NEW YORK (November 2, 2006)—The Universal Photographic Digital Imaging Guidelines have been updated and revised. The new version 2.0 is available to the public at http://www.UPDIG.org . A free, downloadable PDF version is also available on the UPDIG site.

The 12 Guidelines are organized into a Quick Guide (executive summary) and a Complete Guide. The aim is to clarify the issues affecting accurate reproduction and management of digital image files. Although the guidelines were created from a photographer’s perspective, the UPDIG group has worked hard to incorporate the concerns of everyone involved in the process of reproducing digital images. Anyone working with digital images should find them useful.

The guidelines have three primary goals:

* Digital images should look the same as they transfer between devices, platforms and vendors.

* Digital images should be prepared in the correct resolution, at the correct size, for the device(s) on which they will be viewed or printed.

* Digital images should have metadata embedded that conforms to the IPTC standards, making the images searchable, providing usage and contact information, and stating their creators or copyright owners.

Much Accomplished Since Inception
The effort to help bring order to the exchange of digital image files got off the ground two years ago at PhotoPlus Expo, when leaders and representatives of nearly a dozen photographers groups from around the world gathered for a “Digital Summit.” They agreed that Guidelines and Best Practices were needed, should be easy to understand, and should offer options for different workflows aimed at different outputs—from HiFi color printing presses to online media.

Several folks stepped forward to help craft the Guidelines, and before long, the group had established an online forum for communications. Early in 2005, the group agreed on the name Universal Photographic Digital Imaging Guidelines, and draft ideas were circulating. David Riecks, who was serving as the Digital Committee chair for ASMP and who is an authority on image archiving, created the first website for UPDIG.

By spring, 2005, Richard Anderson, a national board member for the American Society of Media Photographers, had stepped in to organize and write The Guidelines. Greg Smith, Business Practices Committee chairman for the National Press Photographers Association, helped Anderson edit the documents, and others contributed critiques and ideas. ASMP’s Peter Dyson crafted a web version of the guidelines, which later grew into the current web presentation and downloadable PDF. Web traffic and downloads of the PDF have remained heavy, and UPDIG has been mentioned on many web forums when the subject of digital standards and best practices have come up.

Two years after its birth, the group has encouraged many photographic vendors to join the discussions, as well as representatives from photographic agencies, graphic design groups and more. Members of the UPDIG steering committee now represent 18 organizations. Version 2.0 was written once again by Richard Anderson, ASMP’s current Digital Standards Chair, in conjunction with Michael Stewart (an ASMP member) who served as Technical Editor. Much of the feedback from version 1.0 was incorporated into the new version.

While determined, for the time being, to remain an informal group, UPDIG is interested in feedback from all concerned about issues of digital imaging file exchange. Please send ideas and inquiries to [email protected]

MEMBER GROUPS

Organizations currently represented on the steering committee for UPDIG include:
  AIPP (Australian Institute of Professional Photographers)
  ABRAFOTO (Associacao Brasileira dos Fotografos de Publicidade)
  ACMP (Australian Commercial and Media Photographers)
  AIPA (Advertising and Illustrative Photographers Association)
  AOP (The Association Of Photographers [UK])
  APA (The Advertising Photographers of America)
  ASMP (The American Society of Media Photographers)
  ASPP (American Society of Picture Professionals)
  BLF (Professional Photo Companies and Photo Agencies Association [Sweden])
  CAPIC (The Canadian Association of Photographers and Illustrators in Communication)
  EP (Editorial Photographers)
  IDEAlliance (International Digital Enterprise Alliance)
  MCN (Museum Computer Network)
  NPPA (National Press Photographers Association)
  PACA (Picture Archive Council of America)
  PLUS (Picture Licensing Universal System)
  PPA (Professional Photographers of America)
  SAA (Stock Artists Alliance)