Most Beautiful Albums Ever; $30,000 Leica: Costco’s Appearance; USA Today Interview; & Bunni Star

Good Morning Everybody,

Hey gang, this is going to be short and sweet today.  We worked in our hotel room most of yesterday and I promised LaDawn we would head out and see the sights today.  I just want to share a few loose ends from the WPPI Convention this week.  Here we go...

The Most Beautiful Albums Ever!

Tucked in the back corner of building #2 of the WPPI trade show I found my buddy, Jonathan Penny [link].  Jonathan is first and foremost a Master Printmaker.  For years Jonathan has been the go to source for archival B&W printing.  Times have changed and so have Jonathon's services.

His display was full of the most exquisitely printed images I have seen anywhere.  Not only was he showing his masterful artworks, he also showed us these magnificent albums - all had printed, archive coated, and hand bound into the most elegant, soft leather album presentation I have seen  - EVER!  You simply had to see his stunning workmanship to appreciate what he was offering.

The albums and prints Jonathan was showing is an invitation to each of us to offer our high end clients the absolute best image and album presentation anywhere.  You've got to check it out right here.

A Few Unusual Surprises From The Show Floor

$30,000 Leica

We were walking up one of the many aisles at the show and I saw the Leica booth. Leica [link], as you know, has been making exquisite cameras and lenses for many years.  I always secretly wished I could afford one ;~)

Recently Leica announced their $30,000 Titanium and I was hoping I could see one up close and personal. Unfortunately for me only 500 were made - no, you can't get one - they were all sold out within days. 

When I asked to see the $30,000 camera, I was handed the new Leica S-2, the medium format model which, by the way did I mention, retails for $30,000!  WOW! 

Costco at WPPI

This was about the biggest surprise for me.  I've been attending conventions for years and never expected a retailer like Costco to be exhibiting in a photographic assembly.  They were offering the full range of canvass wraps, album, and prints - all at Costco prices.  The other labs exhibiting at the show were not amused.  Hey, times, they are a' changin'.

My Interview With USA Today

Finally, the email arrived -  Jefferson Graham, Tech Editor for USA Today, emailed me the video interview I did with him earlier in the week  You can find it right here.

Unfortunately the interview I did with him was not usable because of so much ambient background noise. No problem though.  Jeff has agreed the be a guest on an upcoming webcast here at DPT.  I'm really looking forward to that one.  THANKS Jeff for the interview.

Lastly - I Think Bambi Should Do Standup Comedy

I mentioned on Wednesday That my bud, Bambi Cantrell wrapped her program with this hilarious video featuring her alter ego, Bunni Star.  In this segment, Bunni is a wedding photographer working at a bridal fair.  It's a hoot - you can catch it right here. I found the entire presentation fun and entertaining. ENJOY!! 

__________________________________________________________

Hey gang, that's it for me today.  We are heading into the desert today and then flying back home tomorrow morning.  It's one day off then on to NAPP World Headquarters for a very special project I'm involved in - more later.

Have a great weekend. 

See ya' on the flip side, David

How Long Will That Print Last In the Window?

Sung to the tune of "How Much is That Doggie In the Window" - sorry, I'm still recovering from yesterday. If you are doing any of your own printing and wonder just how long those images will last coming off your ink-jet printer, check out Wilhelm Imaging Research right here. This site tests and posts the image longevity on about a million combinations of ink and paper. They have set the standard for this kind of testing.

Here are the kind of ink/paper permanence results you can read about: Epson Durabright inks printed on Epson Professional Matte Paper under glass - 105 years. Office Depot ink printed on Office Depot Professional paper - , 8 months!!! Typical Epson Luster Paper with a UV coating (we use Neuschen-Accutech's 1400 acrylic lacquer with UV protection) will last about 165 years, but in dark storage - read closed wedding album - then >200 years! What is surprising to me is how quickly many of the third party inks fade.

Wilhelm Imaging Research has ratings for all the top printers and inks from Epson, Canon, and HP. These BIG three have very long ratings on their paper/ink combinations. This is a great resource site for just this kind of info.