Thoughts on PDN PhotoExpo NYC 2007

**MJSfoto1956** · 22-Oct-2007, 17:38

Just got back from the latest PhotoExpo in New York.
Here are some observations (in no particular order):

practically nothing shown on the floor regarding darkroom equipment -- you can surmise that practically speaking, the darkroom is essentially dead from a retail point of view
film being actively promoted by Kodak (less so by Fuji)
scanners starting to be promoted less visibly than in past years (although they are still very much in demand)
digicams of every size and shape were shown everywhere
several big announcements in medium format digital (including the big news that Hasselblad is dropping their H2 line of cameras and going to the closed H3 system)
lots of new papers both inkjet and analog
a dizzying variety of tripods from nearly a dozen manufactures, many of which weigh significantly less than equivalent technology of just 10 years ago
huge variety of camera bags for nearly every type of photographer
waaaay too much wedding photography suppliers hawking everything from albums and books to software and online sales sites
still a good deal of large format stuff if you know where to look
small vendors are alive and well -- many catering to medium and large format

More later...

**Bob Salomon** · 22-Oct-2007, 17:42

Should have come by our booth. We were showing the new Technika 3000 and the new shift adapter for the Technorama 617.

**MJSfoto1956** · 22-Oct-2007, 17:45

Originally Posted by Bob Salomon - HP Marketing

Should have come by our booth. We were showing the new Technika 3000 and the new shift adapter for the Technorama 617.

I came by three times -- each time I waited over 5 minutes to chat but you were so damn busy with others!!!

Your other helpers did show me your new items tho...

**Bob Salomon** · 22-Oct-2007, 17:52

Great.

**MJSfoto1956** · 22-Oct-2007, 17:58

here is a photo of a cool dude who was hanging 'round the show with a way cool camera:

I got to chat with him and he had a pretty damn impressive portfolio of some unusual Polaroid portraits. Just goes to show that LF is alive an well!

**Helen Bach** · 22-Oct-2007, 18:29

That's Lewis.

**naturephoto1** · 22-Oct-2007, 18:49

Originally Posted by Bob Salomon - HP Marketing

Should have come by our booth. We were showing the new Technika 3000 and the new shift adapter for the Technorama 617.

Bob,

Thanks for taking the time to show and let me handle the new Linhof Master Technika 3000. Beautiful camera and it does have that Linhof feel and precision.

Rich

**David A. Goldfarb** · 22-Oct-2007, 19:15

Lewis is around wherever people are dressed up and might want to be photographed for a few bucks. I've run into him in the Village on Halloween, on Times Square, and in front of gospel shows with a crew of two other guys, also shooting Polaroid pack film in Graphics, photographing as many church ladies in their extravagant hats as they can before the show starts and at intermission. If I'm carrying my Technika he usually nods and smiles or we might exchange a few words if he has a lull and we're on the same side of the street.

**Greg Lockrey** · 23-Oct-2007, 00:42

Bless him! May the photo gods smile on him.

I wonder if he's making a living just doing this or if it's an opportunity sideline?

**Steven Barall** · 23-Oct-2007, 12:01

The industry has changed in recent years and the Photo Expo is just a reflection of that. Vendors participate in the show because feel that they have something to gain. The weddings, events and seniors portraits businesses are a huge chunk of the photo industry so that's where the investment money is going to go as far as the vendors are concerned.

Digitalrailroad.net is the perfect example of how the business and the Photo Expo have changed. They are a web based international stock photo provider and they had a large presence at the Photo Expo. The thing is that the photographers get to maintain their own identities and personality within the structure of the agency so they don't feel like lost lambs as so many do in the structure of Getty or Corbis.

Digitalrailroad provides photographers with ways to make money and also a level of control that weren't easily available to them in the past. This is similar to the way that Photoshop and Epson can give photographers new revenue streams and greatly increased control over their production. This is what the new photo business is all about and of course it's going to be reflected in the makeup of the vendors at the Photo Expo.