started The Art of 3D Printing Meetup Group in her quest to learn more about 3D printing and encourage its use in the arts. She recognized that while 3D printing is revolutionizing every aspect of the creative arts, “Photographers have not had much involvement in this movement.” She came across 3D printed lithopanes in her quest to find applications for 3D printing for photographers.

"3D printing was one of those things that had been in my peripheral vision but I never felt any personal connection," explains Canning. "In May or June of 2014, I was looking for something unique to do with my pictures." When she started researching 3D printing, she was blown away by the impossible structures being printed in fashion, sculpture, jewelry, architecture, and even bioprinting: "I knew that I was looking at something that was going to change everyday life -- not just the creative arts."

She felt left out when she first tried to find applications of 3D printing for fine-art photographers. Then, she ran across some 3D-printed lithopanes of Yoda and cats, and says, "At that moment I got the bug to create fine-art quality lithopanes inspired by the ones from the 1800s."

Canning didn’t believe the first 3D printed lithopanes she saw were gallery worthy, so she sought out different services, materials, and methods that would produce a fine-art result.

Prototyping Solutions, Inc in Birmingham, Alabama proved to be the perfect partner for this marriage of art and technology. The team of experts, including Vince Denino and Rixey Kelly, consulted with Canning to produce the parts well within the assigned budget and ahead of schedule.

The lithophanes of Canning’s photos were printed at 16 micron layer height in Vero White on a Stratasys Objet260 Connex 3D printer. Each part took around 30 to 45 minutes to build.

"This 3D printing project has been a great joy to be a part of because it was targeted to a different audience than we are used to," said Rixey Kelly, Service Engineer at Prototyping Solutions. He said the widgets and gizmos they typically print are artistic enough in their design and function but don't do much for the soul: "The lithophanes, much like widgets, are ideas that can be printed and then held in your hand. But these uniquely depict a place and moment in time."

Canning collaborated with a local maker John McNulty (makerssquare.com) and his partner to create the backlit frames.

Art of 3D Printing Meetup GroupDuring the 3D Photo Art exhibit at LMNT, Canning said many visitors said they had never seen anything like it before. She says, "I think most people were surprised that you could 3D print a photo in this way." They asked plenty of questions about the process, the smoothness of the surface, the cost, and the learning curve.

Canning founded the Art of 3D Printing Meetup Group in Miami as a way to learn and grow with other who are interested in The Art of 3D Printing. A second event she hosted demonstrated 3D scanning for creating 3D selfies and featured equipment supplied by 3D Systems.

LINKS

Sandra Canning Photography

Meetup Group: Art of 3D Printing

BenQ Unveils Professional Photography Monitor

2014-12-19T07:41:00.000-05:00

Photography professionals who want the highest level of accuracy in previewing, editing, and soft proofing their images need a high-resolution, color-accurate monitor that is easy to calibrate.

To address this need, BenQ America Corp. has introduced the SW2401PT monitor specifically for photography. The latest addition to BenQ’s creative-design monitor series, the SW2401PT features a 24-inch QHD (Quad HD) display, 99-percent Adobe RGB color space, and IPS technology. The monitor is designed to provide reliable color accuracy, fidelity consistency, and seamless compatibility with today's DSLR cameras.

To facilitate the way photographers work with color, the SW2401PT also enables easy hardware calibration, 14-bit 3D LUT, a Black-and-White mode, and more.

"BenQ is proud to introduce the world's first monitor specifically engineered for today's professional photographers and enthusiasts," said Bob Wudeck, Associate Vice President, Strategy and Business Development at BenQ America Corp. "Loaded with advanced features to support the color editing process, our latest RevolutionEyes monitor displays a larger spectrum of color reproduction while hardware calibration allows users to adjust the monitor's image-processing chip without changing the graphics card output data. Powerful, intuitive, and extremely advanced, the SW2401PT lets photographers blend colors with incredible accuracy to bring more creative integrity to their work."

BenQ's QHD 2560x1440 SW2401PT professional photography monitor includes a 99-percent Adobe RGB color gamma to provide a greater range of color reproduction for shades of blue and green. Hardware calibration allows you to fine-tune the device's image-processing chip without replacing the graphics card output data. This ensures that every photo is displayed smoothly and consistently, exactly as it was captured.

Equipped with two preset calibration modes, the SW2401PT provides a 14-bit 3D Look Up Table (LUT) and Delta E of less than 2 in both Adobe RGB and sRGB color spaces. This provides a more authentic view of original images. The SW2401PT also comes with BenQ's Palette Master calibration software, which can be used with a calibrator to optimize color performance.

Featuring four times the pixel resolution of FHD devices and nearly 77-percent more working space, the 24-inch SW2401PT gives photographers an incredibly versatile screen area while the monitor's OSD controller puts easy remote configuration directly onto the user's hand. As a result, the SW2401PT can be customized to click through display settings for applications such as photo editing, web surfing, or word processing software.

To facilitate the photo editing process even further, the SW2401PT comes equipped with a Black-and-White mode which allows users to easily edit and view black and white photos without losing any facets of the details or tones of the original photograph.

To increase viewer comfort during long periods of computer use, the SW2401PT integrates BenQ's RevolutionEyes™ technology. Featuring ZeroFlicker™ capabilities, the monitor uses a new direct lighting system engineered to eliminate flicker issues caused by backlight controllers. As a result, the eye-comfort technology enhances productivity and reduces visual fatigue by eliminating monitor flickering at all brightness levels.

The BenQ's SW2401PT is available now and retails at $499.

LINK

About BenQ Americas

Photographer Peter Lik Will Present Keynote at Imaging USA

2014-12-17T20:17:00.001-05:00

If you want to learn from a photographer whose images have sold for millions of dollars, don't miss the special keynote presentation that photographer Peter Lik will present at PPA's Annual Convention, Imaging USA, Feb. 1-4, 2015 at the Gaylord Opryland Hotel and Convention Center in Nashville.

On December 9, LIK USA™ announced that photographer Peter Lik, M.Photog. has sold the most expensive photograph in history. Lik’s image "Phantom" sold to a private collector for an unprecedented $6.5 million.

The purchase also included Lik's masterworks "Illusion" for $2.4 million and "Eternal Moods" for $1.1 million. With this $10 million sale, Lik now holds four of the top 20 spots for most expensive photographs ever sold.

"Phantom" by Peter Lik

"The purpose of all my photos is to capture the power of nature and convey it in a way that inspires someone to feel passionate and connected to the image," said Lik.

Professional Photographers of America (PPA) , the association through which Lik earned his master of photography degree, says the sale helps to raise the bar in the industry.

“In a market which seems to be valuing photography less and less, this is an important win, obviously for Lik, but also for anyone who sells photography,” said PPA’s CEO David Trust. “Images like this push the overall value of photography up in the minds of consumers. It basically says, ‘What we do is valuable!’”

Lik will address a crowd of photographers for the first time at Imaging USA. He will also be presented with PPA’s Lifetime Achievement Award.

“We couldn’t be happier to have Peter join us and share his passion and talent at Imaging USA,” said Susan Michal, PPA president. “Peter’s accomplishments in photography speak for themselves, and he is very deserving of the Lifetime Achievement Award. His program is definitely one to get to early because seats will fill up!”

Lik has been a PPA member for nearly 10 years and is a fervent advocate for the association and its membership. He earned his master of photography (M.Photog.) degree from PPA in 2010. A special exhibit of Lik’s oversized work will also be on display for the duration of the show. Lik will pick up the Lifetime Achievement Award during the Award and Degree Ceremony Tuesday, Feb. 3 at 6:30 p.m. He will become just the thirteenth photographer to receive the prestigious award.

Lik’s keynote presentation, “An Evening with Peter Lik” is Monday, Feb. 2, 8-9 p.m. The program is open to anyone with an Imaging USA badge, including all-access and expo-only passes.

LINKS

Imaging USA

About PPA

About Peter Lik

News Release: Legendary Photographer Peter Lik Shatters World Record with $6.5 Million Sale of "Phantom."

PMA Presents Digital Imaging and Photography Conference at 2015 International CES

2014-11-15T17:33:00.002-05:00

For a firsthand look at some of the newest technologies that will shake up the photography and imaging field, check out the Digital Imaging/Photography Conference presented by PMA as part of the 2015 International CES in Las Vegas. The International CES is the world’s gathering place for all who thrive on the business of consumer technologies. The massive show January 6 - 8, 2015 will serve as the global stage where next-generation innovations are introduced to the marketplace

Four special-interest PMA Conferences will be held prior to the International CES January 4-5, 2015 at Bally's Las Vegas. These conferences include: The AIE (Association of Imaging Executives) Future Imaging Summit; DIMA (Digital Image Marketing Association) 2015; the PSPA/SPAA 2015 conference for school and sports photographers; and the International Technologies for Digital Photo Fulfilment Conference for product engineers, researchers, photo lab and store owners.

Here are a few sessions that will be presented on January 4 and 5

The Photo Output App Show and Tell
See show-and-tell demonstrations of the latest and greatest apps that let users of mobile devices create photo output products, including prints, photo books, and canvas prints.

The Copyright Zone
Commercial photographer, author and teacher Jack Reznicki will present and clarify some of the myths, inaccuracies, and half-truths that are floating around the subject of copyright. He will explain the importance of copyright registration and explain how to register with the new, updated eCO (electronic Copyright Office).

Okay, So My Camera Shoots Video: Now What?
Photographer Suzette Allen and Jon Yashinaga explain how photographers can incorporate motion into their still photography services. They will explain the role of 4K video in still photography and highlight primary advantages of mirrorless cameras and modern technology.

Get Creative with Lytro Camera
Erin Manning of Erin Manning Media takes you into the world of Light Field (Plentropic) photography and explains how to use the Lytro Camera to compose storytelling images, focus after the shot, and create 3D interactive images

The Reinvention of Print: It's Personal, Permanent, Powerful, Profitable

Print's not dead: RPI CEO Rick Bellamy will discuss how brand marketers and print service providers can tap the business opportunity behind the unique and powerful ability of PRINT to make new, innovative and real connections with consumers through platform evolution, technology integration, marketing innovation, global reach and environmental sustainability.

Printing and Output: Tools, Techniques, and Materials for Physical Photo Display

Leading print producers will talk about future hold for tactile, hard copy prints, emphasizing that photographs are being printed on more surfaces, substrates, and different items than ever before. They will spotlight the top revenue-generating output technology and best business practices for for convincing customers to purchase physical prints. (AIE: 1:15 to 2:30 pm)

Other sessions include:

Alternative Revenue Sources for Photographers
Marketing to Milennials - The Digital Natives
The New Generation of School Photography
Desktop and Mobile Apps for Editing, Managing and Enhancing Images

To complement the exhibits at PMA's Digital Imaging/Photography Marketplace at the International CES, PMA is presenting two series of workshops in the South Hall of the Las Vegas Convention Center January 6-8.: One track will cover retail strategy; the other will focus on trends and technology.

Some of the topics during the Digital Imaging/Photography Conference presented by PMA include:

A Look into Imaging's Future
What's New in Creative Photo Products
Mobile Photography: Maturing but Rapidly Transitioning

A full conference brochure with all of the course descriptions and registration information can be downloaded from the PMA website: www.pmai.org

LINKS:

Digital Imaging/Photography education presented by PMA at the 2015 International CES

Conference Program

2015 International CES

Canon Digital Learning Center Features Input to Output Workflow of Canon Explorer of Light Tyler Stableford

2014-11-10T07:31:00.000-05:00

To give photographers a better understanding of Canon’s input-to-output imaging technology, the Canon Digital Learning Center teamed up with professional photographer and Canon Explorer of Light Tyler Stableford. The projects showcase the storytelling potential of Canon optics and the experience of turning images into tactile large format canvas prints.

Capturing the Look: American Farmers with Tyler Stableford

In this video interview series, learn how Tyler used 12 different EF lenses to tell a unique and soulful story about farmers rooted in the Midwest. He shares his portrait lighting techniques with the Speedlite 600EX-RT. In one segment of the series, Tyler talks about post-production and how he prints his images on imagePROGRAF and PIXMA PRO professional printers.

From Capturing the Look: American Farmers with Tyler Stableford on Canon Digital Learning Center

You can take a deeper dive into The Farmers Project in a longer "behind-the-scenes" video on the Canon website entitled "From Light to Ink." In this short film Tyler explains his inspiration for project and shows the printing process used to create gallery wraps on Canon’s imagePROGRAF iPF8400 and Artistic Matte Canvas for Stableford Studios' first gallery show.

Underwater Photography: Capturing Elusive Moments with Whale Sharks

If underwater photography interests you, check out Tyler's blog post about his experience capturing fine art images of a swimmer arcing alongside enormous whale sharks.

He shares tips and techniques for coordinating underwater photography projects and the best equipment to use in these environments, including EOS 5D Mark III camera and the EF 14mm f/2.8L II USM lens. EOS 5D Mark III camera and the EF 14mm f/2.8L II USM lens, the Canon EOS 5D Mark III Digital Camera and the EF 14mm f/2.8L II USM lens.

Tyler Stableford is regarded by Men's Journal as "One Of The World's Seven Greatest Adventure Photographers." Based in western Colorado, Stableford Studios provides photography and videography services to a range of commercial and editorial clients.

LINKS

Video Series: Capturing the Look: American Farmers with Tyler Stableford

Video: From Light to Ink

Blog Post: Underwater Photography: Capturing Elusive Moments with Whale Sharks

Tyler Stableford; Stableford Studios

Innova Rebranding Emphasizes They Offer More Than Paper

2014-11-08T13:23:00.000-05:00

Innova has recently adopted a new logo and tagline. This rebranding signals the company’s clear ambition to continue innovation and growth in inkjet photo, fine art, and graphic arts printing.

“Innova celebrated ten years as a company last year and the time seemed right to review, rationalize and re-energize,” said Sales and Marketing Director Jon Courtiour. “At the same time as we have refreshed the ranges, we have a new, sharper image that gives the brand greater impact and visibility, and correctly positions us as a leading player in this market.”

FibaPrint Baryta by Innova

New to the award-winning FibaPrint® by Innova category is FibaPrintBaryta. Modelled on the traditional baryta papers found in the chemical darkrooms of the last century, FibaPrint® perfectly replicates the much-loved look and feel of darkroom prints, produced with the ease and flexibility of seamless digital technology.

The neutral white color of this 310 gsm paper delivers richness in black-and-white images, and an extreme color gamut for the look and feel of a traditional silver halide photo paper. The surface of this acid-free/lignin-free paper has a special gloss coating designed for high-quality fine art and photographic inkjet printing. FibaPrint® Baryta is available in cut sheets and rolls up to 50 inches wide and 50 feet long.

Graphic Art by Innova

Innova offers a growing selection of materials for use on inkjet printers that use eco-solvent, latex, or UV-curable inks. These materials are suitable for both fine artists and those who publish art for décor or creative signage. One of the most unique products is Innova’s DécorSoft Textured Art 100% Cotton ES 330 gsm paper. Featuring a softly textued etching-paper-like surface, this natural white paper is the first 100% cotton paper compatible with eco-solvent printers. It enables owners of eco-solvent printers to expand out of the signage market and into the world of fine-art printing without investing in additional printers.

At the PhotoPlus Expo in New York, Innova introduced the YouTac® range of inkjet printable materials backed with repositionable adhesives. These coated textiles and papers are compatible with printers that use aqueous, eco-solvent, latex, and UV-cure inks and can be used to print easy-to-hang-and-remove wall decals, photo murals, signage, and displays.

Innova also demonstrated their award winning JetMaster Display Systems, including the JetMaster Photo Panel and the JetMaster Photo Wrap. JetMaster Photo Wrap is a pre-cut, pre-laminated corrugated board for making photo displays that resemble gallery wraps, without the use of canvas or stretcher bars. JetMaster Photo Panels are one-inch thick blocks of MDF board to which images can be mounted or printed.

The wraps and panels for photos printed with aqueous inks feature a permanent pressure-sensitive adhesive for easy mounting of the prints. Users of hybrid and flatbed UV-ink printers can print photographs directly on adhesive-free versions of JetMaster Direct Print Photo Wraps and Photo Panels.

Fine Art by Innova and Olmec by Innova

Other product lines within the Innova family of products include Fine Art by Innova and Olmec by Innova. The Fine Art by Innova line includes 17 matte art papers for art reproduction and printmaking. Olmec by Innova offers a selection of 16 papers and canvas for professional inkjet photo printing.

LINKS

Innova

JetMaster Display Systems

YouTac

Innova: Positive Reaction to New Branding at PhotoPlus Expo 2014

Epson Unveils SureColor P600 Photo Printer

2014-10-31T18:33:00.000-04:00

At PhotoPlus Expo, Epson announced an advanced, 8-color, 13-inch photo printer – the Epson SureColor® P600. Designed for creative professionals, fine artists, and advanced amateur and pro photographers, the SureColor P600 combines an advanced MicroPiezo® AMC™ printhead with next-generation Epson UltraChrome® HD pigment inks driven by enhanced AccuPhotoTM HD imaging technology.

Epson designed the printer to produce exhibition-quality black-and-white prints with never before seen pigment black density and stunningly vivid color prints.

Epson SureColor P600

“The Epson SureColor P600 was designed to not only meet, but exceed the capabilities of today’s exceptional digital image captures by producing prints with the superior level of quality our customers have come to expect,” said Larry Kaufman, product manager, Professional Imaging, Epson America.

“With the advent of next-generation Epson UltraChrome HD inks and unrivaled fine art and roll paper support, the Epson SureColor P600 is poised to represent the new benchmark in desktop photographic printing.”

Advanced media handling includes a front-in and front-out paper path that enables borderless photos with exceptional clarity and sharpness up to 13 x19 inches on a wide variety of glossy, matte and fine art papers. Improved roll paper support on the SureColor P600 allows uses of Windows and Mac computers to produce panorama prints over 10 feet long. In addition, custom images can be created and printed directly onto canvas, art boards, and CD/DVDs.

The Epson SureColor P600 also offers new ease-of use features and capabilities, such as a 3.5-inch tilting color LCD and touch panel and unparalleled connectivity options for its class. The connectivity options make it easy to print from a home office or studio via USB, Wireless n1, Wi-Fi Direct®, or wired Ethernet.

High-capacity individual 26-mililiter ink cartridges are available with an innovative “Save Ink” auto-switching Mode between Photo and Matte Black inks.

Features
Designed to provide unmatched performance, exhibition quality and professional media support, the Epson SureColor P600 offers several innovative features, including:

Epson UltraChrome HD Ink: The professional eight-color pigment inkset delivers rich color and a black density never before seen from a pigment ink. The inkset offers instant color stability and exceptional print permanence ratings for color and black-and-white prints. The three-level black ink technology simultaneously uses Black, Light Black, and Light Light Black ink for richer blacks and unsurpassed gray balance.

Advanced Media Handling: The SureColor P600 features three paper paths: (1) high-capacity, cut-sheet feeder; (2) single-sheet, front-in, front-out thick paper path for fine art media up to 1.3 mm thick; and (3) a rear-mounted 2-inch core roll feeder. Users can print full-bleed, borderless cut-sheet prints up to 13 x19 inches on a wide variety of photographic and fine art paper, including Epson’s line of Signature Worthy® papers. It also offers enhanced roll paper printing up to 129-inches long for both Mac and Windows users, for gorgeous panoramas, as well as CD/DVD printing.

AccuPhoto HD Image Technology: Created in collaboration with the Rochester Institute of Technology’s Munsell Color Science Laboratory, this complex mathematical architecture and advanced screening technology ensures precision placement of each individual ink droplet for smooth, grain-free images. This technology optimizes ink usage to maximize color gamut and provide smooth transitions and gradations, and reduces the metameric index to achieve consistent color under different lighting conditions.

MicroPiezo AMC Printhead: The eight-channel, high-precision printhead produces a maximum resolution of 5670 x 1440 optimized dpi and variable-sized droplets as small as two picoliters. For decreased maintenance and increased reliability, the printhead also incorporates an ink repellent coating.

Intelligent High-Capacity Ink System: Nine individual 25.9 ml ink cartridges with pressurized ink technology ensures reliable ink delivery at all print speeds.

Auto-Switching Black Inks: The Epson SureColor P600 automatically switches between Photo and Matte black inks to produce the deepest blacks and richest color on glossy, matte or fine art media, and an innovative Save Ink Mode uses less ink when switching from Matte Black to Photo Black.

Unparalleled Connectivity: Built-in 100 Mbit Ethernet, Wi-Fi Direct, Wireless n1 and Hi-Speed USB 2.0 provide flexible options for fast connectivity to multiple computers in a home or studio.

Advanced Black-and-White Photo Mode: Professionals can choose from one of four pre-set modes – neutral, warm, cool, or sepia – for stunning neutral or toned black-and-white prints. This feature provides intuitive and consistent control through custom slider bars and a color tone wheel for advanced tone adjustment. In addition, customized settings can be saved and recalled to achieve consistent prints. With the optional downloadable Epson Print Layout software, users can automatically preview personal images with the selected settings.

The Epson SureColor P600 will be available in Q1 2015 for $799 (MSRP).

LINKS

Epson SureColor P600

PDN PhotoPlus Conference + Expo Starts Wednesday, Oct. 29

2014-10-27T09:39:00.000-04:00

Many of the latest advances in photography, digital imaging, and filmmaking will be on display at the Jacob Javits Center in New York when the PDN PhotoPlus Conference + Expo gets underway this week. The Conference starts Wednesday, Oct. 29 and runs through Saturday, Nov. 1. The Expo opens Thursday, Oct. 30 and runs through Nov. 1.

PhotoPlus provides an excellent opportunity for professional photographers, photography students, and hobbyists to explore photography and imaging products and services and learn about cutting-edge innovations and techniques.

Indicative of the changing role of photography in our image-sharing culture, PhotoPlus Expo features a number of first-time exhibitors. For example, iUAS Inc. will be demonstrating unmanned aircraft systems and other technology that can be used in aerial photography and filmmaking. Users of GoPro cameras can check out "Quodos," a high-powered action video light specifically designed for use with GoPro devices. "Expose" is a high-powered smart light for iPhone cameras. It is more than six times stronger than the built-in iPhone light and can easily be controlled via the Expose app.

The online photo service WhiteWall will showcase HD Metal Prints, that combine maximum resolution with extreme resilience. The image, which is applied to an aluminum panel through a sublimation printing process, is resistant to UV light and impervious to scratches and moisture. The HD Metal Prints can not only be displayed in bathrooms, kitchens and saunas, but also outdoors. The prints are just 1 mm thick and light as a feather. Sizes range from 3.5 x 3.5 inches to 59 x 39 inches. HD Metal Prints can be ordered with rounded corners, angled corners, or even in a round format.

A press release highlighting many of the new exhibitors and products can be found on the PhotoPlus Expo website.

Canon at PhotoPlus Expo

As usual, one of the most prominent exhibits at PhotoPlus Expo will be the Canon booth. Canon U.S.A. will be demonstrating its latest printers and digital cameras, including the newly announced EOS C100 Mark II Digital Video Camera. PhotoPlus Expo attendees can also try out the powerful new EOS 7D Mark II Digital SLR camera, the full line of Canon EOS and Cinema EOS cameras, EF and CN-E lenses, Canon's professional and and consumer camcorders, and the latest PowerShot cameras. Canon will also be showing its gallery of PIXMA PRO printers and imagePROGRAF large-format printers. The exhibit will feature images from Canon's Explorers of Light as well as live printing demonstrations throughout the show.

For the first time at PhotoPlus Expo, the Canon booth will feature images from the Austin, TX and Seattle, WA portions of the 2014 PIXMA PRO City Senses Tour. This interactive image gallery brings the printed image to life through the senses of touch, taste, smell, and sound.

Canon will continue its Live Learning Stage educational series with a combination of lectures and photo shoots featuring professional photographers, videographers, and Canon Explorers of Light. Professionals such as Scott Kelby, Alex Buono, Peter Read Miller, Adam Jones, and Michele Celentano, and Bruce Dorn will share their expertise and experiences during scheduled presentations throughout the show. Vincent Laforet will discuss the transition from photo to filmmaking.
The complete list of photographers who will be appearing in Canon's PhotoPlus Expo booth can be found in the full Canon press release on the Canon U.S.A. website.

Canon will also host demonstrations of portrait lighting using Canon's Speedlite system, time lapse video shooting, and 4K video for still-frame output to PIXMA PRO-100 and imagePROGRAF iPF6400 printers.

Canon's REALIS WUX6000 and WUX400ST LCOS projectors will cast detailed, color-accurate images onto a large, 130-inch screen. The demonstration will show how REALIS projectors can help professional photographers showcase their work in large format to clients in studios and galleries to help clients select images or order large-format prints. In addition, a REALIS WUX400ST will be displaying a digital signage application, for either advertising or education.

Canon Professional Services will host a CPS Lounge where Gold, Platinum, and Cinema CPS members can have their Canon equipment (Professional DLSR camera bodies or lenses) cleaned and checked. Members an also have one of their own images printed free on a PIXMA PRO-1 or PIXMA PRO-100 printer. Members can also receive a free imagePROGRAF large-format print.

Sessions for Young and Emerging Photographers

On Wednesday, Oct. 29, PhotoPlus Expo will host an entire day of seminars, portfolio reviews, and Photo Walks specifically for the needs and interests and amateur photographers and creative pros who are asked to take photos as part of their jobs.

During the Photo Walks from 8:30 to 11:30 am, attendees will use New York City streets as a backdrop to learn lighting, portraiture, composition and design under the close coaching of qualified instructors. The Portfolio Review Program, conducted in partnership with the Palm Springs Photo Festival, will give emerging photographers the chance to sit with one of 175 world-class photographers to receive constructive critiques of their work.

During "The University" from 12:30 to 5:45 pm, emerging photographers can learn new and creative shooting techniques, the logic behind posing techniques, and how to manage and master control of speedlights, studio strobes, and continuous lighting. Techniques for using mixed and natural light will also be taught.

Saturday Sessions and Events for Consumers

On Saturday, Nov. 1, photography lovers of all levels are invited to the Javits Center to experiment with the latest imaging technologies, explore awe-inspiring photo galleries, and learn how to take better photos and videos from any imaging device.

"Mobile technology has let people define and share their lives in unprecedented ways. Communities have formed around image sharing and that is what PhotoPlus wants to help nurture," explains Lauren Wendle, vice president/publisher of PDN and the Photo+ group. "Our educational classes give everyone opportunities explore new and creative ways of making images and/or video even more interesting and exciting. Saturday's seminars are focused on consumer interests ranging from secrets to taking great travel photos to tips for taking better action photos with a smartphone."

Seventeen conference sessions will be held on Saturday. All seminars that are part of the conference program cost $99 each if purchased online in advance, or $149 if purchased onsite. A one-day conference seminar pass costs $199 for unlimited access to seminars, including the day's keynote presentation.

Attendees who would prefer to simply roam the Expo floor can see dynamic presentations and lectures at the Photography and In Motion Filmmaking Theatres.

Admission to PhotoPlus Expo is free to those who register by Tuesday, October 28. Onsite conference registration to the Expo is $70 per person.

"We're excited to see the expanded interest in photography, from hobbyists and social-media users to companies just beginning to venture into this field," said Wendle. "Photography is playing a bigger role in people's personals lives -- it has redefined personal communications and strengthened the social capital of communities. I believe the more mainstream photography becomes, the more innovation we can expect to see."

LINKS

PhotoPlus Expo Website

PhotoPlus Expo Facebook Page

PhotoPlus Expo on Twitter

Nature’s Best Photography Awards Exhibition Opens at Smithsonian October 24

2014-10-18T10:36:00.000-04:00

How would you like to see one of your best nature photographs on display at one of the nation’s most visited museum? If you want to compare your best work to the some of the best nature photography in the world, visit the 2014 Nature’s Best Photography Windland Smith Rice International Awards Exhibition.

It opens Oct. 24 on the second floor of the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History and will run through April 20, 2015. The exhibition will feature about 60 large-format prints of the winning entries in the annual Windland Smith International Awards program.

©Tin Man Lee / Nature's Best Photography

This Grand-Prize-winning entry by Tin Man Lee was chosen from more than 20,000 entries from photographers in 50 countries. In addition to showcasing the Grand Prize winner, the exhibition honors the Photographer of the Year, the Youth Photographer of the Year, and finalists selected in 13 separate categories. The exhibition, which is open daily and is free to the public, will be viewed by millions of visitors.

The prints showcased in the exhibition range in size from 2 x 3 feet to nearly 4 x 6 feet. They were output on Epson Professional Papers on Epson’s 44-inch Epson Stylus Pro 9900 printer with its Epson UltraChrome HDR ink. This is the third consecutive years that Epson has been a global sponsor of Nature’s Best Photography Windland Smith Rice International Awards Exhibition. As the official inkjet printer and paper partner for the ongoing print exhibition, Epson’s professional printing technology allows visitors to celebrate the beauty and diversity of nature through the art of photography.

“The annual Nature's Best Photography Windland Smith Rice International Awards program began as a creative tool to celebrate the beauty and diversity of nature and encourage greater public interest in outdoor enjoyment and conservation stewardship,” says Awards Director, Steve Freligh. “The high caliber of photographic prints we are able to achieve through using Epson printers, inks and papers bring these images to life in a way that truly showcases the spectacle of nature and the creative talent delivered by photographers in the field."

“We are honored to be supporting one of the most highly-respected and visually compelling nature photography competitions in the world,” said Larry Kaufman, product manager, Professional Imaging, Epson America, Inc. “Our goal is to provide these photographers with access to the most advanced printing technology and pro-quality papers to produce true-to-life output that accurately and completely conveys the true vision and story behind their photographs.”

Nature’s Best annual photo competition is open to the public. Photographers at all levels of expertise – pros, amateurs and youth – are encouraged to enter.

LINKS

Nature’s Best Photography

Epson Professional Printers

Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History

Tin Man Lee Photo Blog

PhotoPlus Expo Features 80+ Seminars on Photography, Filmmaking, Business and Marketing

2014-10-10T07:52:00.000-04:00

More than 80 educational seminars and interactive classes for emerging and professional photographers will be offered at PDN PhotoPlus International Conference + Expo (PPE) at the Jacob Javits Center in New York. The conference seminars will take place October 29 through November 1. The Expo will be held October 30 to November 1, 2014.

The sessions can help you hone your skills, adapt to industry trends, and learn new techniques. You can also update your business strategy and meet key influencers and early adopters of new photography and imaging technology. New this year are Master Classes that are limited to 25 people in order to offer a more in-depth and intimate learning experience.

“We have made a concerted effort to include several new courses that examine our industry’s constant evolution due to the emergence of new technologies and the growth of social media networks,” explains Lauren Wendle, vice president/publisher of PDN and the Photo Group. “We want PPE attendees to not only be aware of industry trends, but to also have the tools to be pioneers of future trends.” For example, this year’s PPE Technology Panel will discuss ‘How Technology is Leading the Storytelling Revolution.” At this year’s PPE Bash, VIP Expo Pass holders can interact with speakers, portfolio reviewers, exhibitors’ technology experts and prominent industry creatives.
Seminars at this year’s PhotoPlus Expo are segmented into nine tracks: Business, Filmmaking, Genres, Lighting, Portraiture, Post-Production, Social Media/Marketing, Steps, and Weddings and Events.

Business Track

How to be Your Own Best Rep (Debra Weiss/Andrea Kaye)
Your Picture on the Wall: Building a Career in Fine Art Photography (Andrea Meislin, Catherine Edelman, Sasha Wolf, W.M. Hunt)
To Be Published, or Self-Publish? Options for Artists Today (Mary Virginia Swanson)
Growing Your Business When Everyone Has a Camera (Judy Hermann)
Creative Estimating to Connect with Your Clients (Frank Meo)
Road to Seeing: Nurturing your Creative Sensibility (Dan Winters)
PDN's 30: Strategies for Young Working Photographers (Amy Wolff, Dina Litovsky, Greer Muldowney, Marcus Smith).

Filmmaking

Two-Day Intensive Filmmaking Class (Joe Switzer)
Shoot. Edit. Sell. (Joe Switzer)
A Road-Map to Independent Filmmaking (Ela Their)
Master Class: Mastering Audio for Event Filmmaking (Adam Forgione)
Creative Concepts for Event Filmmaking (Kevin Shahinian)
Making the Transition from Photography into Filmmaking (Eduardo Angel, Ted Kawalerski, Vincent Laforet, Derick Rhodes)
Capturing Greatness: Vincent Laforet on Developing Engaging Photo and Video Productions (Vincent Laforet)
Small Crew, Big Results (Joe Simon)
Filmmaking Essentials for Photographers (Eduardo Angel)

Genres

Architectural Photography: The Photographer/Client Relationship (Ty Cole / Ted Porter)
Master Class: Creative Innovation Within Photography (Benjamin Lowy)
Perception, Light, Gesture, Color and New Work (Jay Maisel)
Turning Ideas Into Pictures: A Personal Story (Cig Harvey)
Beauty and the Athlete (Walter Iooss)
Master Class: The Human Canvas (Art Wolfe)
Top Ten Secrets to Great Travel Photography (Andy Katz)
Earth is my Witness (Art Wolfe)

Lighting

Photo Walk 3: Off-Camera Lighting for Portraiture & Fashion (Moshe Zusman)
Photo Walk 5: Photo Walk (Zach Arias)
Lighting and the Dramatic Portrait (Michael Grecco)
Light Fast and Well with Hotshoe Flash (Joe McNally)
Posing Magic: The Art of Flow (Doug Gordon)
Master Class: Electronic Flash for Natural Light Photographers (Kevin Ames)
Master Class: The Perfect Light (Roberto Valenzuela)
Digital Vision in Low Light (Gerd Ludwig)
Portraits on Location: Capturing Personality and Place (Brian Smith)
Master Class: Mastering Beauty Light (Dixie Dixon)
Night Photography: Step-by-Step (Gabriel Biderman, Jill Waterman, Matt Hill)
Mastering Speedlights (Lou Jones)

Portraiture

Photo Walk 2: Giving Words to the Portrait (Ruddy Roye)
Creating Art Anywhere (Brooke Shaden)
Master Class: The Power of the Face: A Roadmap to Great Portraits (Hernan Rodriguez)
Set Design: From Blank Space to Beautiful Images (Brooke Shaden)
The Art of Motion in Fashion & Beauty Photography (Sarah Silver)
The Big Picture: Editorial Photography Behind the Scenes (Art Streiber)
The Headshot as a Digital Brand (Peter Hurley)
Fundamentals of Dog Portrait Photography (Winnie Au)
Style, Vision & Technique: Shooting Portraits with Intention (Gregory Heisler)
Posing Secrets Uncovered: Fundamentals to Flattering Every Subject (Lindsay Adler)

Post Production

Photoshop and Lightroom - Everyday Timesavers (Julieanne Kost)
Retouching Techniques for the Professional Look (Carrie Beene)
Master Class: Professional Masking & Compositing (Katrin Eismann)
Producing Epic Composite Imagery (Benjamin Von Wong)
Storytelling through Photoshop (Renee Robyn)
Designing Your Ideal Data Storage (Peter Krogh)
Your Exhibition: The Checklist (Mary Virginia Swanson)

Social Media / Marketing

Leading the Revolution in Smart Phone Photography (Andrew Delaney, Benjamin Lowy, Patrick Donehue, Stephen Mayes)
Cross Media Projects: A New Path for Visual Storytellers (Doug Menuez, Ed Kashi, Julie Winokur, Rick Smolan, Jessica Dimmock)
Using Your Networks to Get Work (Andy Baker, Joey L., John Bragle, Sam Spratt)
How to Land Assignments for Social Media Advertising (Brian Derballa, Conor Risch, Jacob Pritchard, Jamie Applebaum, Jesse Miller)
Paths to Success: Photographers Intensive (Heather Elder, Juliette Wolfe Robin, Kevin Steele, Michael Grecco, Theresea Raffetto
Navigating Multiple Photo Markets (Julie Grahame, Louisa J. Curtis, Megan Re, Michael Kaminski, Sarah Rosen)
The 21 Traits of Successful Photographers (Patrick Donehue)

StepsThis track covers techniques that can be applied to nearly all aspects of photography and video.

Photo Walk 1: Street Photography: "Love the Process" (David Carol)
Photo Walk 2: Street Photography - Animated! (Giulio Sciorio)
Master Class: Bulletproof Digital Tech-ing on Location (Douglas Sonders)
The Craft and Passion of Fine-Art Digital Printing (Stephen Johnson)
Alternative Processes: On the Road with Lisa Elmaleh (Lisa Elmaleh)
Master Class: Benjamin Von Wong & Renee Robyn
Insights Into Contests and Competitions
The Passionate Photographer: Becoming The Photographer You Want to Be (Steve Simon)
How to Take Better Pictures with Your Mobile Device (Dan Burkholder, Katrin Eismann, Ruddy Roye)

Weddings & Events

The Most Important Lessons Learned Over a Lifetime in Photography (Cliff Mautner)
The Building Blocks of Flawless Posing (Roberto Valenzuela)
Establish your Best Practices: Bridging Talent and Success (Christian Oth)
Boudoir and Portrait Basics (Jennifer Rozenbaum)

LINKS

About PDN PhotoPlus Expo

PhotoPlus Expo Seminar Schedule and Descriptions

PhotoPlus Registration Pricing

Hahnemuhle Unveils Baryta Satin Paper and Improved Spray and Varnish

2014-09-19T05:51:00.003-04:00

At the Photokina World of Imaging show 2014 Sept. 16-21 in Cologne, Hahnemuhle is showcasing its newest paper in the Digital FineArt Collection: FineArt Baryta Satin.

The 300gsm, acid-free, natural white paper is made of 100% alpha-cellulose and contains no optical brighteners. The satin baryta finish yields exceptional image quality with a large color gamut and intense color reproduction. FineArt Baryta Satin is recommended for colorful photographs as well as black-and-white photographs. It produces an extremely deep black (Dmax), rich colors, and sharp details. The paper meets the longevity requirements of ISO 9706.

"FineArt Baryta Satin exceeds my already high expectations. Using Hahnemühle papers allows me as an artist to spend more time creating the images in a way I would like them to be seen and not have my art held back by the limitations of the media on which it is produced", said photographer Mark Mann.

At Photokina, Hahnemühle is also showcasing the TIPA Award-winning Photo Silk Baryta which was voted "Best Inkjet Photo Paper 2014."

Reformulated Protective Spray and Varnish

To protect valuable fine art prints, Hahnemühle is demonstrating improved formulations of its Protective Spray for papers and Hahnemühle Varnish for canvases. Hahnemühle Protective Spray protects digital fine art prints from external influences, including abrasion, fingerprints, and scratches.

The aerosol spray lays like a fine, water-repellant film on the paper. Without changing the paper structure, it fixes the colors of the pigment- and dye inks so they resist fading and remain brilliant. The improved formulation is fast drying, virtually odorless, and non-yellowing.

The Hahnemühle Varnish was developed specifically to protect artwork printed on all grades of Hahnemühle Canvas from UV light and humidity. The newly reformulated coating ensures vibrant colours and a water resistant surface. The varnish remains flexible enough to minimize the risk that white cracks will appear on the surface. The ready-to-use varnish is easy to apply with a foam roller. It remains crystal clear even with more than one coat. The varnish is available in three finishes: glossy, satin or matte.

LINKS

Hahnemuhle at Photokina

Fine Art Baryta Satin

Hahnemuhle Protective Spray

Hahnemuhle Varnish

Photokina 2014 Honors 175 Years of Photography and Explores What's Next

2014-09-15T15:51:00.000-04:00

Photokina-World of Imaging 2014 opens Tuesday, September 16 and runs through Sunday, September 21 in Cologne, Germany. Featuring 1,070 suppliers from 51 countries, the event is expected to attract more than 180,000 visitors.

Celebrating the fact that photography is officially 175 years "young" this year, Photokina will offer visitors a comprehensive perspective on tomorrow's worlds of imaging.

Organizers point out "From the Daguerrotype to video glasses with automatic diopter adjustment based on light-field technology, photography has constantly reinvented itself, expanded its boundaries, and developed its social significance."

According to the Photographic Industry Association, photography and imaging are becoming increasingly multi-faceted and broad-based

Today, there is a scarcely any area of human endeavor in which imaging processes don't play a role.

Photo: Koelnmesse. Lytro in Hall 5.2

With more than 180 new exhibitors, Photokina 2014 will showcase the speed at which the photo, video, and imaging spectrum is expanding. First-time exhibitors include Google, goPro, RED, and Blackmagic, Lytro, and Helipro.

The new "Action Zone" will focus on action cams that are expanding from a niche offering for sports enthusiasts to an important segment of the photography market. Photokina visitors can try out different action cams in event areas dedicated to sky-shooting or "Aqua Zorbing."

Another emerging business segment that will be explored is aerial photography that uses small, unmanned drones to capture images. Professionals such as realtors, landscape designers, foresters, and roofers have been among the first to benefit from mobile aircraft photography.

Other themed areas of the exhibition will focus on social media, connectivity, and mobile apps. The Photokina "Professionals" area will examine lucrative new business options for photography professionals.

In 30 separate photo exhibitions throughout the exhibit halls, visitors will see exceptional examples of many different types of photography. The Leica Gallery in Hall 1 will feature many forms of photography related to music, including concert photographs, behind-the-scenes images, and portraits of musical artists.

Other exhibitions will feature the best of computer-generated imagery, classic nudes, camera equipment and accessories from photography's first 175 years, nature photography, and 125 years of National Geographic photography. Valery Kloubert will be exhibiting portraits made with handmade glass-plate negatives.

High-quality photographic art will also be available for purchase in the Photokina Sales Gallery on the North Boulevard of the Fair.

LINKS

Photokina

IPI Produces Guide to Preservation of Digitally Printed Photographs

2014-09-09T15:53:00.000-04:00

A free 10-page guide from the Image Permanence Institute at the Rochester Institute of Technology provides basic information on how to store and preserve digitally printed photographs.

IPI researcher Daniel Burge wrote "The IPI Guide to Preservation of Digitally Printed Photographs" primarily to help archivists at museums and libraries understand the best ways to preserve photographs and documents that were output with different types of digital-printing technologies. But a lot of the information and advice will be useful to photographers, artists, and the general public.

For example, years of IPI research on the stability of digitally printed materials has resulted in some key conclusions:

Digitally printed photographs are highly variable in their sensitivities to decay forces.
Prints made with pigment inkjet can be very sensitive to abrasion.
Inkjet dyes can bleed when exposed to high humidity even for short periods.
Prolonged exposure to light can cause fade, yellowing, and embrittelment of both dye and pigment inkjet-printed photographs.

In the guide, Burge notes that "As with most collection materials, temperature and relative humidity (RH) control the natural aging rates of digital prints. Extremes of either can cause significant additional damage that would not occur under proper storage conditions. IPI data has shown that, in the absence of pollutant gases, digital print inks, dyes, and toners are fairly robust at room temperature and moderate humidity. However, many of the inkjet printing papers can be prone to significant yellowing and even deterioration of the ink-receiver coatings. Lower temperatures can reduce these rates of decay. For this reason, IPI recommends cold storage for inkjet prints."

He also notes that "The sensitivities of digitally printed photographs to damage are highly variable and product dependent." According to IPI research, photos printed on two different manufacturers' inkjet printers using equivalent ink and paper types can have radically deterioration rates due to subtle variations in colorant and paper formulations."

The guide discusses several aspects of storage conditions, and offers advice for framing, exhibiting, and handling prints. A section on "Digital Print Types" clearly explains the three technologies used to print the majority of digital images: inkjet, digital electrophotography, and dye sublimation.

You can keep up to date with all of IPI's work on digital print preservation by subscribing to the quarterly newsletter of the Digital Print Preservation Portal (www.dp3project.org). The free guide can be downloaded from IPI's Resources section.

The Image Permanence Institute is a non-profit, university-based laboratory devoted to preservation research. IPI was founded in 1985 through the combined efforts of the Rochester Institute of Technology and the Society for Imaging Science and Technology. Funding for IPI's research and outreach efforts have come from the National Endowment for the Humanities, the Institute of Museum and Library Sciences, and The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.

LINKS

IPI Guide to Preservation of Digitally Printed Photographs

Image Permanence Institute

Epson Sponsors "Wilderness Forever" Photo Exhibtion at Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History

2014-09-06T13:19:00.001-04:00

Epson is a global sponsor of the new exhibition “Wilderness Forever: 50 Years of Protecting America’s Wild Places” at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History in Washington, DC. The juried photography exhibition opened September 3 and marks 50 years since the passage of the Wilderness Act, of America’s most successful and enduring pieces of conservation legislation.

The photography exhibition highlights the beauty, diversity, and longevity of America’s wilderness and was organized by The Wilderness50, Nature’s Best Photography and the Smithsonian Institution.

The exhibition includes the Grand Prize winner of the “Wilderness Forever” photography competition and Pro, Amateur, and Student winners in four categories: Most Inspirational Moment, People in Wilderness, Scenic Landscapes, and Wildlife. The display also includes a selection of 50 Honorable Mention-winning photographs. The photographs were selected from over 5,000 entries and are displayed as large format prints.

The Grand Prize winning image of Wonder Lake in Alaska’s Denali wilderness was photographed by Rodney Lough, Jr. That image, and all of the winning images can be viewed on the Nature’s Best Photography Facebook page.

Epson's Role

Epson was the the official inkjet printer and paper partner for the exhibition. Epson’s professional printing technology enables visitors to experience the award-winning photography of “Wilderness Forever” in its purest form -- as a photographic print.

“Epson has been a strong supporter of the Nature’s Best Photography Awards for several years in a row, so when it came time to find a printer and paper partner for the ‘Wilderness Forever’ exhibit, they were our first choice,” said Steve Freligh, executive director of the awards program. “Epson’s exhibition-quality printing allows museum attendees to enter a different world when they view these photos, showing the detail and natural beauty we are trying to capture with this exhibit.”

“America’s wilderness is surely something to be treasured and appreciated, and we are honored to be associated with the ‘Wilderness Forever’ exhibit which captures the breathtaking beauty of this country,” said Larry Kaufman, product manager, Professional Imaging, Epson America, Inc. “Our goal is to provide the most advanced printing technology available to help photographers accurately reproduce the beautiful wildlife and scenery they view and capture in real life.”

The exhibition-quality prints were created with Epson’s award-winning 44-inch Epson Stylus® Pro 9900. With the precision of its Epson MicroPiezo® TFP® printhead and the performance of Epson UltraChrome® HDR ink, the printer delivers superb photographic prints with an extremely wide color gamut and incredible sharpness. Used with Epson Professional Papers, this advanced printing technology produces rich blacks and smooth tonal transitions.

Interactive Story Maps Complement the Prints

Another element of the photo exhibition is an interactive Wilderness Photos “story map” that lets you see where each of the winning photos was shot. Another story map provides more details about each of the wilderness areas depicted.

The Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History is one of the nation's most visited museums, welcoming more than eight million visitors annually. Located on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., The Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History is open daily and is free to the public.

LINKS

Photo Exhibition: Wilderness Forever: 50 Years of Protecting America’s Wild Places

Wilderness Photos: ESRI Story Map

Wilderness in Context: ESRI Story Map

Nature's Best Facebook Page

Smithsonian Exhibition and TV Special Showcase Wonders of Wilderness Lands, Celebrate 50th Anniversary of Landmark Legislation

Epson Pro Imaging

PhotoShelter Guide Focuses on How to Sell Prints

2014-09-02T08:27:00.001-04:00

“How to Sell Prints” is the title of the newest educational guide from PhotoShelter. It explains how to price, market, and sell your prints and offers tips on how to selling everything from photo merchandise to self-published photo books.

The guide's authors note that “Print sales can be a supplementary and unexpected revenue stream, and many photographers use print sales as a way to show off personal work, even if they’re primarily focused on other areas such as commercial photography.”

While some photographers regard making prints the final step of achieving their creative vision, learning how to make pro-quality prints isn’t essential. PhotoShelter offers full and partial integration with nearly 200 print-service providers around the world.

You’ll also learn:

How to identify which audiences are most likely to purchase prints
How to calibrate your monitor and manage color profiles to ensure quality printing
How to draw in more print sales through incentives, coupons and discounts

In an essay, “A Master Printer Reveals What Sell,” Richard Jackson of Hance Partners/Image Craft emphasizes the importance of building a connection to your audience through frequent appearances to sign prints, books, and posters at galleries. He notes, “I also think I make a better print for my client when I know the backstory. It helps me connect with the photographer in a ways that suggests how the print should be presented to the viewer.”

If you have a website on PhotoShelter, you can set up e-commerce capabilities, then choose how the print orders should be fulfilled.

Five fully automated print vendors offer automated printing and shipping orders from your PhotoShelter account. These vendors include AdoramaPix, EZPrints, BWC, Loxley Colour, and White House Custom Colour.

Or, you can choose to make some prints yourself and have larger prints and photo gifts produced by a member of the PhotoShelter Printer Vendor Network. This option makes it possible to continue working with a trusted local print-service provider or boutique service.

For the ultimate control over quality, presentation, and delivery, you can choose to process incoming print orders yourself. This option allows you to create standard and custom products, add pricing and shipping options, and oversee packaging options.

The book concludes with a checklist of planning and marketing steps that can boost your odds of selling more prints.

“How to Sell Prints” is part of PhotoShelter’s extensive library of free photo business and marketing guides. Other recently released titles include: The Photographer’s Guide to Instagram, Breaking into Fashion Photography, and What Photographers Should Know About Insurance.

LINKS

PhotoShelter Guide: How to Sell Prints

PhotoShelter Resource Library

Large-Format Prints Make Backdrops for Giant Interactive Storybooks

2014-08-30T12:29:00.002-04:00

Some sessions at the 2014 Graph Expo Conference (Sept. 28-Oct. 1) will focus on how print is becoming more interactive. Here's a great example of how interactive large-format prints might be used in school classrooms.

K.I.W.I. (Kids Interactive Walk-In) Storybooks are illustrated, 5-foot tall panoramic backdrops that serve as interactive learning tools for students in grades pre-K through 5. The 5 ft. x 7 ft. backdrops are printed on both sides of three panels (two 21-inch side panels and a 42-inch center panel) on a tear-resistant, flexible PVC-free material. Additional panels can be inserted to create 5 x 14 ft. backdrops. The panels can be rolled up and stored in the three-piece telescoping tube included in the package. VELCRO-brand fasteners are included for easy assembly.

Created by children's book author/illustrator Roxie Munro, the themed backdrops are paired with a free iPad app by OCG Studios. When kids place markers on the backdrops, they can scan the marker with an iPad to initiate dozens of activities. They can search for objects, play education games, learn fun facts about a subject, or record or edit their own movies.

To help teachers integrate the activities into the curriculum, author and playwright Douglas Love created a new Reader's Theatre genre that complements each theme and implements the four C's of 21st century education: critical thinking skills, communication, collaboration, and creativity.

K.I.W.I. Storybook backdrops are available in 11 themes: Rainforest and Desert, Farm and Maze, Fire Station and Risky Residence, Submersible, Dinosaurs, TV Studio, Castle, Old West, and Space Station. Each backdrop can be used for education, to perform a play, or in combination with the iPad apps.

Kiwi Storybook Trailer from Kiwi4Connie on Vimeo.

The K.I.W.I. Storybooks and apps will start shipping in September.

LINKS

K.I.W.i. Storybooks

Canon Introduces Six New imagePROGRAF Wide Format Printers

2014-08-10T20:08:00.001-04:00

Canon has unveiled six new models in its imagePROGRAF lineup: four new five-color, large-format inkjet printers (the 36-inch iPF785 and iPF780 models and the 24-inch iPF685 and iPF680 models) and two new large-format imaging systems (the iPF785 MFP M40 and iPF780 MFP M40).

All six models are designed for a a variety of industries that print maps, technical drawings, renderings, site and facilities management plans, signs and posters. Because all forms of communications become more colorful and visual, the printers were engineered to help business users print documents quickly while retaining high image quality.

Compared to their predecessors, these devices offer faster printing speeds and lower operation costs as well as upgraded software for mobile and cloud-based printing applications. The 36-inch devices boast print speeds of up to 21 seconds for an Arch D (24 x 36-inches) print and 41 seconds for an Arch E sized print (33.1 x 46.8 inches).

Canon iPF685

The new printers also support 300 ml ink tanks, helping to lower the cost-per-print. To increase productivity during longer runs of technical drawings, maps, or posters, a sub-ink tank system allows users to deplete all of the ink in the tank before replacing them and replace empty ink tanks without needing to stop the printer. The 320GB internal hard drive in the iPF785 and iPF685 models supports enhanced file processing, personal mailbox space and job storage for up to 500 print jobs. The 24-inch printers now come standard with a Flat Stacker/Basket that provides the capability to neatly stack up to twenty 24 x 36 inch plain-paper prints.

The iPF785 MFP M40 and iPF780 MFP M40 models can scan documents up to 315 inches long as a PDF or JPEG file, and up to 590 inches long as a TIFF file. The M40 scanner has a maximum optical resolution of 1200 dpi, with scan speeds of up to 13 inches per second for monochrome and 3 inches per second for color. The M40 scanner can scan documents up to 2mm thick. The system features a stand-alone computer and multi-touch-screen monitor, and come with SmartWorks MFP software V 3.55 to simplify Scan-to-print, File and Share processes.

“In addition to some welcome feature set enhancements such as hard drive capacity and increased scan length, the standout aspect of Canon’s new-generation models is their productivity,” said David Sweetnam, head of Research and Lab Services for BLI. “For example, the iPF680/780 and iPF685/785 MFP models all showed significant productivity gains over their predecessor models, notably in Fast and High Quality modes, so users can remain highly productive without compromising image quality. The models also deliver higher color gamut, richer color saturation, more distinct fine lines and more natural-looking skin tones. The models further deliver excellent GIS/CAD/AEC graphics with an improved depth of field in GIS graphics, even on plain paper, delivering a more realistic 3D rendering of topographical features. And the SmartWorks MFP software on the iPF785 MFP is even easier to use than previous versions, with flexible options for batch scanning that are not currently available with some leading rivals."

“The new imagePROGRAF models introduce powerful new features that can help save time, cut costs and ensure that print jobs move along seamlessly for outstanding productivity,” said Junichi Yoshitake, senior vice president and general manager, Business Imaging Solutions Group, Canon U.S.A., Inc., Canon U.S.A. “These versatile devices lend themselves to numerous applications, including computer-aided design, architecture, engineering and construction, as well as signs and posters and are excellent companions for industries ranging from manufacturing and government to education.”

Simple, Intuitive Software

Addressing the needs of a diverse range of users, Canon’s Direct Print & Share 2.0 software is a downloadable cloud portal solution for expanding printing workflows. This software empowers users to view, share and print a variety of files, including PDF, TIFF, JPEG and HP-GL/2 formats, from virtually anywhere. Users can utilize the new “Shortcut Print” feature to drag and drop files they wish to print into hot folders on their desktops helping to streamline their workflow process.

These devices are compatible with Canon’s new imagePROGRAF Print Utility mobile app, which helps facilitate wireless printing from a compatible iPad device. The app allows users to perform a number of actions, including previewing their PDF file, number of copies, orientation, and quality before sending the job to any of the compatible imagePROGRAF printers sharing the same network.
Increased Color Range and Precision

These imagePROGRAF devices come with a five-color dye/pigment reactive ink system, including a newly formulated magenta ink that helps produce more vivid reds and yellows. Canon inks provide outstanding adhesion to media, are scratch-and marker-resistant, and help produce crisp and legible text. These devices include Canon’s high-density PF-04 print head, which uses 15,360 nozzles to lay down ink.

SmartWorks MFP Software

SmartWorks MFP software provides tools needed to help you quickly and easily scan to print/file/share large format technical documents. New features include the ability to add custom presets with one-touch retrieval for those frequently used settings and full integration with Canon Digital Print & Share cloud software.

Users have more control over their workflow with access to editing functions such as invert, mirror, and black and white point adjustments. Custom presets help users control the scanner and increase control over printer settings. Optional SoftwareSmartWorks V3.5 Plus gives users the ability to scan and print multi-page PDF documents on the fly. This allows users to take multiple drawings or documents, scan them in using the M40 scanner and either save or print the set as one multi-page document.

In addition to this added feature, users can now perform color corrections and automatically crop the borders on their files using the preview mode and large touch-screen monitor, to ensure that they will be obtaining the desired output. The Plus version also supports PDF/archiving functionality.

PosterArtist, with a new low MSRP of $395, includes essential features customers need to easily create posters, signs and banners. To make sharing simple PosterArtist now offers the ability to save posters including custom images, clipart, and fonts, to a new file format. This complete file can be exported directly from PosterArtist to Canon’s Direct Print & Share cloud portal software for sharing between users.

In addition, there are a host of independent software vendors that have made software available for use with these new imagePROGRAF printers. Cloud4MPS allows users to web-enable compatible imagePROGRAF printers for Remote Device management, Status and Usage Readings, Consumable Management and more. Other independent software companies supporting the new models include SA International, Technesis, Sepialine, EFI, Shiraz, Caldera, ColorGate, DEV Studio, SCP and PosterJET.

Availability

These new imagePROGRAF models will be available at suggested retail prices of $4,995 (iPF785), $4,495 (iPF780), $3,195 (iPF685), $2,495 (iPF680), $8,995 (iPF785 MFP M40), $8,495 (iPF780 MFP M40 and $395, for PosterArtist. And ($595) SmartWorks MFP Plus software.

Chromaroll Announces Adhesive-Backed Metallic Inkjet Media

2014-07-26T20:21:00.002-04:00

After long months of testing and re- testing, Chromaroll has announced production of a new and improved version of their unique aluminum-surfaced inkjet photo media. Chromaroll is an adhesive-backed polypropylene film with a thin layer of aluminum. The ink-receptive coating works with pigment-ink photo printers from Epson, Canon, and HP.

Chromaroll™ comes in 8 x 11-in. and 13 x 19 in. sheets and rolls up to 44 inches wide and is recommended for applications such as fine art or giclee printing, photography reproduction, plaques, signage, and interior or exterior design installations.

According to a company spokesperson, "While there was generally much positive feedback for the original Chromaroll's versatility and the unique prints it was able to create, we recognized there were a few issues holding it back from being a truly revolutionary material. We set out over the past year to fix those issues, and are excited to say we think we nailed it.."

Notable changes in the new material include:

Increased brightness and vibrancy of colors

Increased absorbency so prints leave the print bay dry to the touch (reducing finger print or dust corruption)

A semi-gloss finish for ICC profiling

A 100% consistent viewing angle

The adhesive backing makes it easy to mount this thin, flexible media on a rigid substrate

Sample rolls (12 inches x 3 meters) can be ordered from the Chromaroll website.

LINKS

Chromaroll Information Sheet

Sample Roll Order Form

Epson's New SureColor T-Series Printers Can Print Corporate Graphics

2014-07-19T14:53:00.000-04:00

Because all forms of printed communications are becoming more visual and more colorful, it's not surprising that aqueous wide-format inkjet printers that were once regarded as "technical" or "CAD/GIS" printers are being upgraded and promoted for general office use as well.

For example, at the 2014 Esri Conference for ArcGIS software users, Epson America introduced its next-generation SureColor T-series large-format color printers. ArcGIS software can combine high-resolution global satellite imagery with geographic information systems (GIS) data to help all types of companies and government agencies make better decisions about location. GIS maps are used in real estate site selection, route/corridor selection, evacuation planning, conservation, and natural resource extraction.

In addition to promoting the new SureColor T-series for use in super-detailed, image-rich maps, Epson is promoting the printers for use by technical, corporate, and marketing professionals.

Epson's new T-Series printers include the Epson® SureColor® T3270, T5270, T7270, T5270D, and T7270D. and feature the Epson PrecisionCore™ TFP® printhead and Epson UltraChrome® XD pigment ink. The "D" models can hold two rolls of media.

“The next-generation of SureColor T-Series printers were designed based on direct feedback from customers who demand cost-effective, versatile and scalable printing solutions,” said Timothy Check, product manager, Professional Imaging, Epson America, Inc. “The new SureColor T-Series printers not only meet the specific requirements of today’s engineering and scientific professionals, they incorporate the latest in printing technology to create accurate large-format prints well-suited for a variety of projects and applications, ranging from CAD drawings and GIS Maps to corporate graphics and retail posters.”

The Epson SureColor T-Series delivers extreme line accuracy with resolutions up to 2880 x 1440 dpi at incredibly fast speeds – producing a presentation-quality D-size plot in as little as 25 seconds. For increased efficiency, the SureColor T-Series single-roll printers utilize a horizontal catch basket for enhanced output stacking, while the dual-roll printers feature a high-capacity catch basket for quick retrieval and reduced sorting time.

In addition, the SureColor T-Series 36- and 44-inch printer models offer an optional multifunction (MFP) module, enabling PC-free full color scan and copy capabilities – up to 36-inches wide – at best-in-class speeds for added convenience. In addition, ergonomic design with intuitive copy and scan-to-share capabilities ensures seamless integration to maximize workflow performance.

The SureColor T-Series is comprised of five printer models, offering varying performance and feature sets to accommodate a range of printing needs:

More about the SureColor T-Series

The SureColor T3270, T5270, T7270, T5270D, and T7270D offer a range of value-added features that help lower total cost of ownership and increase productivity, including:

Three printer widths: The SureColor T-Series features maximum print widths of 24, 36, and 44-inches, with minimal floor space requirements to fit virtually anywhere

Optional multifunction MFP: An optional upgrade for 36- and 44-inch single- and dual-roll T-Series models, the PC-free MFP Scanner leverages Epson's REALOID image processing engine to produce crisp color D-size copies in under 40 seconds, and best-in-class color scan speeds up to 6.0 inches per second – maximizing productivity; available for $4,500.

Epson UltraChrome XD Ink: Epson pigmented ink delivers brilliant color and crisp lines on virtually any paper type, as well as truly archival and extremely smudge and water-resistant output. The SureColor T-Series printers are designed to be used exclusively with these specially-formulated inks, and not with other brands of cartridges or inks.

Varied ink capacities: To maximize efficiency and keep printing costs low, each of the five ink colors – Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Photo Black, and Matte Black – are available in 110 ml, 350 ml and high-capacity 700 ml cartridge sizes. The cartridge sizes can be used interchangeably to accommodate a range of printing needs. All cartridges are front-loading for easy access.

Epson PrecisionCore TFP Printhead: The printhead offers high-performance and consistency for accurate plotting with high-precision line detail and minimum line widths as thin as 0.018 mm. It also offers variable size ink droplet technology for remarkable photographic print quality

Current and future-ready print language: Epson Precision XD printer language sets a new standard for high-performance, high-resolution printing, compatible with today’s latest applications and workflow software

Optional internal print server: An internal 320GB print server boosts workgroup productivity by quickly transferring print jobs to free-up workstations. The print server also adds print queue management, as well as print job save and reprint functionality.

Optional true Adobe® Postscript® 3™ hardware engine: The fastest in-class postscript engine enables direct and hot-folder batch printing and support for secure PDF printing. It includes the optional internal print server hardware.

Control panel: Full color LCD panel with simple button layout provides quick access to printer features and controls, as well as an intuitive help system for most frequent tasks

Professional media handling: Supports virtually any media type in roll or cut-sheet, from plain bond paper to 1.5 mm thick posterboard.

Support and Availability

The Epson SureColor T-Series will be available in September 2014 through authorized Epson Professional Imaging resellers. The SureColor T-Series printers offer a standard Epson PreferredSM Limited Warranty, a one-year program that includes toll-free advanced telephone access Monday through Friday and on-site service in the unlikely event of any hardware failure. Epson Preferred Plus extended service plans are available to provide coverage for up to two additional years.

LINKS

Epson Pro Imaging