Online photo service Snapfish by HP today announced it is partnering with Walmart and Duane Reade, the “uniquely New York” drug store chain. The partnership makes Snapfish the largest print-to-store web destination in the USA. Customers can now pick up “lab-quality” photo prints or photo cards ordered on Snapfish.com in one hour from any of the 3,350 participating Walmart stores - and beginning 14 November,Snapfish customers also will be able to pick up prints from any of the 200 Duane Reade locations in the greater New York City area.

Epson today announced four new fine art papers, including Hot Press Bright, Hot Press Natural, Cold Press Bright and Cold Press Natural. All of the new fine art inkjet papers are optimised for use with Epson UltraChrome ink technology. Hot Press Natural is a 330gsm paper that provides a smooth surface, whereas Cold Press Natural is a 340gsm product offering a textured surface. Both feature a warm white point that will produce a museum grade finish. Hot Press Bright and Cold Press Bright papers offer a bright white point. The papers will become available in a wide range of sizes through Epson resellers in November. Cut sheets (A3+ and A2) will be available at launch, with rolls available early 2010.

Kodak have reported grim third-quarter 2009 results, including a 35% revenue drop at its Consumer Digital Imaging Group.. The group’s third-quarter sales totalled a mere $535 million, leading to a $89 million loss for the quarter, compared with a profit of $24 million a year ago. The year-over-year variance was driven by lower intellectual property licensing royalties of $157 million. Excluding the impact of intellectual property royalties, segment earnings improved. This was driven by improved profitability in consumer inkjet systems, including a 128% revenue increase in consumer inkjet printer hardware and ink and lower costs as a result of the company’s move to a more efficient product platform; improved operating performance in Digital Capture & Devices; and reduced research-and-development expenses across the segment. Kodak’s total losses from continuing operations amounted to $111 million, compared with earnings of $101 million in the year-ago period.

Nikon has released a new free iPhone app called Learn & Explore. You can scroll through galleries of photos and view educational videos, learn about photography techniques and browse a glossary of photographic terms. Nikon’s Learn & Explore iPhone app can be downloaded from the Apple iTunes App Store.

Scrapblog has announced QuickMix, a service that helps users create quick, easy, personalised scrapbooks in minutes. Users simply select a pre-built “kit”, provide their photos, and QuickMix instantly produces a unique digital scrapbook tailored to the photos themselves. Users can select photos directly from their Facebook, Flickr, Photobucket, Picasa, Smugmug, MySpace and Webshots accounts through one-click integration to these sites, or upload photos directly from their computer. QuickMix users have full access to all the capabilities of the complete Scrapblog application as well. Through Scrapblog, users can tweak their scrapbook using the application’s online design tools, or add new elements including stickers, backgrounds, music, video, and more. When trying QuickMix for the first time, users will earn 150 free credits to use in the Scrapblog Marketplace where they can choose from recommended premium sticker packs and background packs specifically designed to match their QuickMix scrapbook kit.

Website: Scrapblog

Joby, the company known for its Gorillapod range of products, has announced a photography contest. You may submit up to three photographs by sending an e-mail to [email protected] and either attaching the files or linking to the images if stored on the Web. The longer dimension of each photo must be at least 1000 pixels. Some processing with Photoshop is OK, but heavily processed or completely fabricated images are not eligible. The entry deadline is 31 December 2009, 11:59pm PST. The grand prize winner will receive Joby’s entire Gorillapod line, and will have his/her photo published in Popular Photography magazine. N.B.: by submitting an image, you retain ownership of the image, but grant Joby an unrestricted licence to publish, promote and reuse the image in perpetuity.

Website: Joby Photo Contest

Gitzo have unveiled the company’s revamped Basalt Collection which features innovations in both the construction and design of the line. The new Gitzo Basalt Collection, which comprises six tripods, three quick-release (QR) centre ball heads, one monopod and boom, utilises the fibres of basalt rock to produce high?performance, lightweight tubes which are 20% lighter than aluminium. Additionally, the basalt tubes of the new collection are up to 22% stronger than before. Basalt tripods are available in Series 1, 2 and 3 in standard and compact height. The new Basalt Collection center ball heads are available in Series 1, 2 and 3 and each incorporates a QR plate. Gitzo’s revamped Basalt Collection is available from Bogen Imaging.

Lastolite has announced the addition of the TriGrip bracket to its TriGrip line of reflectors. The TriGrip bracket is an innovative bracket that allows photographers to work alone and support the TriGrip reflector on a handle, lighting stand, tripod, or any other type of fixing bracket. Photographers simply place the moulded TriGrip handle into the bracket and secure it in place with the strap. The ball joint connector enables photographers to then position the TriGrip exactly where they want it, leaving their hands free to operate the camera. The TriGrip bracket is available now for $120.

Colour Confidence has announced the addition of four new Moab papers to its expanding range of top quality consumables. These include the speciality Moenkopi Kozo and Unryu options which offer unique tactility, finish and depth. The Moab Moenkopi Kozo is a 110gsm paper yielding the sharpest image quality with the tactile feel of a Japanese Washi paper. The Moab Moenkopi Unryu 55gsm adds depth and intricate detail to your prints, while the Moab Kayenta Photo Matte 205gsm is a high quality, bright white paper, ideal for fine art printing. Finally, the Somerset 225gsm is claimed to offer “exceptional” depth of colour and a velvet texture. The full Moab range is available through the extensive Confident Reseller network or direct from www.colourconfidence.com

From Camera to Computer: How to Make Fine Photographs Through Examples, Tips, and Techniques is a new book written by fine art photographer George Barr. Topics covered include finding photographic subjects, working the scene, practical issues in composition, what to change in a captured image and how to edit your images. Go along with George as he searches for subjects, sorts out scenes, refines his composition, and then moves as he edits his images, not only correcting flaws, but making the images match his vision. The 296-page book is published by Rocky Nook, and retails for $39.95.

The Annenberg Foundation has announced the third exhibit in the Annenberg Space for Photography, entitled “SPORT: IOOSS & LEIFER”. This exhibit will feature the work of Walter Iooss and Neil Leifer, two of the world’s most preeminent sports photographers. Spanning the careers of both men, over 80 photographic prints will be seen in the exhibit which includes iconic images such as Muhammed Ali’s victory over Sonny Liston (by Neil Leifer, 25 May 1965, see above) and Michael Jordan in full glory. “SPORT: IOOSS & LEIFER” will open to the public on November 12, 2009 and run through March 7, 2010.

Jobo has announced the Jobo KeyFrame, a 2-in-1 mini digital frame and key ring. Featuring a 1.5-inch color display and an internal memory capable of storing up to 60 images, the Jobo KeyFrame is available in three colours – black, red and pink. Digital pictures can be easily transferred to the KeyFrame thanks to included software that is stored on the device’s internal memory. To upload images, users just connect the KeyFrame to a computer using the included USB cable. Also, the KeyFrame can display stored images in a slideshow presentation or as still images. The Jobo KeyFrame will be available at retail in November for: €15.95.

Jessops its new Jessops Carbon Fibre Major Tripod. The new tripod comes complete with a removable 3-way head, short centre column and carrying case. Weighing in at 1741 grams including the head, the Jessops Carbon Fibre Tripod boasts self adjusting flip locks on the tripod legs, rubber feet, retractable spikes to ensure a study position, leg warmers, spirit level and stabiliser hook. The height of the tripod when closed is 640mm and the maximum height it extends to is 1530mm. The Jessops Carbon Fibre Tripod is available for £149.

Tradeclips, billed as “the world’s first full-service video, audio, text and picture media sharing site for the communications industries”, has been launched. Tradeclips features include fast, secure upload of all digital media files, including video, audio, text and photo; an established database of every major UK news outlet; monthly hosting payment with no upload or download charges, distribution of multiple media files via Tradeclips’ “Packages” service and syndication of material to existing and new contacts at the click of a button. The service will officially be launched at an exclusive party at the newly re-furbished London Aquarium on 19th November 2009.

Toshiba has announced the launch of a new, back-illuminated 14.6-megapixel CMOS sensor offering enhanced sensitivity. Sampling of the new sensor will begin in December and mass production will follow from the third quarter of 2010. The sensor is of the 1/2.3” size, and the pixel pitch is only 1.4 microns, but Toshiba promises that it will “bring a new level of image quality to mobile phones”. The company says ir will “use the new sensor to promote its full-scale entry to digital camera market”.

Eye-Fi users can now wirelessly upload videos from their camera directly to Facebook without even turning on a computer. Plus, they can now alert Facebook friends via newsfeed updates anytime they upload photos or videos to more than 25 sharing sites. In celebration of these new services and Halloween, Eye-Fi today launched “The Eye-Fi Haunted Video Contest.” Beginning today, people can upload their best Halloween moment captured on video through the Eye-Fi Facebook page for a chance to win an Eye-Fi Share Video card and Eye-Fi connected Casio camera. Contestants can invite members of their social network to vote for the best video and on Friday, November 13 the winner will be announced.

Website: The Eye-Fi Haunted Video Contest

Panasonic Marketing Europe has announced a call for entries for the eighth annual online Lumix Award digital photo competition. The contest runs until 30 April 2010. Under the theme of “Visualise Music,” digital photographers are invited to submit each month one digital image that best captures the moment when music impacts our visual senses.  Each month, a winner will be chosen and awarded a Lumix DMC-ZX1 digital compact camera (pictured).  The overall winner of the Lumix Award competition – for the single best digital photo - will win a Lumix DMC-GF1 along with tickets to see the Blue Man Group. Two runner-ups will each receive a LUMIX DMC-FZ38 digital camera.

Website: Lumix Award

The Photographers’ Gallery today named the four shortlisted artists nominated for its annual Deutsche Börse Photography Prize (DBPP). The annual award of £30,000 rewards a living photographer, of any nationality, who has made the most significant contribution, in exhibition or publication format, to the medium of photography in Europe between 1 October 2008 and 30 September 2009. The four shortlisted artists are Anna Fox, Zoe Leonard, Sophie Ristelhueber and Donovan Wylie. Anna Fox has been nominated for her exhibition, Cockroach Diaries & Other Stories at Ffotogallery, Cardiff; Zoe Leonard for her her retrospective exhibition, ZOE LEONARD: Photographs, at the Pinakothek der Moderne, Munich; Sophie Ristelhueber for her retrospective, Sophie Ristelhueber at the Jeu de Paume, Paris; while Donovan Wylie has been shortlisted for his exhibition MAZE 2007/8 at Belfast Exposed. The winner will be announced on Wednesday 17 March 2010.

Barely larger than a tube of lipstick, the Minox NV mini II is one of the smallest night vision devices in the world. The Minox NV mini II amplifies the available residual light such as light frequencies from the brightness of stars or horizon radiation that are not perceived by the human eye. The multicoated lens system provides a brilliant and clear image of the object pointed to. The optical system also provides a 2 x magnification. The Minox NV mini II, which comes complete with a battery and a wrist strap, will become available at the end of this month.