Fascinating photos in front of the Press Centre North show in chronological order the diversity of possibilities to play the gallery as a photographer – volitional or accidentally. It becomes apparent how characteristic self portraits can be developed through technique, light and shadows.

Using the mirror for own frontal photographs or hiding one’s self through reflexion in other’s pupil – apparently there are no boundaries set to the photographer’s fantasy. Eye-catching for visitors is the artful handling of light and shadow. All the photographs developed from that, show quite primitively the creator as physical object which still highlights the individuality of every person.

The impressive exhibition can be seen in Congress Centre North, 1^st floor within the daily opening hours. For further information visit http://www.akg-images.com/photokina2010/ENG/indexE.html

With numerous Topics like Social Media, new trends in digital- and smartphone- photography, the digital world and movies as well as important information for retailers the K-Zone is an interesting meeting point at photokina 2010.

The K-Zone will be simulcast via www.kzonelive.com . Missed a show? Then go to www.kodak.com/go/photokina to watch the latest videos.

It’s photokina time once again, and naturally Guido Karp is in Cologne for this flagship show. This year the renowned photographer of famous rock acts such as Robbie Williams, the Rolling Stones, Bon Jovi, and AC/DC has invited along some of the world’s best photographers to present their work onstage in Hall 9. And, once again, visitors to photokina will have a chance to have their pictures taken by these world-class practitioners of their art. Each day of the trade fair will showcase a special theme, ranging from weddings to fashion and music.

Setting the ball rolling on Tuesday will be Mike Larson, the well-known wedding photographer from the U.S. He will be portraying married couples who turn up in their wedding outfits. All brides and grooms who would like to have a wedding photograph taken by one of the world’s best wedding photographers should therefore take a peek in the closet and see whether they still fit into their bridal gowns and wedding suits. Only those who appear on stage in the appropriate garb will have a chance to be selected by Mike Larson for a wedding photo opportunity.

Wednesday’s theme is fashion. Steve Thornton, a “genuine cowboy” from the U.S. and one of the world’s leading fashion photographers, will be on the lookout for models among the general public at photokina. According to Steve, all that potential subjects need to bring along is a sense of fun and an enthusiasm for modeling. He will take care of styling and everything else required to produce a perfect fashion photo!

Thursday’s special guest will be advertising photographer Tim Mantoani, who also has an exhibition of his own work at photokina. Mantoani will be on hand to take glossy images of photokina visitors in a quality that could grace any advertising campaign.

On Friday the stage will be set for Guido Karp, the photographer of famous rock stars. Karp will be taking photos of all visitors who come to photokina as solo artists or band members, complete with a musical instrument. Anyone who has always fancied himself or herself as a pop idol and would also like the photographic evidence — including clouds of dry ice and concert lighting — to prove it, should make sure to visit the stage in Hall 9 on September 24.

Saturday’s featured star is the well-known Playboy photographer David Mecey, who will be screening the general public for models willing to take part in a bikini shoot. Mecey has been taking photographs for Playboy since 1979. The celebrities captured by his lens include Brooke Shields, Carmen Electra, and Sharon Stone.

On Sunday a talented young photographer will be given an opportunity to demonstrate his or her skills on stage. As ever, models will be selected from among the general public.

Each day, in the intervals between the three shooting blocks, the world’s leading photographers will also take time to divulge some of the secrets of the trade, including the tricks they use to get the best possible pictures, how they came to their careers in photography, and the best ways to achieve better photos. Of particular interest to the professional photographers in the audience will be their tips on how to land the top jobs and thus gain a foothold in the elect circle of star photographers. The guest photographers will be on stage in Hall 9 from 10:00 a.m. onward, and the selection for the first shooting session will start at 10:30 a.m.

Further information on the individual theme areas can be found in the press section of the photokina website at www.photokina.de/newsroom

Together with its partner ScanBull, photokina 2010 will enable visitors to the World of Imaging to look into the future: At the special show area “World of 3D at photokina powered by ScanBull,” visitors to the World of Imaging will have a chance to become fascinated by the range of different possibilities of the third dimension for photography and film. Here cutting-edge digital technology makes it possible to blend together objects from real life and realistic 3D environments. The World of 3D also shows the photokina trade visitors how new areas of business can be accessed by means of 3D scanning and 360° photography.
Visitors to the 3D café “The drunken photographer,” for instance, are able to have themselves animated in 3D and directly inserted into a realistic scene of everyday life, explore the surroundings and be amazed by fascinating effects. photokina visitors also can experience true to life 3D animation with an altered reality in the True Lies Area. And fans of virtual worlds can listen to music in an entirely new way at Magic Music: Here artists on the stage present attractions and play instruments, for example, that the visitor can hear and see in 3D only when wearing special glasses.

In the “3d-mystic tunnel,” 3D technologies are used to easily — but also amazingly — make connections between virtuality and reality. What’s more, the visitors to a modern 3D movie theater will be very impressed by the latest possibilities that can be realized with 3D animation. Every visitor can place himself or herself into a film, change things, and experience 3D scenes they make themselves, in real time. The observer thus becomes the protagonist, is placed in realistic and comprehensible scenes that display characteristics similar to that of one’s usual environments. This evokes the feeling of reality and of being connected to what is depicted. 

Under the motto “Yes I Scan,” visitors to the special show can bring along objects and have them scanned in. At a 360° 3D scanning competition, the most interesting 3D scan models can afterwards be rated and honored daily. The winner has the chance to win a 3D ScanBook QuickCap Professional and take part in a workshop in the ScanBull training center with all the other winners.

The presentation on the 500 square meter special area “World of 3D at photokina powered by Scanbull” in Hall 4.1 (A-020 /A-028) will be perfectly complemented by the exciting, whole-day program features including discussions, activities and live presentations — in keeping with the motto: “Touch – Experience – Understand.” The topics range from the question of what effects 3D technology is having on photography to the possibilities of product photography in 3D to business-oriented offerings concerning creative lighting for animation, generating 3D content, and addressing questions about the market and potential of the world of 3D.

You can find further information about the individual topic areas in the press section of the photokina website at www.photokina.de/newsroom.

Effectively immediately, photokina — the world’s largest international photography and imaging trade fair — is partnering with friendticker (www.friendticker.de/), Germany’s first geolocation service.  Visitors to photokina 2010 can win prizes by Kodak (www.kodak.de / www.facebook.com/KodakDeutschland) with a total value of €2,200.

One click can really pay off for all trade fair visitors who check in to photokina from September 21 to 26 with their smartphone or directly via the Internet.  They will be automatically entered in a drawing for valuable equipment provided by Kodak. Each day, a package consisting of a Kodak EasyShare M580 digital camera and a Kodak ESP 7250 multifunctional printer will be awarded in a drawing to one of the visitors who have logged in via friendticker at photokina. Like all of the new models in the Kodak M series, the digital camera is equipped with the expanded Share button. This button is used to mark pictures and videos directly in the camera and upload them at the push of a button to social platforms such as Facebook, YouTube and others. The Kodak printer can be used to make lab-quality prints of photographs at home, even directly from a smartphone. The prints feature brilliant and long-lasting colors and are immediately smudge- and waterproof. The winner will be notified at 5:00 p.m. each day via friendticker and can pick up his or her prize on the “Meet the Communities” stage in Hall 5.1.

Anyone interested in not just the possibilities of modern photography but also in contemporary marketing can learn more about the friendticker application at the company’s stand. Dr. Florian Resatsch, the founder and CEO of friendticker, is pleased to be partnering with photokina. “Not only do we have the opportunity to make our brand accessible to a broad public, the users also benefit from the admission tickets and possibly a new Kodak digital camera and multifunction printer. Friendticker is more than just a simple and efficient mobile marketing channel. It also offers real added value to the users.”

About friendticker

friendticker is a combination of social network, geolocation service and real-time search engine that can be used both via the stationary Internet and via smartphones such as the iPhone or Android devices. The application provides companies and advertisers with a mobile marketing platform enabling them to precisely adapt campaigns for the target group and to interact with customers at the point of demand. Large companies and brands such as DailyDeal, unimall, and the Grand Hotel Esplanade in Berlin are already benefiting from the mobile and customizable marketing channel offered by the location-based service.

friendticker rewards user check-ins with so-called ITEMs. These virtual goods represent the real products associated with the location that users receive after reaching a certain total. The choice of goods is left to the advertisers and marketing managers, who can select products that are an optimal match to the company’s communications.

friendticker is a service of servtag GmbH, which was established in Berlin in 2008 by Martin Pischke, Dr. Florian Resatsch, and Uwe Sandner. 
Information / links:

http://friendticker.de/                       

Press contact:

Maren Fliegner

presse@friendticker.de

Tel.: +49 (30) 2576205 24

Photography is undergoing rapid change

The same devices can be used to take videos and photographs, and the results can be viewed, processed, stored, and shared using the same equipment. Camcorders are becoming photo cameras, while photo cameras are becoming camcorders. But that is only the first step, since the digital recording systems to be exhibited at photokina can take videos and photographs at the same time. The systems automatically ensure photographers never miss the right moment since they enable them to rapidly take a whole series of individual pictures by simply pushing the shutter button. Intelligent automatic systems take care of the rest and can even select the best picture in a series. This is the case, for example, with the Best Image Selection feature of the Canon Ixus 1000 HS.

The question of whether to film or photograph will also become irrelevant for anyone who would like to have a standard 10 x 15 paper print from a HD video recording. That’s because both the trade’s new Kodak Picture Kiosks with their video snapshots feature and the new software with a full HD movie print function for the Canon Pixma Printer (e.g. iP4850) make it possible to print individual images of a video clip.

What’s most important about the cross-category features is not only that they allow a single device to record full HD films as well as take photographs, but that the pictures can be quickly and easily uploaded to social networking platforms like Facebook, flickr or YouTube. In addition to enabling the photographer or video enthusiast to determine at the camera which photo or video clip will be put online, the recording device comes with software (e.g. Nikon ViewNX 2) that can automatically take the user to the desired Internet platform when the camera is connected to the PC or notebook computer and, if necessary, also convert the photos and videos to the required Web format (e.g. Panasonic HDC-SDX1). The latest generation of PJ series Nikon Coolpix digital cameras can not only display their own photos and videos on a wall or a screen using their integrated projector, but also presentations stored in a laptop or PC. The new digital cameras from Kodak now come with an integrated share button, which enables users to immediately mark pictures so that the selected images are automatically uploaded to Facebook, YouTube or the Kodak Gallery when the camera is hooked up with a PC.

The extension of the moment

The times in which a single shot was enough to capture an important moment are past. In the future, the perfect picture will consist of several individual photographs. The latest digital cameras from Canon, Fuji, Nikon, Olympus, and Ricoh use several shots made in succession to optimize the resulting image. The image processor does this by selecting the optimally captured details from a number of individual photographs and puts these together to form a new, perfect picture. This technology can create low-noise photos in poor lighting conditions. This is the case, for example, with the Ricoh CX4, whose “night landscape multi-shot mode” combines four exposures into a single photograph for reduced image noise.

The latest generation Sony Cybershot cameras such as the TX9 reduce color noise by taking up to six separate shots, from which they then combine the best exposed details into a new photograph.

Another Sony feature is the Background Defocus mode, in which the camera takes two shots: one with a sharp foreground and one with a blurry background. As a result, even a compact camera can create an image that generally only SLR cameras can achieve with a large aperture. The Pro Focus feature of the new compact cameras from Fuji similarly uses two or three separate shots.

Camera manufacturers are also using the multi-shot technique to adjust the dynamic range so that highlights and shadow areas in the motif can still show great detail. For example, when in HDR mode, the new Canon PowerShot S95 takes three shots with different exposures which are then combined into a high dynamic range image.

Circumventing the laws of optics

Another example of how the new, software-based multi-shot techniques are being used is in the seamless merging of individual images to create impressive panoramas, the coverage of which far exceed the angle of view of the lens used. While it used to be necessary to carefully overlap individual images and join them either in the camera or on the PC, photographers now only have to sweep the camera around to capture such a wide image. (Sony Sweep Panorama feature, Fujifilm Motion Panorama).

The multi-shot technique can also be used to control how much of the image is sharp. To do this, many individual shots are taken at different ranges and subsequently merged from front to back to create a single image that is sharp throughout. A still very recent technology that is expected to appear at photokina as a result of several patent applications is the combination of shots taken with and without a flash to create a low-noise image with “Available Light” properties.

Expanding into the third dimension

3D images are not only taking cinemas showing Hollywood blockbusters by storm, but increasingly living rooms as well. A trend that always ignited discussions at photokina in the past is now about to achieve a breakthrough and become a dominant feature. Photo cameras and camcorders for high-quality 3D recordings will give images an additional dimension. As a result, 3D-capable cameras and camcorders and lenses and close-up lenses that make 2D devices 3D-capable will be among the highlights at this year’s photokina. Panasonic, for example, will present a 3D lens for its series of G Micro System digital cameras as well as 3D-capable camcorders and TVs.

After having ushered in the beginning of three-dimensional digital photography at photokina 2008, Fujifilm will now present the next generation of devices at the trade fair in Cologne: the FinePix Real 3D W3. The new camera has two separate high-quality recording systems, enabling it to shoot 3D HD videos and photos of up to 10 megapixels. Viewers do not need to wear 3D glasses to experience the three-dimensional effect on the large camera display. The pictures can be viewed on any 3D-capable TV set for an impressive viewing experience. Among the advanced features of the new 3D camera generation are time-delay shoots of the right and left halves of a picture, an Interval mode, and Parallax Control that allows users to adjust the 3D image.

Expanding the scope of creativity

The large number of smart automatic features is making it increasingly easier for photographers and video enthusiasts to achieve outstanding results. Users no longer need to have any photography skills to make professional looking pictures or videos. In most cases, users only need to push the shutter button to take a technically perfect picture of a particular scene. At the same time, the number of individually adjustable parameters has become virtually limitless. Photographic equipment can now create pictures which only exist in the photographer’s imagination. As a result, there is practically no limit to the creativity of the users. Whereas such image adjustments were previously made on the computer with high-performance image processing software, many effects can now be produced when taking or showing the images with the camera. Olympus took a pioneering role in this field early on with its ART filter and Magic Filter functions. Almost all camera manufacturers now offer shooting modes and abstraction effects like the cross processing, fisheye view, pinhole camera, pop art, and monochrome functions in the latest-generation cameras. In addition, some models also have features that simulate the effects of conventional films (e.g. Fujifilm Finepix F300EXR).

The abstraction effects are supplemented by image optimization functions that enable cameras to automatically straighten crooked images. In the latest generation of products, the camera manufacturers are offering functions such as Samsung’s Smart Crop feature that straighten images of paintings or flip charts and correct converging verticals caused by pointing the camera upward when taking pictures of tall buildings. 

The new class society

Two new categories of cameras have established themselves on the digital camera market, of which they are now set to gain a substantial share: compact cameras with interchangeable lenses and pocket-sized hybrid minicams. The two types of devices can be used to take photographs as well as record videos. An outstanding property of minicams is that they can be easily connected to social networks like Facebook, YouTube, and flickr, which focus on image sharing and communication. Photographs and videos have become an important means of getting attention and recognition and they let people share their lives with families and friends.

At photokina, Kodak, Panasonic, Samsung, and others will exhibit new devices of this class, which enable users to upload images to the Internet at the push of a button. The trend towards personalization is also being assisted by the fact that camcorder housings can be tailored to suit individual tastes. Not only is Panasonic’s new Facebook and YouTube-compatible TA1 series available in four different color variants, users can also choose from a wide range of design foils for the housing, and even print it their own creations.

Panasonic has recognized the trend towards personalization for these devices, which are particularly popular among young consumers. The company has therefore made it possible for buyers to use skins to give their new TA1 HD Mobile Camera a design of their own choosing.

 New system camera developments

Ever since they were introduced to the market two years ago, mirrorless system cameras with interchangeable lenses have shown capabilities that have impressed amateur and professional users despite the cameras’ compact size. The range of these lightweight cameras is now much broader, and that applies both to the Micro Four Thirds devices from Panasonic and Olympus as to the APS-C sensor cameras from Samsung and Sony. photokina 2010 will help decide which of the cameras from this class, which are in between compact zoom cameras and SLR systems, will take the lead. This newest camera category is expected to generate the most important technological and functional innovations in the future.

The possibility of separating the viewfinder and the lens from each other laid the basis for this new class of cameras. This principle will be further developed in the new products that will be unveiled at photokina 2010. Modular systems are conceivable, in which the viewfinder display, memory unit, and imaging module would function as separate components that would wirelessly communicate with one another. 

The hardware follows the software

High-performance image processing systems for both professionals and home users will make it easier for people to optimize, store, and use digital images, and at the same time make them more versatile. In addition, they will pave the way for a new category of accessories. Electronically controlled tripod heads for the precise shooting of partial images for panorama pictures and precision focusing rails for the true-to-scale shifting of the plane of focus as well as holders for the comfortable use of SLR cameras when filming (Gitzo, Novoflex) help photographers edit HDR images or assist them in taking photos with an extended depth of field as well as individual images that are subsequently combined into panorama pictures.

Image communication needed for mobility

Craft skills have more or less become obsolete in photography. Instead, photography has gained new fans as a result of new creative possibilities and fast image communication via the Internet and cellular phones. Images (whether photographs or videos) have become the most important and popular means of communication through which we remain in contact with the world while at home or on the road. That’s one of the reasons why many manufacturers will display new image-sharing systems at photokina 2010. The solutions with which the imaging industry wants to simplify and accelerate image communication range from integrated W-LAN interfaces and foldout USB plugs to firmware based transfer software for quickly uploading images from the camera directly to the Internet. People who take pictures while on the move want to know later on where a specific image was taken. Thanks to positioning technologies like GPS, an increasing number of cameras can do this either by themselves or with the help of accessories. Some cameras can even display information stating where the photographer is located and what he or she is taking a picture of (Nikon, Panasonic, Samsung, Eye-Fi).

Accessories now an important commercial market

Normal and rechargeable batteries, add-on filters, tripods, and bags for photographic equipment are just some examples of accessories whose capabilities, breadth, flexibility, and style are changing. Tripods have to meet a wide variety of needs. While some have to be usable everywhere, others have to be lightweight, be made of strong materials, or have high-quality workmanship. There’s no limit to the requirements. Camera bags for the consumer market take the user’s individual style increasingly into account and are so flexible in design that they can also be used for leisure activities other than photography. The larger sized bags have a compartment for holding notebook computers as standard and their color and style are oriented to the current fashion tastes of young consumers. However, there are also bags for people who prefer a classic elegant style, as well as for outdoor photographers who have high demands with regard to the good workmanship of durable materials.

photokina 2010 will show what tasks images have to perform as the most important means of communication in the world today. The focus is no longer on the artistic representation of the motif in all of its aspects. Pictures and videos preserve memories and depict the latest experiences and emotions so that they can be shared with others. In an age of globalization and increased mobility, people often are far away from each other or retire for a while so that they can find peace and quiet. Images help keep people in touch, ensure they can get attention and recognition, and enrich communication. As a result, it’s very important that people can not only photograph motifs at any location, at any time, and under all conceivable conditions, but also make these images easily available to others via the Internet. photokina documents the current image culture and how things will develop in the future.

The world of imaging is increasingly shaping our lifestyles. When they meet at photokina 2010, all of the sector’s leading manufacturers will once again display pioneering products, systems, and solutions that will dramatically change how we deal with images and also expand communication by means of images and make it even more multifaceted.

You can find further information on the individual topic areas in the press section of the photokina website at news.photokina.de/en.

As always in the John Sinclair series, in his newest story, Jason Dark – master of his craft – draws from the rich depths of the horror novel tradition to strike fear into the hearts of the PIONEERS community. “Blood Forest” leaves nothing to be desired: the story is romantic, exciting and macabre at the same time. However, it is open ended – and here lies the challenge for all photo and video enthusiasts who want to take part in the contest “Unseen images for unheard words”. The mission is to tell the end of the story using images or a video. This time literature doesn’t just create images in the mind but also in the photokina web community!

The contest ends on September 9, 2010 and will drive the participating PIONEERS out into the woods with their cameras. The winners, who produce the most convincingly frightening footage, will receive  packages of John Sinclair novels and audio books – signed by the master himself. At the photokina, Jason Dark will personally read his version of the ending for the story on the “Meet the Communities” stage and will then present the winners with their prizes. The highlight: the best ‘horror images’ by the PIONEERS will be shown on the big screen.

The beginning of the story and the terrifying contributions by the PIONEERS will be available starting August 26, 2010 on www.photokina-pioneers.com. It’s well worth taking part – and most definitely worth visiting and reading!

 In addition to an extraordinary prize competition, the partnership will encompass photographic travel tours, several of which will be held until September 2011 and be accompanied by a professional photographer from Germany. The China tours, which are of varied length (9 and 16 days), also include workshops and photo safaris so that participants not only gain an overview of the country and its people, but can also improve their photographic skills.

A prize competition will also be held (www.China-Gewinnspiel.de), in which the participants have the chance of winning either one of four trips for two people to China or travel vouchers.

About China Holidays

China Holidays is one of the most prominent German tour operators specializing in trips to China. In addition to round-trip tours and individual tour components, the company also offers city trips and individual trip arrangements. Through the company’s connection with Caissa Touristic (Group) AG, China Holidays customers benefit from the advantages offered by a renowned corporate group. Caissa is one of the largest organizers of trips to Europe operating in the Chinese market, and it has its own offices in Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangzhou. Its European offices are located in Hamburg, Munich, and Paris.

You can find further information about the individual topic areas in the press section of the photokina website at www.photokina.de/newsroom.

The works to be shown at the Visual Gallery are part of an ongoing series of photographs of child marriages that Sinclair took between 2003 and 2007 in Afghanistan, Nepal, and Ethiopia. The photographer’s images emphasize the difficult fact that many young girls become married to much older men. According to UNICEF, approximately 82 million girls who are now between the ages of ten and 17 will be married before they turn 18 — and many of them against their will. Child marriages are particularly widespread in Sub-Saharan Africa and in South Asia, where marriage is still considered a transaction of assets in which the wishes of the engaged are not a factor. Instead, the bride is a commodity subject to the principle: “the younger she is, the higher the price she brings.” The tradition of child marriage robs most of these girls of the chance to have a normal life, frequently hinders friendships with young people their own age, denies them a right to education, forces the young women to be submissive, and subjects them to domestic violence and pregnancies that are dangerous due to their young ages.

Stephanie Sinclair: A Brief Biography

Born in 1973, Stephanie Sinclair graduated from the University of Florida with a bachelor’s degree in journalism. She also took courses in art photography. After graduating, she worked for the Chicago Tribune, covering the start of the war in Iraq and then quickly made the Middle East the main focal point of her life. With her poignant images, the photographer addresses issues such as forced marriage and violence, in addition to depicting, among other things, women who set themselves on fire — out of fear, shame, and despair. Sinclair’s work regularly appears in National Geographic, The New York Times Magazine, TIME, Newsweek, Stern, Marie Claire, the German-language edition of Geo and other publications.

Note for editorial offices

A small initial selection of very high-quality images related to the artists and exhibitions mentioned here is available in Koelnmesse’s image database at www.visualgallery.de in a password-protected area of the Press section. Depending on the artist or institution in question, it is necessary to comply with very clearly defined terms regarding rights of use. These terms can be viewed by clicking on the terms-of-use link above the registration button. Please comply fully with these terms of use in order to avoid any copyright infringement problems.