Photos cure loneliness & gearing up for school season

Photography News that's Fit to Blog (This Week)
by Kerry Raminiak

News outlets are quiet, as expected, this official first-week of July. Digging deep we found out more about these headlines.

Kodak study finds photography is a solution to loneliness
It may be a bit of a stretch but a new study from Kodak that commissioned Judy Weiser (notable expert of the value and usability of PhotoTherapy techniques) indicates that photography has been found to help people build stronger relationships and that such are in dire need as a void has been created by the proliferation of less meaningful relationships multiplied by social media outlets. I encourage you to read the summary here. Your opinions are welcome as I am staying out of this one.

Digital photo frame ownership doubles between 2007 and 2008
According to PMA Marketing Research, 22 percent of U.S. households owned a digital photo frame in 2008, doubling from the previous year citing that previous year products had very specific impediments such as cost, connectivity and lack of features. The influence of social media outlets and the resultant prevalence of digital photo sharing is seen as a driver. A study by In-Stat indicates that desires are echoed in requests for integrated wireless connectivity and that digital photo frames are predicted to reach 50 million and that 8-inch frames will come in below $36 by 2013. To purchase or learn more about the In-Stat digital photo frame study, click here.

Nikon and Fujitsu establish a joint company
Nikon’s subsidiary Nikon Systems Inc. and Fujitsu Broad Solution & Consulting Inc. have established a join company to “accelerate the speed and quality of firmware development,” particularly software built into devices that control hardware. This is an important decision for both companies as all previous digital cameras built by either company utilized proprietary and locally developed firmware. Source PMAI.org.

How to get into school photography
We are putting together a new Assembly edition promotion to get school and sport team and individual photographers lined up for the season (stay tuned). In the meantime there are three avenues for furthering your education on the school photography business model:

• (Free) PSPA panel on PMA TV discusses ways to reach the school decision maker and how to get into yearbook (when you click the link you have to find the topic called “School Administrator/Decision Maker Panel” in the lower box)
  
  
• (Free with purchase of DARKROOM Assembly Edition) Desktop Darkroom hosts a free, individual, online and phone training session for anyone that purchases DARKROOM Assembly edition (the only all-in-one, no-lease-required school and sport T&I software on the market).
  
  
• (Not free; $449) Marathon Press hosts the School Photography Bootcamp with Chris Wunder during a 5-day workshop this month in Dallas, Texas.