The PhotoShelter Print Vendor Network is a new open network of print vendors from around the globe. The PhotoShelter Print Vendor Network enables serious photographers to sell prints and products via their PhotoShelter websites while assigning fulfillment to a print vendor of their choice, virtually anywhere in the world.

Avanquest has launched a new version of its interactive photo sharing solution SendPhotos. This application automatically sends photos taken on a mobile phone to a dedicated website to enable easier sharing. “The SendPhotos project started with a simple observation; most of the photos we take with our mobile phones never leave our devices,” said David Wright, CEO of Avanquest Software Development. “Sharing digital memories has always been the core idea behind the project but this new version has evolved substantially to offer a dedicated website where users can enhance images and produce printed products.”

PhotographyCourses.biz, a new subscription service for amateur, enthusiast and semi-pro photographers, has just launched a range of gift subscriptions. Timed to coincide with the pre-Christmas shopping season, the gift subscriptions are available now and cover 1-, 3- and 12-month periods.  Buyers simply fill in the name and email address of the recipient during the payment process, and the PhotographyCourses.Biz team will email a downloadable voucher containing a unique user name and password. The one-month offer is available for £4.75 (over 50% off the usual price), the three-month subscription is £29.25, while the one-year service costs £97.50.

Snapsort has launched its newest website, LensHero, designed to help photographers find lenses for various digital cameras. “For many people purchasing their first or second lens the process can be frustrating, especially for beginners who don’t know where to start,” says Snapsort co-founder.Christopher Reid. “LensHero simplifies the process, allowing photographers to find lenses compatible with their camera, and easily explore lenses based on style of photography and budget.” The site even lets visitors enter their current lenses and get instant suggestions on lenses that could expand their photography style. current lenses and get instant suggestions on lenses that could expand your photography style.

Website: LensHero

Mike Browne and Jayne Whitelock have produced a simple-to-follow photography video tutorial on photographing snowy winter landscapes. Topics covered include keeping the snow bright and white in your photos, the importance of always taking a camera bag with you, ideas on what to photograph, and making sure your batteries do not die in the field. The “snow photography” video can be found in the features menu on the new photography videos section of the PhotographyCourses.Biz website.

Alive, a Tokyo based consulting company, launched today Shakodo, a new web service aimed at photographers. “Shakodo is a simple to use and innovative free service, designed to give a boost to the photography business by educating amateur and professional photographers through an interactive and open exchange of real business situations and real prices,” the company says.  Members can earn reputation points and awards by asking good questions and providing good answers. Along with this, Shakodo also introduces a new Price Slider technology which allows members to set price ranges in different currencies with the ability to have real-time price conversions, enabling members from different countries to compare prices in their native currency. For more information, visit the website below.

PrintedArt, an online fine art photography gallery and printing service, today announced the launch of its Studio Accounts programme. Photographers operating their own studios can now use PrintedArt for their fulfilment needs, utilizing the same gallery-grade material PrintedArt offers their customers. Aside from the standard materials offered, photographers have access to special order items with unusual formats, special hanging materials, or other options not commercially available to the general customers.

Manfrotto School of Xcellence has announced “Great Portraits Don’t Just Happen,” a free webinar taking place 2nd December from 2 to 3pm EDT. The host, Sports Illustrated Staff Photographer Bill Frakes, will discuss the planning, preparation and good communication which goes into an alluring portrait. “Each portrait requires the same kind of thought process,” explains Frakes. “Photographers need to know the kind of person that is being photographed and what they want the outcome to be. Once that is decided, photographers can go about planning lighting schemes and preparing or researching backgrounds.” To register for the webinar, visit the website below.

DxO Labs have launched DxOMark 2011, the latest version of its online service for image quality data. DxOMark 2011 includes a new ranking system that compiles data in an intuitive and comprehensive overall score, and easier navigation and image quality data access. With this update to DxOMark, DxO Labs have revised their Peak Score – now called the “DxOMark Score” –, taking into account more difficult lighting conditions, corresponding to low-light indoor scenes. Under such conditions, high scores are earned by lenses featuring high f numbers so long as their optical performance stays high at the widest apertures, the company says.

A new subscription service for amateur, enthusiast and semi-pro photographers has launched at PhotographyCourses.biz. Presented by by professional photographer Mike Browne, the site offers a range of easy-to-understand photography videos. Subscription costs £9.75 per month, and subscribers can tell the site owners about what topics they would like to be covered in upcoming videos.The service has launched with a library of around 30 photography clips, and a minimum of five new videos will be added each month, the company says.

Swiftspin360 is a unique membership scheme giving complete access to professional 360 product spin techniques and advice. Building on the increasing popularity of 360-degree product photography, Swiftspin360 offers members access to manuals and guides for setting up a profitable 360 product spin service, discounts on turntables and other photographic equipment, personal e-mail support, and more. The company has now released a free 50-page guidebook, available as a PDF. You can download it from the website below.

Colour Confidence has just launched its new Jargon Buster, offering simple, understandable and accessible explanations of all the jargon you may encounter in photography, digital imaging and colour management.  Set out in a clear A-Z format, users are able to easily navigate and find a particular term that is confusing them, or browse more generally to help improve their all round knowledge. “I have been working in this industry for more than 20 years and even I encounter terms and acronyms that I haven’t seen before. Sometimes I think I could even be guilty of using jargon too, because who wants to say Raster Image Processors when RIP will do!” Commented Simon Prais, Technical Director of Color Confidence “That is why we have launched our Jagon Buster.” You can freely access Jargon Buster at the website below.

MiMedia is a next-generation backup and access provider for amateur and professional photographers. Currently in Beta, MiMedia allows users to “secure and access their digital lives” instantly from any web-connected PC computer or iPhone. MiMedia has developed a new and patent pending approach to initial backups. Users can either backup their files over broadband or use MiMedia’s free Shuttle Drive service for faster upload. The Shuttle Drive service leverages a specialised and encrypted hard drive (pictured) sent to the user shortly after signup. Attached to the PC by USB, the Shuttle Drive encrypts and backs-up all selected files automatically. The drive is then returned to MiMedia in the same box using the enclosed label. Post initial backup, new and changed files are secured automatically over broadband. A subscription-based service, MiMedia offers monthly and annual options, starting at $5 per month or $50 per year for 25GB storage.

Nikon has announced the launch of the new Nikon Professional Services (NPS) global website. The NPS Global site has been developed to serve as a portal that distributes the latest information to assist NPS members working globally in their photographic activities, the company says. Among other things, it provides: links to regional NPS sites to find out about practical local information, local service facility list for photographers to visit when they face with equipment problems while they are on overseas assignment, and world-wide NPS service depot information.

Website: Nikon Professional Services

Yogile.com is a new photo sharing website that makes it easy to share images privately and within groups. Each album features a customisable URL and email address users can share with anyone they want to contribute. There is no need for these contributors to register, keeping the process simple and hassle-free, the developers say. This simplicity and multi-author approach to online photo albums is what sets this service apart from the multitude of sharing sites already available in the market.

Website: Yogile

NikonImages.com, a free gallery for sharing photos captured with Nikon gear, has gone live. Users can not only upload their pictures but can also search for images captured with specific Nikon lenses, follow photographers as they upload new images, see who is “remembering” - keeping track of - their photos, present their shots in slide shows and so on. The site follows the tried-and-trusted design pioneered by its sister sites, ZeissImages.com and LeicaImages.com.

Findaphotostore.com is a new website launched today to help people find their local photo retailers. Essentially a photographic search engine, the website lists all photographic retailers in a given UK location and where possible directs you to their website. The site also helps independent photo retailers, who otherwise might not have the time or staff in house, to build a presence online. It offers an easy entry to on line trading by supplying a trading web site if the retailer needs one, based on the latest Cloud technology.

Corbis Images have launched the new Corbis Contributor Gateway, a website specifically created for Corbis contributors. Featuring automated upload tools for image submission and management, the new website also grants contributors access to the latest information and Creative Research from Corbis. Contributors that sign up for the new website will be asked to agree to the new Corbis Online Agreement, which includes enhancements like eliminating the “foreign office fee,” which currently takes a percentage of the royalties paid to contributors on sales made outside of their designated home country. Existing Corbis contributors will be invited to begin using the gateway in phases as their current contracts come up for renewal.

Panther Software Publishing has launched MediaCMS – a media content management system which is targeted at large photo, video and/or audio libraries. Files can be tagged, categorised, thumb-nailed, watermarked, previewed as part of an automated workflow. MediaCMS also allows media libraries to offer a web presence for their photographers with profiles, blogs, news etc via a set of optional modules.

Website: MediaCMS

Zenfolio has partnered up with ShootDotEdit, a digital media post production service, to provide photographers with an integrated workflow to go from shooting straight to selling. Through this partnership, files processed by ShootDotEdit will be uploaded directly to subscribing Zenfolio accounts making photos available for sale immediately. Zenfolio users can subscribe to this new add-on service for $50 per year.