As Official Partner of the 12th IAAF World Championships in Athletics, Epson in cooperation with the non-profit organisation Kulturprojekte Berlin GmbH, will be transforming Berlin’s finest street “Unter den Linden” into a huge open-air photo exhibition. The two-metre high sports images, printed on an Epson Stylus Pro GS6000 large format printer, will accompany the World Championship spectators on their way to Berlin’s KulturStadion which is being temporarily set up at Pariser Platz. The exhibition offers a cross section of 125 years of athletic sports, as well as an overview of 125 years of photographic history.

This Saturday, 18 July 2009, over 900 photo walks will be held worldwide. Out of these, 33 will take place in the UK and Ireland. The event is organised by the National Association of Photoshop Pros (NAPP), and co-sponsored by Adobe. Participating photographers can post their images, provided they are processed in Adobe Photoshop Lightroom, to the NAPP site for a chance to win a grand prize.

Website: Worldwide Photo Walk

Attendee and media registration is now open for PDN PhotoPlus Expo 2009.  The annual trade show will be held at the Jacob Javits Convention Center from October 22-24. In addition, PPE09 has refreshed its Facebook page and will post updates and news regarding the trade show—and other events surrounding the show—on a regular basis.

Go to http://www.facebook.com/pdnphotoplusexpo to become a fan and see what’s new about the show.

Website: PDN PhotoPlus Expo Attendee Registration

Marketing Essentials International (MEI) is reminding interested professional photographers that Skip’s Summer School ‘09 is only five weeks away. Taking place at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, NV, August 16-19, 2009, the Summer School photography workshop features a series of programmes designed to help professional photographers realise the full potential of their business. Throughout the event, photographers will attend 13 workshops in a classroom style setting. The cost to attend Skip’s Summer School is $279 and it also includes free full registration to WPPI 2010 (March 4-11, 2010) for each attendee.

The Metropolitan Police have issued a photography advice to police officers and Police Community Support Officers (PCSOs), to provide a summary of the Metropolitan Police Service’s guidance around photography in public places. The document acknowledges that “members of the public and the media do not need a permit to film or photograph in public places and police have no power to stop them filming or photographing incidents or police personnel”, and that the “Terrorism Act 2000 does not prohibit people from taking photographs or digital images in an area where an authority under section 44 is in place”. Furthermore, it adds that “it should ordinarily be considered inappropriate to use Section 58a to arrest people photographing police officers in the course of normal policing activities, including protests, as without more, there is no link to terrorism”. However, the advice also makes it clear that officers have the power to view digital images contained in cell phones or cameras carried by a person searched under S43 or S44 of the Terrorism Act 2000, if the officers aim to determine whether the photos are of a kind that could be used in connection with terrorism.

Website: Met Photography Advice

The Camera & Imaging Products Association (CIPA) has published digital camera production and shipments data for May 2009. In terms of volume, total digital camera production fell by 26.2% compared to the same period of last year. In terms of value, the drop was an even more severe 32.3%. Interchangeable-lens cameras suffered much less than compacts, with the number of units manufactured being only 3% less than in May 2008. Their market value, however, dropped nearly 15%, which alludes to sinking average unit prices. North America is still the biggest market, but this applies to compacts only. As far as DSLRs are concerned, Europe is a much bigger market (and still growing, at least in terms of volume).

Website: CIPA Statistical Data for May 2009

Franke & Heidecke, manufacturer of Rolleiflex TLR accessories and 6x6 bodies for Leaf and Sinar, is to lay off all of its employees and terminate all operations by September. Last week, photoscala.de reported that the company’s 131 employees had received notice of the impending layoffs, and the news of the closure has since been confirmed by the British Journal of Photography too. Franke & Heidecke is a company whose roots can be traced back to 1920, when Paul Franke and Reinhold Heidecke founded a workshop in Braunschweig, Germany, called Werkstatt für Feinmechanik und Optik, Franke & Heidecke. The company became famous for its Rolleiflex TLRs, whose production started exactly 80 years ago. The fall of Franke & Heidecke is expected to bring about a massive restructuring of the medium format camera market.

Chris Golson’s Photography Adventures have announced a new photo workshop set in the San Francisco Bay Area that will include a photo shoot aboard a Zeppelin in flight. This three day luxury immersion programme takes place September 27 - 30 in Half Moon Bay, a small coastal community located 24 miles south of San Francisco. Leading the three-day shoot will be acclaimed Dutch photographer Dirk Karsten and noted Silicon Valley technologist and photographer Chris Golson. The workshop is designed to deepen the practical skills and artistic groundings of the aspiring beginner and intermediate photographer, and will include a mix of interactive classroom seminars and outdoor photo shoots. Foremost among the assignments will be the airborne safari from a Zeppelin. This luxury comes at a price though: the course fee is $3,600 per person.

Nikon Systems, a subsidiary of Nikon Corporation, and Fujitsu Broad Solution & Consulting have established a new joint company, named “Nikon Imaging Systems Inc.”.The company will be solely responsible for the firmware development in Nikon digital cameras. Nikon Imaging Systems Inc., in which Nikon Systems holds 70%, will initiate operations in August 2009.

In his brand new exhibition, photographer Richard Nolan-Neylan explores the Danish bicycle as an art form. The vibrant culture surrounding the relationship between the Danes and their bike has allowed for richness in colour, shape and form. Richard has observed that the practical perspective with which this mode of transport is viewed has lead to inspired designs. All the images were taken over 2 days in July 2008. The random nature of the pictures and the places they were taken in is reflected in the bikes. The exhibition, hosted by Alternative Arts Photo-space at 530 Commercial Road, London E1 0HY, runs from 3 July to 1 August 2009. The gallery is open Tuesday-Saturday from 11am to 6pm and admission is free.

The National Geographic Museum is hosting a new exhibition of photographs taken in the 1950s and 1960s by American photographers in Europe. Culled from the National Geographic archives, the images showcase the work of more than 35 legendary photographers — including Luis Marden, Volkmar Wentzel, Thomas Abercrombie, James Blair and Winfield Parks — and revisit a photographic medium that changed the way we document the world, says National Geographic. The photographs will be on display until 7 September 2009. The National Geographic Museum, 1145 17th Street, N.W., Washington, D.C., is open Mondays through Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sundays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission is free.

Website: National Geographic Museum

Phase One A/S, in conjunction with senior management employees of Leaf, today announced that they have created a new entity, Leaf Imaging Ltd., to purchase certain assets of the Leaf camera business. The assets include the “Leaf” brand product names, engineering design and production tools. In collaboration with Phase One, high end Leaf digital camera equipment will continue to be developed in Israel and marketed under the “Leaf” brand through a global network of specialised and dedicated value added resellers. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Kubota Image Tools have announced Webinar Wednesdays – free online educational opportunities created with today’s busy digital photographer in mind. Webinar Wednesdays will cover topics such as Kubota DASHBOARD Basics, Kubota AutoAlbum V.3, and Kubota DASHBOARD image enhancing techniques such as: Black-and-White and Sepia Tone Lovin’, Creative Effects – Cracking the Creative Code, and Color Effects – The Perfect Punch. For more information about the complete Kubota Image Tools 2009 Webinar schedule and to register, please visit: http://www.kubotaimagetools.com/webinar_schedule.html . Once registered, attendees need only log-in from their computer at the scheduled date and time.

If you’ve ever dreamt of having a favourite photograph featured on the cover of National Geographic magazine, now’s your chance to fulfil it. This month, National Geographic is publishing a special collector’s edition, National Geographic Your Shot, featuring 101 of the best readers’ photographs submitted to National Geographic magazine over the past three years. The fun twist is that they have a custom cover option, where you can order a special version of the magazine with your favourite photo on the cover! This option is available to order, online only, for $19.99 plus shipping. The issue goes on newsstands with a standard cover on Tuesday, June 30, for $10.99.

Website: Order the special edition with the custom cover option

Sony announced today its plans to stage a world first event, called Twilight Football, designed to highlight Sony’s digital imaging technology. As the hour of twilight moves across the world, a series of seven matches will begin. All seven games will take place on 22nd September 2009, the Autumnal Equinox (northern hemisphere) and Vernal Equinox (southern hemisphere). The matches will be taking place at stunning, specially chosen locations in: Italy, France, the UK, Spain, Argentina and Australia, with the Twilight Football grand final happening at Soccer City, Johannesburg, the venue for the final of 2010 FIFA World Cup. A specially selected pool of photographers and video makers are attending each event to record these momentous games. Photographers will be able to try out Sony’s new range of products featuring its Exmor CMOS sensor.

Daniel Beltrá, this year’s winner of The Prince’s Rainforests Project Award at the Sony World Photography Awards has released some initial photographs taken on the first leg of his prize. The Spanish photographer, now based in Seattle, beat off stiff competition from some of the world’s finest environmental photographers to win the assignment on behalf of The Prince’s Rainforests Project and Sony Europe. The Prince’s Rainforests Project (PRP), founded by His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales, recognises that every year, destruction of the Earth’s rainforests releases more carbon dioxide into the atmosphere than all the world’s cars, planes and ships put together and aims to achieve consensus about how the rate of deforestation might be slowed. Sony and the PRP are delivering an interactive exhibition that will combine Daniel’s new photographs with Sony technology to allow people to experience the glory of the rainforests and understand their plight. The exhibition will open at Kew Gardens, London on October 3rd 2009.

Website: Daniel Beltrá

A major exhibition of the works of 20th century photojournalist / war photographer Robert Capa is to open its gates on 3 July. The exhibition is organised by the Ludwig Museum / Museum of Contemporary Arts, housed in the Palace of Arts in Budapest (pictured), and follows a recent, large-scale acquisition of over 1000 of Capa’s photographs by the Hungarian National Museum. A small selection of these photos were on show in the National Museum from 6-15 March this year, but this will be the first large-scale exhibition of the collection. Capa is noted for his extensive coverage and powerful images of the Spanish Civil War, the Second World War and the First Indochina War, and for his memorable portraits of Ingrid Bergman, Alfred Hitchcock, Pablo Picasso and others. The exhibition will run from 3 July through 11 October. The Palace of Arts is located at Komor Marcell utca 1, District IX, Budapest, Hungary.

Website: Ludwig Museum

Adobe Systems Incorporated has announced financial results for its second quarter ended May 29, 2009. In the second quarter of fiscal 2009, Adobe achieved revenue of $704.7 million, compared to $886.9 million reported for the second quarter of fiscal 2008 and $786.4 million reported in the first quarter of fiscal 2009. Adobe’s GAAP diluted earnings per share for the second quarter of fiscal 2009 were $0.24, based on 528.0 million weighted average shares. This compares with GAAP diluted earnings per share of $0.40 reported in the second quarter of fiscal 2008 based on 542.4 million weighted average shares, and GAAP diluted earnings per share of $0.30 reported in the first quarter of fiscal 2009 based on 527.8 million weighted average shares. Non-GAAP diluted earnings per share for the second quarter of fiscal 2009 were $0.35. This compares with non-GAAP diluted earnings per share of $0.50 reported in the second quarter of fiscal 2008 and non-GAAP diluted earnings per share of $0.45 reported in the first quarter of fiscal 2009.

Kodak has announced that NASA’s soon-to-be-launched Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) will have three custom-built cameras on board, each equipped with a Kodak CCD image sensor. “The selection of KODAK CCD Image Sensors for this mission is a testament to the Kodak teams who design and manufacture all of our CCD devices, making them suitable for use in the demanding environment of space,” said Michael Miller, manager of Kodak’s CCD Image Sensor Business. The orbiter’s Wide Angle Camera will provide a “big picture” view of the moon by capturing images with 100-metre resolution. Two Narrow Angle Cameras on the orbiter will capture high-resolution images of the moon’s surface at 0.5 metre-per-pixel using KODAK KLI-5001 Image Sensors, providing the same level of detail as the highest resolution satellite images of Earth commercially available today. As it fulfills its primary mission to map the surface of the moon, the LRO will also fly over landing sites from the historic Apollo missions, allowing these high-resolution cameras to capture the first images of Apollo-era artifacts from lunar orbit.

Photo Iconic has teamed up with Jacobs Digital Photo & Video to run a series of photo courses in the Pro Lounge at Jacobs’ New Oxford Street store, London. The first one is entitled “Shoot, Edit, Print”, and takes place on 10-11 July. This intensive hands-on two-day course guides you through the whole digital imaging process, from preparing to shoot to outputting images, for a fee of £325. Other courses include “The Perfect Travel Kit” (Saturday 18th July, 11am-1.30pm, £40) and “Shooting Travel Images That Sell” (Saturday 19th September, 11am-1.30pm, £40). To book your place on any of these courses, visit www.photoiconic.com.