PMA Magazine - Connecting the Imaging Communities articles from November 2008

PMA Magazine - Connecting the Imaging Communities archives from November 2008

Tech help.(Newsline)
November 1, 2008... Customers wont new technology gadgets; but once out of the box, that new camera, software program, or mobile phone can be a little overwhelming. Overland Pork, Kan.-based Sprint Nextel Corp. is stepping up to help consumers decipher and use...

PMA data watch: the evolution of the retail specialty photo business.(Newsline)
November 1, 2008... A popular question among specialty photo retailers is what else would their customers be interested in buying at their stores? The question comes in reaction to weakening sales of standard photo prints and the foreseen slowdown in digital...

Pet portraits for a cause.(Newsline)
November 1, 2008... Your local drugstore may not be the first place that comes to mind for a new portrait of your pooch or kitty. This September, however, nearly 3,000 Walgreens stores across the United States participated in a Pet Photo Shoot benefiting Delta...

Safari video game focuses on photography.(Newsline)
November 1, 2008... While many video games seem to center around shooting other characters, Sony released a new game solely focused on shooting photos of African wildlife. In August, Sony Corp., Tokyo, Japan, released the Afrika safari game in Japan for its...

What the duck.(Cartoon)
November 1, 2008... I SPEND ALL MY TIME HELPING OTHERS PROMOTE THEIR BUSINESSES AND SELL THEIR PRODUCTS, BUT MY OWN SITE HASN'T BEEN UPDATED IN MONTHS. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] TELL ME ABOUT IT. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] NO, SERIOUSLY. ...

Future imaging insight: 6Sight offers event for imaging leaders Nov. 18-20 in Monterey, Calif.(Connections)(Conference news)
November 1, 2008... The annual 6Sight Future of Imaging Conference returns to Monterey, Calif., this month to provide another look at emerging trends and technologies shaping the future of the imaging business. Cohosted by Future Image Inc., and the...

To trade or not to trade: how relevant is the used camera market today, and how has it changed?(Trends & Technology)
November 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] So, this guy walks into your store carrying an original Minolta Maxxum 35mm SLR, and he wants to trade it in on a new DSLR. What do you do? Take the camera in trade, giving him a token amount of money; tell him he'd...

Retail wisdom: photo industry veteran Ronald W. Inkley talks about lessons he learned as a specialty retailer.(Viewpoint)
November 1, 2008... Let's talk about the education that has cost me millions in tuition. A wise person once said you should learn from the mistakes of others, because you will not live long enough to make them all yourself. If I'd only known then what I know now,...

The right decision: after adding photo books in 2007, New Zealand retailer sees steady demand.(Business & Marketing)
November 1, 2008... Nearly two years ago, Steve Worley and his wife Lea added photo books to the service mix. It turned out to be the right decision at the right time. The Worleys, of Yes Photo & Digital (Wanaka Imaging Ltd.), Wanaka, New Zealand, purchased...

Customer engagement: PMA Canada Exposition discussed new ways to interact with consumers and increase photo excitement.(Connections)
November 1, 2008... The whole point of being in business is to stay in business, make some money, and hopefully get some enjoyment from the process. The idea behind any PMA show is to give insights into how to do it all better, easier, and faster--with a few...

In compliance: read the specifics on how photo chemistry contributes to copper drainpipe corrosion.(Connections)
November 1, 2008... Q: We have problems with the copper drainpipes corroding away, The plumbing inspector wants us to replace the copper drains with more copper drains, How do I explain to him the reaction of photo chemistry on copper drains? A: The key thing...

Season of success: retail professionals offer tips for successful sales despite tough economic times.(Business & Marketing)
November 1, 2008... Caution: Discretionary spenders ahead! According to the National Retail Federation (NRF), poor housing markets, expensive fuel, and increasing food prices have tightened consumer spending. With the careful purchasing habits seen throughout the...

Mural innovations: artist Holly Alderman discusses the art of transparent photography.(Trends & Technology)
November 1, 2008... Holly Alderman is an artist. The fact we're writing about her here might lead one to think her work is somehow related to photography, which is correct; but unlike a photo artist whose framed prints are the end product, for Alderman the image...

Golden years: Louisiana-based Primary Color Lab weathers many changes en route to its 50th anniversary.(Business & Marketing)
November 1, 2008... A half-century after it opened, Primary Color Laboratory Inc., Kenner, La. (www.primarycolorlab.com), is still going strong. While the digital imaging firm, which mainly serves portrait and wedding photographers, bears little resemblance to its...

A parental perspective: California photographer paves her own way in school market.(Trends & Technology)
November 1, 2008... Despite naysayers telling her she would never succeed in the school portrait business, California-based photographer Linda Russell has proven the doubters wrong. Russell, who has been a professional photographer for 18 years, got her start...

Jennifer revisited: are Generation-X moms still the powerhouse demographic? Photo retailers who redesigned with Jennifer in mind discuss the role she plays now.(Business & Marketing)
November 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] At PMA 06 and PMA 07, The Complete Picture inspiration center gave photo retailers ideas on designing their stores to appeal to that highly sought demographic nicknamed Jennifer--those 30ish to 40ish morns whose...

Back to the future: Biennial European show, photokina, forecasts new technology trends.(Trends & Technology)
November 1, 2008... The sprawling biennial European photokina trade show has traditionally been an indicator of new technology trends. The 2008 edition, held Sept. 23-28 in Cologne, Germany, not only indicated new technology trends, but a rejuvenation of some...

Beyond megabytes: speed, affordability, and increased capacity are changing the memory card market.(Trends & Technology)
November 1, 2008... Francis Smith has no idea what a memory card is. The 82-year old great-grandmother living in Michigan doesn't comprehend the idea of storing pictures and video on a pint-sized card, but she daily appreciates the slide show of images that scroll...

Better business: trend analyst Laura Heller discusses how to use technology blogs to your advantage.(Business & Marketing)
November 1, 2008... You don't have to be well-versed on computer technology to know blogging has moved from the realm of hobbyists to big business. Everyone from your child's kindergarten teacher to the CEOs of major corporations is blogging. Maybe even you, dear...

Quality storage: Rickard Gudbrand, technical training manager of Swedish media testing company AudioDev AB, talks about what to look for when storing photos on optical media.(Parting Shot)
November 1, 2008... Recordable optical discs, such as CD-R and DVD-R, and the upcoming BD-R, are doing a very good job of storing digital information, such as music, documents, and family photos. For these purposes, the recordable optical disc is perfectly suited,...