PIX Seminar

Going Digital - Digital Photography Workflow was the title of the seminar presented last week, during MacWorld San Francisco, sponsored by Apple, Phase One, Gretag Macbeth and Photo District News's PIX reports Fred Shippey.

To a packed room of 300 guests, Apple's John Santoro opened by introducing the sponsors and summarizing their products as applied to photographer's workflow. He then discussed the advantages of digital imaging and said that today's challenge is color accuracy.

Brian Horen from Phase One and Jim Taskett from Bear Imaging went through a demonstration of the Phase One PowerPhase camera and software.

The main draw of the evening was fashion photographer Joseph Cartright who shoots with a Contax 645 and a Phase One LightPhase digital back.

Cartright started out running a technology company before going into photography and admitted his present organization does Web programming as well as photography. He talked enthusiastically about the freedom of shooting digital, and said he shoots more images than he did with film.

He has large, elevated monitors in his studio and can ask his customers for instant opinions. Models can see and hear what's going on and can rapidly adjust their pose. He said, "I would not be shooting for Victoria's Secret if not shooting digital". In discussing the disadvantages of digital photography, he mentioned MoirÉ, which he said, had pretty well been solved by Phase One and maintaining color consistency for clients. He said the onus of maintaining color accuracy and consistency has transferred to photographer. The way he guarantees color digitally is to color-manage all his input and output devices.

The Professional Digital Imaging Workflow seminar is a worthwhile learning experience for photographers with questions about digital imaging. Apple has more of these programs scheduled, so check out http://www.seminars.apple.com/business/digitalimaging for dates and locations.

- Fred Shippey, PIX, New Products Editor