I have the privilege of managing Personalized Imaging, which is comprised of our Film Capture, Paper & Output Systems, Retail Systems Solutions, and Event Imaging Solutions businesses (together, "PI").  As many of you know, in August 2012 Kodak announced that it was initiating a sale process for these businesses.  We are moving full-steam through this process, and are confident that PI will be under new ownership by the middle of this year.

In 2012, Personalized Imaging sustained a consistent record of profitability.  We introduced market-leading products and services, entered new partnerships across multiple regions, and renewed agreements with some of the world's largest retailers and professional labs.  Of course we continue to engage with talented and inspiring professional photographers around the globe, who use Kodak Professional films to create thought-provoking, visually stunning bodies of work.  All of these interactions reflect an ongoing commitment to PI by our customers, suppliers, and partners.

On a personal note, I want to underscore my pride in the ongoing efforts of our PI teams around the world to maintain the high standard of service that is essential to our customers and yours.  We have hundreds of staff members in development, manufacturing, sales, marketing, customer service, technical support, and other core functions.  These experienced, talented, and committed employees are passionate about meeting your needs, and driving a bright future for PI.

We look forward to engaging with you every Wednesday about the issues that impact you and your businesses.  Thanks for reading!

Larry and I, along with Freeport, Mr. Cooper and Penny, traveled to Freeport, Maine in hopes of keeping that magical feeling going for us.

We prayed for lots of snow and He delivered, 3 times!  The dogs enjoyed their outside activity, exhausted early on from playing in the snow.

As we did last year between Christmas and New Year, we offered to the Harraseeket Inn the chance for the children staying there to READ to the dogs.  Penny Gray, owner of the Inn, was happy to oblige.  Three dates were set with sign up sheets.  Karen, from the front desk, was the first to get Cooper hugs!

This year I brought photos of the dogs to hand out as well as Bernese Mountain Dog coloring books with crayons for the appropriate-age children to take back to their rooms.  And, like we did last year, I received permission to take photos to use in this blog.  All the photos were printed and handed out to the families as "Kodak moments" to take home.

Each session went beyond my expectations.  When they say "a picture is worth a thousand words", here is the proof 

While taking this last photo I caught a movement by the door out of the corner of my eye. 

It was then that I turned around and saw the true magic of these moments.  Lined along the back wall, in the doorway and on the chairs were adults.  Some fancily dressed for there was a wedding reception to attend to.  Others with winter coats on either coming from or going out into the snowy night.  Still others, maybe by word of mouth, stood. 

All smiled.  Many were taking photos of children and dogs they did not know.

Still some, unable to stop themselves, came and sat on the floor hoping for a little of the magic to come to them.

And all 3 dogs obliged.

They came to them because they knew what was needed.

They came to them to share the magic.

They came to them to give them love.

It was then that I realized, once again, we are just the chauffeurs.

Freeport, Mr. Cooper and Penny are the real miracle makers…

I love Valentine's Day! I love the hearts and colors and CARDS! I spent some time at the Kodak Picture Kiosk in our office printing out some of the different Valentine's Card designs available. The designs vary from Kiosk to Kiosk, but it gives you an idea of what you might find. I think they are all "pretty darn cute".

I used my favorite subjects for most of the cards. I like it when there is a uinque shape for adding your photo, like the O in LOVE.

This design was especially fun. You can add many photos that are integrated into the design, along with a personalized message.

I thought I better make a few for my husband too. ; ) The one at the bottom is so cute... you can add your own messages to the hearts. And yes, I used a photo of us dressed as zombies from Halloween in one of the hearts!

When you look inside the cards there is more opportunity for customizing. You can add a photo and your own message... like Stewie did here.

And on the back.... there is no mistaking who put all the hard work into the card!

Now that you have had a peek into the designs and are hopefully inspired, go and download a coupon to buy one 5x7 folded greeting card at Kodak Picture Kiosk and get one FREE! OR... the coupon now works on your phone... a new feature for this promo!

Resolution: Reduce Clutter

Stacks of papers seem to be the biggest source of clutter in my house. Bits and bobs of things too important to throw out or recycle. I have a few drawings from nieces and nephews that are adorable, but what to do with them. I can only frame and hang so many macaroni noodle masterpieces. If you have kids you know what I am talking about. Kids can be very prolific when it comes to artwork. A backpack can be stuffed full every school day. You want to hold onto them to remember later, but who has filing cabinets they can dedicate to storing them?

Here is a great solution. Pack up the best ones and take them to a Kodak Picture Kiosk. Scan them in and make a photo book you can enjoy always. Then discreetly move the originals to the recycling bin. You could even add in scans of A+ tests, report cards and more. A complete record of a child's school year. Neat and tidy in one photo book.

Resolution: Organize Photos

Do you have folders full of photos on your computer or even your phone? It's so easy to take pictures these days we take more than ever. But then organizing them becomes overwhelming.

Try this. Create a folder on your computer named after the year like "2013 favorite photos". Then create 12 folders inside that one for each month. Throughout the year put the best photos from that month into the corresponding folder. At the end of the year, you can put those photos on a jump drive and make a family year book at Kodak Picture Kiosk. Everyone likes looking back at school year books, and you will love looking at a family photo year book too!

If you have been posting all those favorite photos to Facebook even better! At Kodak Picture Kiosk you can log into your Facebook account and access all your photos to make your photo book!

Resolution: Finish "That" Album

Did you mean to finish your child's baby book before they went to college? Maybe wrap up your wedding album before your ten year anniversary? Why not try a photo book? There are so many backgrounds to choose from and features like adding captions, auto fill and photo editing, you can have it done without breaking out a single glue stick.

And just like with the kid's artwork you can scan in things to add to the photo book too! Like the birth certificate, baby footprints, or even the adorable cards to got from friends and family.

After you have put the work in, you can also make copies for the grandparents... or if it's a wedding album, a copy for everyone in your wedding party.

Find a Kodak Picture Kiosk near you and you can scratch all this off your New Year's to do list!

I have been trying out all the different kinds of Kodak Picture Kiosk calendars in the office and sharing the results with my coworkers. The last one for me to make was the Monthly Double Sided.

The Monthly Double Sided calendars are like the typical calendars you are used to. They open up with a photo area on top and the month/dates underneath and a hole for hanging it. With these calendars you can have multiple photos... up to ten per month. I really like being able to add several photos. With this calendar I featured not only the pugs and the cat but us humans in the family!

The interface is easy to use. I like how my photos show up at the bottom and are checked if I have used them yet. You just drag and drop your photos onto the calendar. Then you have the option to make edits to the photo or move them around by shuffling.

BIG TIP: It is great to be able to add multiple photos to a month layout but that also means more options! I highly recommend that you plan out ahead of time what photos you want to feature before you head to the kiosk.

With these calendars you can add text. The words can go over pictures or just the background. It's nice to add captions or notes along with the photos. You can customize the text colo, size and style too.

I love my family 2013 calendar. It makes me smile everytime I look at it!

Here are a few ideas for cool calendars...

Family recipe calendar - each month feature a picture of someone with a scanned in image of their signature recipe. Check out this photo project that features Grandmother's and their specialty dish - great idea!

Birthday calendar - honor a friend or family member with a birthday that month. You could use a photo of a previous birthday celebration or just a collection of photos of them. If there aren't any birthdays you could go with anniversaries. It's a great way to remember people's birthdays!

After making so many calendars of the pugs, I thought it was only fair to use pictures of my cat Stewie for my next trial of Kodak Picture Kiosk Calendars.

After making one sheet Annual Calendars, I decided to make a Monthly Calendar. These are one sided and feature the month and one photo on each sheet. The sheets then get punched and spiral bound. I used our kiosk here in the office so I got to use the binder myself. New skillz!

While making these I discovered that you can select which month you want the calendar to start and end with! So you could give a calendar as a gift in the middle of the year that starts with June 2013 and ends on May 2014.

Making the calendar was so easy! As you can see, each month shows up and you drag the photo you want to be featured into the box. Then you do some photo edits like zooming in or out. The hardest part was deciding what Stewie photos to use!

It does help to plan ahead and decided what photos you want before you head to the kiosk. I put all my cat photos on a thumb drive, but you could also access your Facebook photos from the kiosk.

This is my favorite month in this calendar! There is a little wire hanger so you could hang your calendar, or what I like, is to stand it on my desk! There are several sized to choose from, but I like this 5x7 size. Perfect for standing on my office desk next to my computer. I have even been taking it to meetings with me and sitting it up so everyone can admire Stewie and we can look at dates as we plan.

Here are some calendar inspiration ideas:

Home sweet home - Take a photo of your home each month - so you have shots of it from budding flowers to falling leaves to snow covered for each month of a calendar. Nice for kids that are off at college to remind them of home.

Pet photo shoot - Dress your pets up for a picture to match each month's holiday - April = bunny ears, August = sunglasses

Growing baby - Start January with the first picture of your baby and then add a picture of them one month older for each month after that. Great gift for grandparents!

To find a Kodak Kiosk near you that has monthly calendars visit the Kodak Kiosk locator.

One of the first things I start thinking about in a new year is a new calendar! As I was thinking about what calendar to look for I realized that instead of trying to decide between the puppies calendar or the kittens calendar, wouldn't a calendar with my own photos be the best?

There are several different kinds of calendars that you can personalize with your own photos available at Kodak Picture Kiosk. The offer may vary by location so check the Kiosk locator to find what is available near you.

I hadn't made a calendar at a Kodak Picture Kiosk before so I decided to use the kiosk in our office and try them all! I started with the most basic calendar... an Annual Calendar.

The Annual Calendars print out on one sheet and have all the months of the year together. There are designs that let you add one or more photos and they come in different sizes like 5x7 or 8x10.

I used photos of my pugs playing in the first snowfall of the season for these calendars.

Here are a few ideas for these calendars...

1 - These calendars are perfect for hanging on your fridge or family message center. You can see several months at once which is useful for planning.

2 - Use a hole punch and you can add the calendar to a school 3-ring binder.

3 - Didn't get around to sending Christmas cards this year? Don't worry, these make cute New Years "cards" to send to friends and family. The 5x7 fits nicely in a greeting card envelope.

4 - If you have a home or small business (real estate, dog walker) you could create a jpg with your logo and contact info and use that in one of the photo slots to send to customers... nice way to stay in touch and keep your information handy for them.

As I was looking at the calendars I had made, Diedra popped into my office and informed me that you can even make poster sized calendars!

I hurried over to another kiosk that had that capability and tahdah! Giant pug 2013 poster calendar! This will look great hanging in our home office! So cool!

To find a Kodak Kiosk near you that prints calendars and has the giant poster calendar option visit the Kodak Kiosk locator.

His gift came with a card and written inside it said "I had a really hard time figuring out what to get you, but thanks to Facebook connect on Kodak Picture Kiosk I was able to make a gift that was special!"

Then it struck me. If you draw the name of a person for secret santa that you don't know a lot about you can have a tough time shopping for them. You can stalk their Facebook page and cubicle and still not come up with clues.

BUT... if you are friends with them on Facebook and they have their settings so you can see their photos, you can go to a Kodak Picture Kiosk, log into your Facebook account and print photos from your friend's Facebook albums! That was clearly what this person did. Instead of a gift that your secret santa recipient might not care for, you can create something that really means something to them.

It doesn't hurt to add a few candy canes and chocolate covered pretzel sticks into the mix!

If you want to make something unique and personal for someone on your Christmas list find a Kodak Kiosk near you.

This year's CEI shows that policies to provide LGBT employees with the same workplace opportunities and protections as other employees are becoming global. To achieve a perfect score and the distinction of "Best Places to Work for LGBT Equality," companies must have fully-inclusive equal employment opportunity policies, provide equal employment benefits, demonstrate organizational LGBT competency, evidence their commitment to equality publicly and exercise responsible citizenship.

"We are pleased to have earned a perfect score on the HRC's Corporate Equality Index again this year, given our commitment to ensuring a workplace that welcomes and supports LGBT employees," said Kim VanGelder, Kodak's Chief Information Officer and Corporate Champion for the LGBT constituency. "Creating an inclusive workplace with engaged employees is key to delivering our business results." 

Augie Melendez, Chief Diversity and Community Affairs Officer at Kodak added: "Earning this 11th consecutive HRC recognition is just an awesome accomplishment because the Human Rights Campaign continues to raise the bar every year for the Corporate Equality Index. Their questionnaire scrutinizes the policies, practices, and internal and external engagement we bring to promoting fairness and equality for gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender employees."

Kodak's support of LGBT employees and external audiences includes participation in workplace advocacy programs that call attention to issues they find important. The company also hosts the Lambda Network at Kodak, an employee network that helps educate others on topics such as discrimination, bullying, and workplace concerns.

"From senior leadership to the Lambda Network, Kodak has demonstrated an intense focus on workplace equality," said Dolores Kruchten, Kodak's President of Document Imaging who acts as Management Sponsor for the Lambda Network. "It's especially gratifying that this 100% CEI ranking comes amid challenging times and demonstrates our commitment to workplace equality."

Details of the survey results may be found online at www.hrc.org. Twitter users can learn more about the CEI survey via the hashtag: #workplaceequality.

Kodak is the official photo partner for Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex.  Providing many opportunities to capture visitor's experiences and memories throughout their day at the visitor complex and tour stops, including your photograph with the daily visiting astronaut, a family photo in front of the iconic NASA insignia in the park's central area, as well as virtual shots inside the International Space Station at the Kodak Shooting Stars gallery at the Apollo/Saturn V Center!

In celebration of the 50^th anniversary and Year of Atlantis, Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex is offering Kodak fans a special packaged deal that can save up to 30 percent on a single day admission, admission on one of the KSC Up-Close tours, 50^th Anniversary Commemorative collectible coin minted from space flown metal, a $10 meal voucher, and a Kodak Memories Photo pack. Details can be found at KSCVC Kodak Memories page. 

NASA is offering visitors rare access to several key areas of Kennedy Space Center during its 50^th anniversary year to enhance a popular destination that already features an array of authentic attractions showcasing the space program and opportunities for up-close viewing of ongoing rocket launches. A special Kennedy Space Center Up-Close Tour has been extended through the end of 2012 to provide visitors behind-the-scenes access and rare photographic opportunities of sights unseen. Guests are invited to go inside the 525-foot-tall Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB), where the Apollo rockets and space shuttles were assembled. One of the largest buildings in the world, the VAB had been off limits to visitors for more than 30 years until the tour was added.

Ongoing Rocket Launches

The visitor complex remains one of the best vantage points to see rocket launches taking place from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. More than 10 launches have been scheduled for 2012 to carry NASA science missions and government satellites, as well as to test commercial space programs. A Delta 4 rocket carrying a satellite was launched October 4 and next is a launch of a Falcon 9 rocket by SpaceX, the first mission by a commercial company to travel to and dock with the International Space Station.

"There's an opportunity to see fascinating aspects of the space program that few people have seen, and a chance your visit can coincide with a rocket launch," said Bill Moore, chief operating officer of Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex.

"We want people to know that a visit to Kennedy Space Center remains a visit to an operating facility where a lot of exciting things are happening. It's a world-class destination that offers a truly authentic and memorable visitor experience, and this year is an ideal time for Florida residents and vacationers to visit," Moore said.

New Home for Space Shuttle Atlantis

Events are also planned to mark milestones in the creation of the future home of the space shuttle Atlantis, opening in July 2013. Ground was broken in January 2012 on the exhibit, and this fall Atlantis will move from the Vehicle Assembly Building inside Kennedy Space Center to the visitor complex for permanent display. The 90,000-square-foot Atlantis exhibit will provide guests a unique vantage point to view Atlantis up close, while telling the story of the 30-year Space Shuttle Program through a number of hands-on, interactive and immersive mediums.

• Apollo/Saturn V Center

A fully restored, massive Saturn V moon rocket serves as the centerpiece of the Apollo/Saturn V Center. In addition to viewing all 363 feet of the most powerful rocket ever built, visitors can relive the historic launch of Apollo 8 in the Firing Room Theater and catch the harrowing final moments before man landed on the moon in the Lunar Theater. Visitors can experience the Apollo/Saturn V Center on Kennedy Space Center tours.

• Shuttle Launch Experience

The Shuttle Launch Experience is an incredible journey of vertically launching into space and orbiting Earth aboard the space shuttle. Guest "crew members" strap in for this launch replication, which immerses visitors in the sights, sounds and feelings of a space shuttle launch, designed under the guidance of NASA and veteran space shuttle astronauts.

• IMAX^® Theaters

Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex is home to not one, but two five-and-a-half-story-tall

IMAX screens – the only back-to-back 3D IMAX theaters in the world. Now playing are two films featuring ongoing NASA missions: Space Station 3D and Hubble 3D. Space Station 3D, filmed by 25 astronauts and cosmonauts and narrated by Tom Cruise, takes audiences on an incredible cinematic journey of discovery from planet Earth to the newest star in the sky – the International Space Station. Hubble 3D, narrated by Leonardo DiCaprio, brings the furthest depths of the universe to life, transporting audiences to distant galaxies to explore the mysteries of deep space. Hubble 3D offers an inspiring and unique look into the Hubble Space Telescope's legacy and its profound impact on the way we view the universe and ourselves.

• Astronaut Training Experience ^® (ATX^® )

Participants can take one giant leap toward the dream of being an astronaut or a crew member through an exciting program of training and preparation for the rigors of spaceflight. The hands-on program includes true-to-training simulator exercises and a space shuttle mission simulation aboard a full-scale orbiter mock-up. Reservations are required for the half-day adult ATX Core program or Family ATX program.

• Rocket Garden

Visitors can marvel at seven vintage rockets from the Mercury, Gemini and Apollo space programs at the Rocket Garden. The Apollo 11 gantry arm and Apollo capsule model allow visitors to reenact the heart-pumping moments of countdown and launch, while the Mercury and Gemini capsules let guests experience firsthand just how small early spacecraft were.

• Astronaut Encounter

Visitors can come face-to-face with one of the distinct few who have experienced space travel and hear firsthand what it is like to live in space at Astronaut Encounter. Held daily at the Astronaut Encounter Theater, the half-hour interactive program features a question and answer session and an opportunity to take a picture with the astronaut.

• Lunch With an Astronaut

Lunch With an Astronaut offers guests a unique opportunity to dine with a true space hero and learn about the daily life of an astronaut, ask questions and have a photo taken with the astronaut.

• U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame^®

Although much of the story at Kennedy Space Center is about state-of-the-future technology, the Astronaut Hall of Fame is about the brave men and women who have flown in space. The Hall of Fame features the world's largest collection of astronaut memorabilia, plus stimulating displays, exhibits and tributes to the heroes of the Mercury, Gemini, Apollo and space shuttle programs. A historic collection of spacecrafts includes the Mercury Sigma 7 capsule and a Gemini training capsule.

Science On a Sphere takes visitors on a three-dimensional journey around the world and throughout the solar system via dynamic, animated images of the atmosphere, oceans and planets. The U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame is open daily from 12 p.m. to 6 p.m. and is included with admission to Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex.

• Exploration Space: Explorers Wanted

Step into the center of space travel and become part of the future of exciting possibilities at Exploration Space: Explorers Wanted. The 10,000-square-foot exhibit immerses visitors into an environment of discovery and exploration beyond our home planet. Live theater, interactive experiences and large-scale multimedia presentations display what the future of space travel may look like, emphasizing that space exploration is not just about the hardware, but about the people behind the technology that make it all possible. The main show, Explorers Wanted, runs twice an hour. New destinations for space travel are introduced as space pioneers of tomorrow are invited to embark on new missions and embrace the challenges of future space exploration. 

• Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge

Kennedy Space Center is an ecological sanctuary encompassed by the Merritt Island National

Wildlife Refuge, home to more state- and federally-protected wildlife than any other national refuge. Throughout 140,000 acres of estuaries, marshes and coastal dunes are seven distinct habitat types and more than 500 species, from manatees to alligators, bald eagles to ospreys, and butterflies to sea turtles. Look for five hiking trails from ¼ mile to five miles long, a seven-mile driving tour and countless photo opportunities.

Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex is operated by Delaware North Companies Parks & Resorts at KSC Inc., a division of Delaware North Companies, one of the world's leading hospitality and food service providers. For more information, visit www.DelawareNorth.com.

No pressure on you and your card progress... at this point you either thinking really hard about your cards, trying to come up with a cool idea, busy licking stamps or are relaxed and already have them in the mail.

Either way if you have a favorite holiday photo you have used in the past or just took one for this year, share it with us on Facebook and enter for a chance to win a digital camera just in time for the holidays! Enter here --> http://kodak.ly/THcoPS

Photo cards are a way to make your card extra special and personal. Kodak Picture Kiosk can help you make those quickly and easily! Find a kiosk near you! kodak.com/go/findakiosk

The project was piloted at the Manhattanville Houses in Harlem in the fall of 2010, with some 20 participants equally divided between seniors and children. The project has been expanded to include a total of fifteen developments in three boroughs with close to two hundred participants.

Just this fall, the Developing Lives program added a lecture-style class setting for seniors, in addition to the classes held in a small classroom environment. The lecture classes are similar in nature to a college-level photography class and offered for free to any resident living in public housing. Currently, classes have included about 10 participants per session from 5 developments; the lecture series includes 25-50 participants and is advertised to all seniors across all NYCHA developments.

Each Developing Lives session includes weekly one-hour classes that run for a twelve-week period. Each week instructors demonstrate a new photography technique (light, shadow, camera language, etc.) and introduce a well-known photographer whose work exemplifies that technical style. The Kodak single-use cameras are distributed at the start of every class and returned the following week. The film is then processed and photographs reviewed and returned. Participants are asked to bear in mind the new photography technique when documenting their lives throughout the week.

In addition to teaching technical skills, Developing Lives also helps participants become documentary photographers. The classes discuss the art of storytelling through a photograph. All photographs are paired with handwritten captions from the photographer.

The photographs are displayed on our Studio NYCHA website, which was launched shortly after the Developing Lives program piloted in 2010  (www.StudioNYCHA.org/DevelopingLives).

The New York Daily News ran a full-page article about Developing Lives in March 2011, at the end of the pilot program.  The piece demonstrates that the truer aspects and creative richness of daily life in public housing can garner the attention of the broader public, in stark contrast to typical negative coverage. Through participatory photography, Developing Lives gives residents control over their own narrative. As one senior participant who never used a camera before put it, "Holding up the photographs of my neighbors and neighborhood was like holding up a mirror to myself and allowing me to see things I never noticed before."

In addition to Kodak, which donated over 300 cameras, Developing Lives' other private sector partners include Dell Computers, one of America's most admired American corporations, who provided laptop computers at no cost; Seeing for Ourselves, a not-for-profit grassroots photography organization that helped initiate the Developing Lives program­ and conceive StudioNYCHA.org; and Duggal Visual Solutions, a premier American imaging studio (with a client-list that includes MoMA, The Whitney, and The Smithsonian, along with many Fortune 500 corporations), which provided all lab work at cost.

Meet our team:

Project Creator, George Carrano organized and curated "50 Years on the Frontlines," a retrospective of the works of top war photojournalist Philip Jones Griffiths that The New York Times called "One of the great tragic portraits of their time, and required viewing in ours." And in a participatory photography exhibit curated by George, "Unbroken: Photography Subjects Speak Out", photographers from around the world provided a visual journey of their daily lives —"poignant," The New York Times termed.

City-Wide Project Director, Chelsea Davis was born and raised in New York City. Chelsea previously established two programs in participatory photography. In 2004 she created an art class for autistic children at the Association for MetroArea Autistic Children in New York, and the success of that program motivated her to set up a similar class in 2007 in the pediatric oncology ward of St. Louis Children's Hospital. She believes in the communicative power of art and hopes to share this with the participants of Developing Lives.

Lily Randall has ably assisted the Developing Lives program since the summer of 2012.

A special thanks to the Kodak team for helping make the Developing Lives program possible.

Just in time for the holiday season, Lollypop Farm is hosting Santa Claus from 10 am – 5 pm on December 1, 2, 8 and 9.   You can memorialize the holidays with a unique professional portrait of your furry friend and family.  

For just $25, you will get four 4" x 6" digital prints of one or more shots and a CD of your photos which you can use for your holiday card prints by visiting the KODAK Picture Kiosk right in the lobby.  The KODAK Picture Kiosk has a number of traditional and pet inspired cards you can choose from.

Book your sitting online now! http://bit.ly/YCmMxh

Both the portrait and prints/card proceeds benefit Lollipop Farm and their furry friends.

Clearwater's Freeport Seeket CGC, THD, RN

Avi's Harraseeket's Mr. Cooper CGC, THD, BN, RN

I am not sure if it's the change in weather or just that Freeport, Mr. Cooper and Penny are becoming more affectionate as the days go by.  In thinking what to write about this month, I thought I'd share some of our more memorable 'snuggly moments', both past and present.

We have to start with that very first snuggle time with me:

Then comes the meeting of Freeport and Mr. Cooper and the "I just want to ever-so-subtly touch you snuggle":

Once that was out of the way, then came the "I don't remember signing up for this snuggle":

Or the "That's my toy! Snuggle":

And then the starting of the ice melting and "Oh, OK, I guess I can protect you snuggle":

Finally, the "Hey, you make a great pillow snuggle":

Next comes the "Hey, I really like you, can we snuggle?  Snuggle":

When all is set and done with the 3 of them, it's the perfect snuggle:

We certainly can't forget those memories of snuggles with humans, starting with Freeport's favorite buddy in the whole world:

Always the protector, Freeport found a way to snuggle even with a car seat in the way:

Mr. Cooper, on the other hand, is the epitome of a snuggler:

Who can forget that Mr. Cooper STILL thinks he's a lap dog!

Here, Freeport is either "Making mama feel better snuggle" or "My spot on the couch snuggle":

Then there are those odd location snuggles:

Penny, always thinking she's smaller than she really is:

When it comes to finding that certain position or place to fall asleep, well…

And JUST FORGET about finding a spot in bed:

Finally, the best snuggle of all, Puppy Love:

Do you have snuggly memories created with your 4-legged family members?  It's never too late to start a collection!

If you've ever been to a triathlon then you know that this was no easy task.  Along with the thousands of competitors and spectators come many more thousands of bananas, oranges, cookies, chocolate milk (how do they drink that after a triathlon? Yuck), muffins, donuts, coffee cups (these things start early!), registration forms and, of course, tons and tons of water bottles. 

Now that's one happy, satisfied crew. We worked many hours helping people find the right bin for their "trash", sorting when a mistake was made and keeping those bins from over flowing.  In the end we collected about two truckloads of traditional recyclables and food compost, including 12 25-gallon bags of drink bottles. Just think, all that would have gone to the landfill if The Woods hadn't stepped in.

Here's part of our expert team.  Lucky for us they were too "fresh" to realize managing compost was the harder job.

They did eventually figure it out because here they are caught taking a break in front of The Woods' recycling display.

And, our dedicated leader, who after all that work definitely deserved a shoulder rub!

It was a great day, and handling all those recyclables was, actually, not all that bad.  Helping out reminded me of how lucky I am to work in a field that I'm passionate about.  Bringing customers useful environmental services never stops being rewarding.  I hope this America Recycles Day you also feel renewed and committed to increasing the amount you recycle.  And remember, people like me are out there ensuring companies like Kodak help people like you. You can find more information on all our recycling programs at kodak.com/go/recycle.

The first year we were married, my husband and I were at a loss when it came to our holiday card. We finally settled on the cutest thing in our house, our pug Oscar. He posed like a champ on a red cloth covered picnic table against the house in a wee hand knit scarf and pug-sized sled. We got a lot of delighted responses to that first card.

The following year we had added a cat named Stewie to the mix. Could we get a photo with a pug AND a cat? Sure enough, Stewie was a natural in front of the camera. This was a card to go down in the history books. (Yes, that is candy hanging around them and yes, they licked a lot of it) 

The next year's card had a cozy, less posed feel to it.

By the fourth year these two had posed for so many photos it really wasn't even a challenge.

At this point we were feeling pretty confident about our pets' photo posing skills and took them out to a local farm for this shot. This was the toughest shoot yet, with birds and other critters to distract their attention.

Last year another pug, Hugo, joined our household. Now we had THREE animals to pose for one holiday card. It took many, many shots to get one where they are all looking at the camera. It was like herding cats.... (and pugs).

Friends and family are always amazed that are able to get photos of these guys every year. Here are a few tips to getting a great pic of pets...

1. Set them up somewhere free of distractions (like squirrels).

2. Have someone help you. If you have to leave your camera and move the cat back everytime he starts to wander away you will be at this for hours.

3. Set the camera up on a tripod - that helps if you do have to dance around for their attention or chase them across the room.

4. Use a toy to wave around so they look at you for the shot.

5. Shoot in natural light. It's the best lighting for their fur and fluff.

6. Get down on their level. That's where a tripod can help. Shoot the camera straight at them, not down on them.

7. Take many, many shots. Even with your cat or dog looking away from you constantly, if you take tons of pictures, the better chance you have of at least one being THE ONE. Many, many shots. 

8. Have treats on hand, LOTS of treats! Use it to get their attention and reward them for a job well done.

Another tip I have personally found useful is if you are trying to get a photo for your holiday card, start early. So if you have a day where the furry ones simply are not cooperating you have time to try again.

I will be starting on the 2012 card this week, I already have an idea forming. AND this week we are offering a Buy 40 Get 20 Free 5x7 Double-Sided Cards coupon for Kodak Picture Kiosk. What a great deal! You can even access your photos on Facebook from Kodak Kiosk to make your card. Download your coupon here --> http://kodak.ly/TNhptk and hurry! The offer ends Saturday, November 17!

When we were in Hawaii this past summer, visiting Pearl Harbor was high on my husband and I's to-do list.

At Pearl Harbor, the USS Arizona Memorial is incredibly moving. It is extremely hard to visualize what happened there to all the service men and women at that time. Seeing the sunken ship just inches below the surface of the water (and in some spots sticking out) is an unsettling feeling.

There are even area where oil still leaks from the ship to the surface of the water. Everyone that perished that day on the USS Arizona are still down there, entombed in the ship. 

After touring the USS Arizona Memoria, a highlight was meeting two veterans that were at Pearl Harbor back during war! We made sure to stop and hear a few of their stories and to thank them for their service. 

This Sunday, November 11 is Veterans Day, a day to show our apprecation to all service men and women that have protected and defended us and continue to do so for our country today. 

I have a veteran who is very close to me! My husband served during wartime overseas while he was active duty in the Navy and now continues as a reservist.

I will be sure to create a special card for him thanks to Kodak and Greeting Card Universe teaming up. They even have Navy specific cards! 

I can customize it online and send it to Target to be picked up the same day. For a limited time we have a special code TARKOD25 to get 25% off. You can make your card here --> http://kodak.ly/OUcvE5

I might personalize a photo card too... I have the perfect photo for it! : )

There were 3,400 women and men participating and together we raised over $8.3 million dollars on this walk alone. 

Mine was a team of five. Our team leader and my best friend Lori is a six year survivor. 

We started out on Saturday morning at 6:45 a.m. It was chilly and dark but we were so excited!

We walked through New York City and saw so many beautiful sights. One of my favorite memories is crossing the Brooklyn Bridge.

We finished 26.1 miles on Day One at the Wellness Village where many walkers camped. We were pretty beat, but really proud to have finished day one without any major setbacks. Or so we thought. It turns out that one of our teammates had broken a toe and another had some major blisters.  But nobody complained or thought of quitting. Ok, maybe there were a few thoughts of quitting…

It was a little tough getting up and motivated for the last 13.2 miles. We were a much quieter team at the start of day two, but after we warmed up on the first mile, we were all talking and laughing with other walkers and enjoying another beautiful sunny day in the Big Apple. It was like we hadn't stopped walking, but in a good way.

We were tempted, but we resisted.

Once we hit the 39 mile marker, there were a lot of smiles because we knew we were almost across that finish line! 

The closing ceremony was absolutely amazing, with friends and family cheering on the sidelines, all the teams walked down the Pier, holding hands and laughing.

Lori took part as a survivor and got to walk up to the front for the ceremony. We spotted her on the big screen which was amazing, considering the sea of Pink!

For so many, it was just another nice weekend in New York City but for us, it was a memorable journey and in spite of the sore feet, we were really sorry to see it end.

You can learn more about the walk and the great things being done with the money we raised here.

Here is a buy-one-get-one free coupon for exclusive pink Bonnie Marcus 5x7 folded cards at Kodak Picture Kiosk. Perfect for showing your support or thanking your sponsors after a breast cancer awareness walk or race. The offer is good until Saturday, November 3 so you can download your coupon here --> http://kodak.ly/SgwdeT

Through this app you can learn about our color negative and black and white films. Discover the characteristics of each film and what formats they are available in.

Will you be photographing outside or in a studio? This app will recommend the best film for what you are photographing.

Once you know what film you want to shoot you can find out where to purchase film, and even where you can have the film developed. This is a great companion when you are traveling; it can tell you where to buy and process film around the world.

 What are you waiting for?

Go to the iTunes Store and download KODAK Professional Film App today!  Tell us what you think and what you would like to see added to the app.

This year some of my toughest girl friends and I took the leap and signed up for one of the Dirty Girl Mud Runs in support of the National Breast Cancer Foundation.   This race was the first extreme race we signed up for and was held in Scranton, Pennsylvania (yes home of The Office sitcom).   The 5K, 11-obstacle course looked intense but we were all up for it!

We saddled up in the Dirty Girl Mobile and hit the road to Scranton, Pennsylvania for a girl powered weekend. We enjoyed a hike the day before and a wonderful day of the race.  Here are some of our memories that I made into a small photo book for my peeps using My KODAK MOMENTS Facebook App.  This 5x7 soft cover photo book is on sale right now for just $5 plus free shipping!

Left to Right: Me, Pat Beaumont, Lisa Less, Sigga Hauksdottir

Click here to flip thru my book and even make one of your own!

In Honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Kodak has partnered with Bonnie Marcus, greeting card designer to the stars, and Target to bring a fantastic set of Invitations, Thank You Notes and Collages filled with inspirational messages perfect for thanking family and friends for walking, racing or just being there. 

Here is a gallery of the available designs...

As a special incentive, customers who purchase a 5" x 7" photo card at full price will receive a second card FREE! Get your BOGO coupon here --> http://kodak.ly/SgwdeT

Help to share the message of strength and courage this month.  Bonnie Marcus donates a portion of her proceeds to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation and over 8 years that has totaled more than $40,000!

Incorporating the YMCA led to researching Claude Bragdon , who  also designed the famous and sadly missed,  Rochester Grand Central Train  station.  I learned that Bragdon also created what he called "SONG and LIGHT" events in Rochester, Syracuse and New York City during the World War I era.  After viewing a picture of his Central Park, SONG and LIGHT event, readily available on the internet, I was mesmerized by the beauty of his vision and wanted to create a 2012 version for our neighborhood.

 See the picture below of Claude Bragdon's SONG and LIGHT event, in Central Park, NYC in 1916.

(Central Park photo, courtesy of University of Rochester, Rare Books, Special Collections and Preservation)

With the enthusiastic response and support of our Historic Maplewood Home Tour volunteers, we set out to engineer this art form. Our Home Tour group decided to host our event in The Historic Maplewood Rose Garden, directly across the street from and in view of our Claude Bragdon designed YMCA.  Our tribute to Claude Bragdon would be presented after sunset, on the date of the The Home Tour.

Bragdon employed thousands of lanterns in his plans. How would we possibly create a large number of lanterns in a fairly short time?

As I was walking into my job of testing Kiosk photo media, I realized, "We could make artistic lanterns on a KODAK Picture Kiosk!" KODAK Thermal Media has a protective overcoat on it and thus could be used outside, even in the rain!

Starting with a standard circular desk lamp, I taped an 8"x10" image around it creating a lampshade.

Turned on the light and I was stunned at the effect of Kodak Thermal media as a projected light medium.

It was absolutely beautiful!  Like a personal colorama!  And there was this striking emotional quality to it.

Projected light produced some sort of sacred childhood moment, of seeing something almost magical.

To create a lantern structure, one only needed to tape two, vertical 8"x10" prints together. That created a natural cylinder.  I shared the concept with John Witzel in Kodak Marketing and John suggested adding a recycled item to form a means of hanging the lantern.  His suggestion triggered the idea of recycled oatmeal lids!  The diameter was perfect for two 8x 10 prints.

Our festival was taking place during a, local environmental conservation celebration called "Greentopia". 

That inspired bringing in a solar light company to illuminate the lanterns. Shawn Lessord of Rochester Renewable, taught me that a strand of low energy LED lights poked into the oatmeal lids would serve as connectors, so we could close pin  the lanterns to the trees.

While designing our Bragdon-inspired artistic lanterns, I kept witnessing how beautiful it was to see an ordinary photograph illuminated by projected light.  These "Moments of Your Life" photos took on a heightened emotional level in this sweet presentation.  Couples who decorate their wedding tents with Christmas lights and Japanese lanterns would be so endeared to see their own memories employed as event lanterns.  Garden parties, graduation parties, weddings, barbeques, all could be enhanced with personal, "Moments of Your Life" lanterns that would engaged your guests in conversation.

Pictured below is an example of a few "Moments of Your Life" lanterns. Please note this was an early shot lit by LED flashlights that have a blue cast. This taught me that I wanted yellow-white LEDs so the light would look like it was illuminated by candlelight.  We ordered the yellow-white light and it did produce the desired, soft candle light effect.

There was going to be a great photo exhibit of Claude Bragdon's architecture at the Home Tour's headquarters.  Having concern for those who were not available during the day to see the photo exhibit prompted us to also display the architectural photographs of Bragdon's work as projected light lanterns at our evening event. Another artist who was also one of our event coordinators was also encouraged to display her multilayer, ethereal photographic imagery, as a part of our festivities.

We now had a number of concepts.  A reproduction of Bragdon's lanterns could be made; the projected light lanterns would also be a terrific medium to display the work of a photographer and we would inspire people with an exhibit of "Moments of Your Life" lanterns for graduations, weddings etc.

1000 oatmeal lids were donated. The Rochester Oratorio Society's smaller choir, Resonanz, signed on to provide the, SONG in "Song and Light" and we named the event,"Festival of Lanterns" at the suggestion of a co-worker.

Our big night arrived. On September 15, 2012 sunset would be at 7:20pm. Folks filtered in The Rose garden toting lawn chairs, and gazing with wonder at the photographic lanterns.  Around 7pm the universally connecting sounds of a drum circle kicked off the night. It felt a party.  At 8pm, when The Rochester Oratorio Society started to sing, The Star Spangled Banner, we lit 200 Bragdon-inspired  lanterns.  People were misty eyed. Sequentially, we lit the Bragdon architectural photo exhibit, then the "Moments of Your Life" exhibit and finally my friend's, digitally multilayered, photographic art. 

People strolled, admired, and touched the lanterns. Other photographers commented that projection lanterns would be a great way to display and sell their art. Families wanted "Moments of Your Life" lanterns for their parties and their backyards.

And I got to deliver my closing line.  If a couple displayed a "Moments of Your Life", lantern at their wedding, they could take it apart and store it in a photo album. And it would be there, for their children to make a memory lantern at their own wedding. Your memories will be preserved.  It is Kodak media.

Here is a shot of the Bragdon lanterns captured at the festival by Dan Olean. Note the softness of the yellow-white LEDs.

For instructions on how to make "Moments of Your Life" lanterns, visit Kodak's Tips and Projects.

The show attracts a wide audience and over the course of the week we met with well over a hundred direct customers and channel partners from around the world – as far afield as the Americas, the Far East, South Africa, Russia and of course many from Western Europe. The tone of the meetings was collaborative; business questions formed part of the discussion as you might expect but once covered the conversations quickly moved back to the industry dynamics, strategy and what Kodak was bringing to market in 2012. Feedback was overwhelmingly positive. The apps struck a chord with everyone, not just the fact we were launching apps but the look, feel and functionality was very well received. The facebook app in particular was seen as ground breaking from Kodak. The most common question?  When can we have it?

The booth looked more contemporary than previous years. The design and show theme Connect, Create, Inspire looked great, but the future-looking feel wasn't just down to the connected devices and social media bias, it was also driven by our new G4XL order terminals. Part of our strategy is to drive inspiration back to retail – to provide those compelling reasons to go. How better to achieve that than to give consumers a state of the art immersive experience with their images on a sleek cinematic and swipeable screen?  For me this launch confirms Kodak's position as the best in class consumer interface at retail. The all-new software now provides a platform to maximise multi-touch screen functionality heralding a range of possibilities for future development. Feedback on the show floor was simply fantastic.

All areas of the booth were buzzing from start to finish.  Kodak has always been recognised for outstanding quality silver halide papers and this year saw us raise the bar again with the inclusion of a new technology across all of our range of papers. Professional photographers, laboratories and Kodak Express owners alike kept Gary Chamberlain and the team busy from early to late every day. The interest in both paper and film from Kodak was strong.   

Fireworks often accompany product launches. On Thursday we didn't quite have fireworks, but things did go with a bang. I was with Paul and Phil from the UK sales team and about to enter the demo room with a customer. This was an area set up to display our eco-system outside of the show floor bluster - an ideal location when a degree of privacy was required.  It had a glass frontage spanning several metres with a central opening which could be neatly cordoned off. Paul and Phil entered first, but as I approached the threshold an almighty explosion rocked the stand. It was like a shotgun blast. For a fleeting moment the hall fell silent as everyone wondered what the hell was going on.

I was now dazed and covered with nuggets of glass and didn't have that problem. I knew exactly what was going on. An entire glass panel had exploded into a million fragments. Most had now fallen to the floor, but the balance remained eerily suspended from the ceiling for a few moments before joining the rest in true thunderous cinematic style.  I half expected a shoeless Bruce Willis to launch across the room grab the girl and hide behind the Apex, but it didn't happen.  Just Gordon standing perfectly still as if bits of him were only superficially attached and might fall off if he moved suddenly.

Who knows what happened, perhaps the panel could no longer stand the excitement on the booth? It could be quite intense.. In any event there was no serious injury and for that we were all thankful. Within minutes the mess had vanished, the only legacy being a more airy demo room and a temporarily subdued Gordon, both of which were generally well received. (Only joking, people did prefer the more enclosed demo room).

Now the stands are dismantled, the equipment boxed and the colourful demonstrators gone. The place has a morning after feel.  As I board the plane back to London I am exhausted, but still buzzing like a light bulb. Trade shows may take their toll on everyone who takes part, but get it right and feeling of achievement, of being part of a team is wonderful.  And like every team member, I had put more of me into this show than I had thought, and wanted it to succeed more than I dared admit. And succeed it did.  After having worked in many functions it is sales where one can find the broadest emotion gamut. The lows are low, but the highs... the highs are absolutely spectacular.

And so we move back to our daily jobs and leave the glitz of Cologne behind for another two years. We may have left the city, but the show legacy is already tangible and growing every day. Such an event requires much organisation to execute and it's the people behind the curtains, the unsung heroes who make this possible. So I would like to take a moment to call out a few brave souls who provided the foundation for this event, organising the show, setting up the booth and manning all the equipment.  Not an exhaustive list by any means, but special thanks to Giuseppe, Michel Halin, Uwe, Volker, James, Gordon (now recovered!), Claire, Karen, Mike, Hauke, Bruno, Helena, Carsten, Matthias, Andreas, Gerard, Previna, Tatjana, Gitta and of course Heather who captained the ship and kept us all in line.  Well done to all!

Best Wishes

Darren

Every Photokina leaves a legacy. For Kodak in 2008 it was the launch of Apex – a revolutionary drylab which went on to lead the market a year later. Two years on and we launched our D4000 printer bringing Photobooks to retail and sowing the seeds for the creation of a new premium market in much the same way we transformed the print market a few years earlier. D4000 was now the solution of choice for one of the largest onsite photofinishers in Europe. We have a rich history of innovation in this field and expectations were high. What would be the legacy in 2012? We were about to find out.

Press Day is a key moment that sets the tone for the show and provides a barometer against which companies, products and strategies are measured. This year should be remembered for the connection of the biggest retail printing architecture in the world to every consumer touchpoint on mobile, tablet and web with the launch of Kodak apps and of course our movement to an open API. The latter may not have the immediacy of a mobile phone launch, but the switch to an open system is seismic and had the potential to change the industry. Our job was simple, to tell the story and share our vision for future growth. But in the current climate would anyone listen – would the message resonate?

The press in all their varied colours could hardly have been more attentive – quite understandable given the business backdrop, and the booth played host to a steady stream of journalists throughout the day.

What products were we launching? Who was buying the business? Why was Kodak selling the business? Does this mean the end of the Kodak brand? How were we going to drive growth in the category

All came from a genuine interest in what the future holds for Kodak's Personalized Imaging Business and were quite simply every question one might expect in the circumstances.  Each of the spokespeople lost themselves to the task in hand.  As the day wore on a pattern emerged, a consistency across the engagements. The belief in this business was strong and that strength wasn't based on some romantic notion of Kodak's history. It was based on what we were achieving today, here and now and our vision of what we would achieve in the coming years. We understand consumers, we understand the market and we absolutely understand retail. Above all we had a great business.

Whilst we are on the subject, a word on Public Relations. No-cost information sharing, vast data-highways, mobility and the birth of social networking 2.0 have changed the game here. We are moving to an age of radical transparency – a world where whatever can be known will be known, where every relationship is public. And with such a visceral shift in communication the Verbal Arms Race played out daily across the media is losing relevance – the power of staged inquisitions ranging from Polite to Spanish is fading. A world where journalists use ever more ingenious ways to ask difficult questions whilst interviewees use ever more ingenious ways of avoiding them might be an entertaining lesson in verbal dexterity but usually does little to promote understanding. Today we are all ambassadors and the interviews happen constantly across countless platforms shared with countless people. Web2.0 is driving an unparalleled devolution of power across all aspects of business from PR to collaborative consumption.

So the engagements at Photokina were well received – of course we could not answer all the questions as we don't know all the answers. But it was clear we had a great foundation, strong product launches and compelling reasons to expect a great future. 

To top off our time with the world's media we held a Press Event by invitation only on Tuesday at 6 oclock. Sixty journalists were invited and the event area was packed.  For forty-five minutes the booth was set aside to deliver a taste of the passion we have for this industry, for Kodak and printing, for the future. Phil Cullimore laid the foundation, Laura Quatela delivered an inspiring business vision and I spoke to the industry future and how change was not only inevitable, but essential. What Kodak was bringing to market this year did more than mirror current trends, it took off the blinkers for the first time and allowed everyone to visualize a new open future.  And it was exciting.

As the speeches drew to a close the jazz band (somewhat incongruously located near the Nexpress ) struck up a swing beat and place came alive.  There are few finer things in life than spending time with friends - eating, drinking and listening to a live jazz band. Of course it also provided a perfect backdrop for a more relaxed engagement with a stanza of journalists (or whatever the collective noun might be - an article perhaps?)  I wish we all could have been there.  I am only sorry I wasn't wearing sunglasses and some unusual headgear to complete the picture. Indeed the rest of the evening proved so addictive that by the time it drew to a close the stand was still buzzing with activity as both journalists and Kodak employees alike were locked in conversation. This is the first trade show I have attended where an evening spent at the show was so enjoyable – and so thoroughly productive.

So did we get the message across? Yes. Absolutely.  More than that I hope we signalled a new energy for the category, a re-invigoration of our approach.  It had been a very enjoyable and successful start to the show, but Photokina spans seven days. What was in store for the balance of the week? Find out in my next blog.

Rolling out this year is a new experience for Kodak Picture Kiosks. As you can see the monitors are now larger and wide screen. Plus the design interface has been updated. The images really pop and the swipeable navigation is easy to use.

Kodak's Mike Barry shows off the new Kiosk look in this video from the show floor at Photokina.

Photokina in Cologne, Germany

 But peer through the lens and you will find an industry steeped in emotion. Not quite Hollywood of course, but nevertheless it's emotion that provides the foundation on which this industry has flourished for over a hundred years. That innate desire within us all to relive our memories, tell stories and share our thoughts and dreams with those we care about.  

Passion is an over-used term - I saw an advertisement a few years ago by an insurance broker claiming to be passionate about insurance.  I have no doubt that statistically a very small number of people will indeed suffer from insurance passion. Unless we wish to have a series of embarrassing and fruitless conversations we should avoid these people. For photography however, passion is everywhere. If you want to see true emotion just show someone their own photographs. 

In 2012 the industry finds itself in a state of radical change. Pictures have moved from being a way to document memories to a thousand different applications. Our lives today exist as a never ending stream of images. They have become our digital fingerprint, our social currency. The advent of no-cost information sharing lies at the heart of this revolution and it affects far more than photography. The way we shop is changing fast. Phones are no longer for talking, the web is no longer an information store. The boundaries between devices are becoming blurred as all become connected access points to the wonderful world where you can buy anything from anywhere.

Four trends are redefining the face of retail:

• Consumer space is exploding to any connected device. Buy anything from anywhere
• Speed. 3 day delivery is becoming a 20^th century concept. Why wait?
• Personalisation: Easily variable data facilitates easily variable output. I want it my way.
• Experience: Prices will be transparent – customer experience is everything. 

My way, anywhere, anytime.  All wrapped up in a seamless, immersive consumer experience. 

The Kodak booth the night before Photokina begins

Since the announced sale of the Personalized Imaging Business the spotlight on Kodak had never been brighter, but as I arrived in Cologne on Sunday I did so with quiet confidence. What Kodak was launching at Photokina this year couldn't be better timed or more in tune with the zeitgeist of the age and the modern digital consumer. The story was compelling.  Kodak has the largest footprint of printing architecture at retail of any brand. What we were launching this year would extend that space into every mobile phone, tablet, laptop and desktop. The on ramps for printing were about to take a giant leap into the future with the launch of Kodak Moments apps and we had hardly started.. We were opening our API to allow any app to output to Kodak printing infrastructure at retail, a world limited only by the imagination of app developers. 

Kodak Picture Kiosks ready for demonstrations

With the depth and global distribution of Kodak printing capability at retail, we were uniquely positioned to make the leap to open architecture – who else could provide demand aggregation through a single interface so seamlessly and with such coverage? 

The course for photo output was being reset. On Sunday night a quiet confidence was building across the team. Tomorrow was Press Day and I for one couldn't wait.  This was the start of the Personalized Imaging. 

As a giant plus, before printing or saving content you can add a note, eliminate images, increase or decrease font size to help save on ink and paper.  Similar to the movement behind several e-book successes, being able to increase the size of article text enables many of the older folks out there (including myself!) to better enjoy published web article content by being able to easily read it.  

The CleanPrint Browser Tool is available for IE7+ (IE7 must have Flash installed), Firefox 3.5+, Chrome 2+, Safari 4+, and iPad.

CleanPrint Installation:

(1)   To get CleanPrint app or tool, click here: http://www.formatdynamics.com/cleanprint/

…or launch the 'Get CleanPrint' icon from your computer's desktop (loaded when you installed your Kodak AiO Home Center >7.5 software, or greater). European customers may select 'Use A4 paper.

(2) Ensure the CleanPrint tool activation link is visible in your browser's favorites bar (i.e. Internet Explorer) or bookmarks bar (Mac), etc., so you have quick access to the CleanPrint tool at anytime.

CleanPrint Usage Tutorial:

(1) Let's say you want to print instructions on how to change hair color in PhotoShop.  If you proceeded to print the image intense instructional article (link below), using your default browser, approximately 8 color rich pages will come out of your printer.  For many of us, we would likely stop short of printing altogether due to the image intense content – so we just cross our fingers and trust our memory….right?  Well, finally there is some relief in sight. Leveraging the CleanPrint article printing tool, there is now a quick and easy solution to this kind of common frustration.

(2) After you have selected a web article that you would like to optimize for printing (or e-mail / pdf), simply select 'CleanPrint' from your Favorites bar/folder.  Providing the website is compatible with the CleanPrint tool, all article content will be automatically optimized as indicated by the 'optimizing content' popup screen shown below.

(3) The article will now be displayed in the CleanPrint window and all user comments at end of article will be automatically removed.  The CleanPrint tool bar menu will appear at the left side of the article; above the article (in green) will be an estimated printed pages count.  At this point the article has an estimated page count of 5.29 pages.

(4) To further eliminate undesired article content (and thus reduce the amount of ink & paper usage), simply scroll your cursor over pictures or paragraphs that you do not have a need to print (indicated by the large red X).  In addition, you may select 'Remove Images' which will completely remove all pictures from the entire article with one click. You can also increase or decrease the size of the text and save/e-mail/pdf the article file to other destinations.

(5) After the article has been cleaned up, with only the baseline instructions/content remaining, there is now an estimated page count of 0.85 pages (barely a single page!).  When you are ready to print the fully optimized content, select the printer icon at upper left.  As a reminder, if you want the text bigger you can always select the large 'A' at left side until the desired text size is obtained.

CleanPrint Ink & Paper Savings:

Based on independent third party testing, for the same web article and workflow shown above, the actual ink and paper cost savings in this example was ~11.6 times.  At the completion of numerous web site article comparison printing tests (normal browser print vs. CleanPrint workflows), the independent testing lab concluded the average ink & paper savings was greater than 10X**.

* Ink and paper costs only. Using CleanPrint®  browser software for printing of web site printed content. Depending on the structure of the web page, CleanPrint®  may not correctly print certain web pages. Service availability may vary.

** Independent third party testing performed using the Kodak Hero 3.1 / 5.1 printer models until a complete set of the ink cartridges were fully exhausted. Ink pricing based on standard ink cartridges sold in single quantity pricing (msrp), May 2012. Average plain paper ream pack (500 sheet) pricing included in all calculations. Actual results may vary.

JUCO  represents the collaborative photographic work of Julia Galdo and Cody Cloud. The two formed JUCO after meeting at The SanFrancisco Art Institute in 2002 where Cloud received his MFA in photography and Galdo her BFA. Recently named two of "The 50 Greatest Fashion Photographers Right Now" by Complex Magazine, their work has appeared in Maxim, Teen Vogue, Hollywood Reporter, Latina,Spin and Nylon. Other clients include Nike, Sony, Microsoft, VH1, K-Swiss and Target.

Julia Galdo: We met in college and have been making images together since 2002. Initially, we wanted to shoot fashion as it allowed us to be creative in a way that no other field would yield. Through shooting fashion photography, we became more comfortable with self expression within other realms that had more structure to them - portraiture, commercial work, even sports photography.

Cody Cloud: The more our voice grew, the more people were interested in working with us because of our style and not our subject matter.  When people describe our work, people usually use the words colorful, poppy, humorous, bright. We are often asked to shoot basketball players, models, and rappers all from the same point of view, which is a wonderful challenge to figure out how to stay true to our vision.

JG: One thing that is incredibly important to us, and what we strive for more than anything is a timelessness to our work. We want people to look at our photographs 40years from now and be able to relate to them. Shooting with Kodak films, and in particular KODAK PROFESSIONAL PORTRA 400 and 160, is a major part of that process, as it gives our images and the subjects in them a character that isn't found in the digital realm.

CC: Rich skin tones allow for a better looking subject on PORTRA films. The latitude of Kodak films also lends itself for capturing everything our eyes are seeing….including the secrets that lie in the shadows and the discoveries to be found in the highlights.

JG: The way we work is very much a collaborative process, while using the strengths both of us possess to achieve a well-rounded final image or story. Cody is very much aphotography nerd. I'm more of a painterly creative. When we are assigned a project, the most collaborative process is the concepting stage.  Our interests and vision are complimentary to one another, we tend to love the same photographs, colors, patterns.

CC: When we are on set during a shoot day, I usually works on lighting with our team and Julia often times buzzes around set, making sure the clothes are right, the colors match, and the hair and make-up is beautiful. We take turns photographing, as our eyes also complement each other's point of view. Often times I shoot closer and more intimately with a subject and Julia likes seeing the subject within a space/environment.

JG: The last point, and the most important part of making our photographs is looking at a lot of photography and art. To seek inspiration, we always are searching for beautiful work, both old and new. Looking at the greats like Richard Avedon, Annie Leibovitz, Larry Sultan put into perspective how much we have to learn and grow and it's very motivating.

CC: I think that's what makes this what we do so interesting, on top of everything else we love about photography and our style of photography. It's that constant inspiration and motivation from all facets of life and all kinds of photographers. We only hope that in our own way, we can provide that same inspiration for others as well.

On Sunday, September 2, 2012 our dear friend, Harry, went to be with the Lord.  Quite sudden, considering we all knew what was inevitable? 

Our last visit with him was the previous Sunday.  I knew something was different just from the way Freeport, Mr. Cooper and Penny were behaving.  Penny, always knowing when he needed a hug, was there for him throughout our visit.  Mr. Cooper, I'm guessing he's not comfortable with death, stayed glued to my side.  And Freeport, my Guardian, my little chicken, always jumping up when it's time to leave….he knew, he just knew more than we did…..Freeport did not leave Harry's side when it was time to go home.  I called and called, and he just sat there next to Harry.  Finally, I went over and gently nudged him come with me to the door.  Freeport knew it was the last time we would see our friend.  Freeport knew he needed to stay there; alas, for me, I took him away, unknowing, but knowing to some degree that something had changed.

I dedicate this blog to Harry and all the things he taught me.  Look at the photos as they are a life story told of a life that is no longer here…

What Harry Taught Me

He taught me to laugh.

He taught me to love.

He taught me some German (I won't say what!)

He taught me that I really did like Limburger Cheese

And he taught me that I really didn't like liver and onions!

He taught me to be patient

And to listen

He taught me to be silent

And embrace the silence as a friend

He taught me to trust his Therapy dogs

And to listen to what they are telling me

Without words

But with their actions and their eyes.

Harry taught me what I need to do

To help the lives of others

I will miss you, my dear friend.

Rest easy

You taught me well…

Freeport's Last Visit

Did you know Sunday is Grandparents Day? The first Sunday after Labor Day was proclaimed National Grandparents Day in 1978, as an opportunity for grandchildren to "tap the wisdom and heritage their grandparents could provide". I know I have learned everything from how to make saurkraut to the key to growing orchids, from my Grandma.

It may not get the recognition Mother's or Father's Day gets but with 65 million grandparents in 2011 and an estimated 80 million by 2020, it seems like a day that can't be ignored. According this infographic grandparents have a huge impact on their grandchildren's lives. Certainly deserving of some attention.

If there is one thing grandparents love, it's photos of their grandchildren, whether they live around the corner or across the country. If you have time to make a photo book or just send a quick photo card, it's sure to make a Grandma or Grandpa smile this Grandparent's Day.

Family and spouses. 

All play a part in framing our lives.  Each touches us differently and for different reasons. 

Each photo, without any words, tells of memories created; life stories told.

At one of our Rally classes through Ebb Tide Kennels and Stables, an old friend made the trip out to see the dogs.  You remember Camri, our Summer R.E.A.D. student who started reading to Freeport 3 years ago?

Those of you that follow our Kodak 1000Words blog, know that we have kept in touch with her all this time.  As we get older, we end up getting involved with other things in our lives, and those frequent 'get togethers' drift further and further apart, even though they are never out of our thoughts.  Thus is the story of Camri:  Plenty of communication, but no visits.  Seeing Camri after a year went by showed me how old I am getting.  She has turned into a beautiful young lady.  And Freeport, well, he never forgets a pretty face. 

So happy to see her – a true Berner smile:

The vegetable garden stories, so many to tell, but one photo that explains it all:

A chance meeting with my step-daughter at the local farmer's market resulted in blueberry picking with 4 of my grandchildren!

And, my grandson HAD to say hello to his favorite buddy, Freeport!

A trip to New York City to bring my dad back to spend some time with us warranted leaving the dogs with Dick and Carol – oh, to be so lucky!  It appears that their granddaughter and Penny have become quite attached to each other:

And, well, you just can't leave out their grandson, Freeport or Mr. Cooper:

Returning from NYC, we needed to pick up the dogs.

Thus begins Freeport's purpose – to be a guardian of those that he senses needs him:

Back at the house, all is as it should be:

Babysitting the grandchildren:

Of course, Penny, coming into her own, feels the need to protect as well:

Our visit to Harry's home:

And, just in case he drops that cookie!

Meanwhile, Mr. Cooper is keeping Larry company:

My Penny, her ability to know just when she is needed, well, it's just uncanny:

Meeting up with my sister at Presque Island in PA; the dogs enjoying the water:

Looking around, I find Freeport, my guardian, watching over my dad:

When everyone is back where they came from, the house is empty, the dogs are tired:

Clearwater's Freeport Seeket – the Guardian, smiles for a job well done.  Awaiting another day. 

More photos, more memories, more life stories to tell:

Labor Day is upon us and you may be planning an end of summer picnic feast. I saw a tweet for some printable Labor Day coupons that would come in handy for a picnic shopping trip to the grocery store. These Labor Day Printable Coupons were posted by MoneySavingQueen.com. There are a lot of great coupon blogs for anyone looking to save a few bucks. Right now they have a lot of great back to school coupons too.

moneysavingqueen.com

thefrugalgirls.com

coupongeek.net

coupondad.net

frugallythrifty.net

coupongal.net

couponproblog.com

If you like saving money and you print out a lot of coupons, check out the Kodak Inkjet printers that are on special promotions at Staples, WalMart, and Target. They are a great deal and if you are someone that prints a lot (like coupons every week) you can save money printing with a Kodak printer.

You can enter your own Kodak Picture of the Day.

My first vacation this summer was our family's annual trip to the Outer Banks.

Note how the dogs managed to find their way onto many pages of this photo book.

I like the feature where I can set another photo to be the background and I strategically plan a matching theme for each page.

I was super fortunate to have two vacations this summer and visited Hawaii for the first time. That was a picture taking extravaganza.

I plan on making a BIG photo book for the Hawaii trip, but these small photo books are so cute I couldn't help making an "overview" edition. I consider it practice for the final all encompassing photo book.

Right now these small photo books are only $5 plus FREE shipping! It's such a good deal, I am tempted to go on another vacation just so I can make another photo book - hah!

These photo books are available on the My Kodak Moments app on Facebook. It pulls in photos from your Facebook albums so there are some nice features like keeping your photo captions. You can still hide or edit those captions if you like, but it's a time saver.

To start your photo book you will find the My Kodak Moments app here --> kodak.ly/MKMFBApp