01-07-08: Digital Photo & Imaging (DPI) Show Report
The Digital Photo & Imaging (DPI) show rolled out its first year at the Business Design Centre, London, with warm reception. Anyone that’s been to a photographic show will undoubtedly be familiar with the business to business and consumer sales emphasis - but this is where DPI differs, and all the better for it. The likes of Focus on Imaging in Birmingham, the Photo Marketing Association show in Las Vegas, and the bi-annual Photokina in Germany pack some weighty punch in terms of sheer volume and exhibitors. But the DPI show is much smaller, condensing a notable pro-emphasis and including a large series of seminars and lectures by top practitioners, making for something altogether different and exciting.
Exhibitors, such as Hasselblad, Canon, Epson, Peartree (Leaf), onOne, X-Rite and Wacom, were showing off kit but, and this is key, also had plenty of time to chat to customers with sound advice. Adobe Systems Europe Theatre and Apple Solutions’ Experts Hands-on Theatre (to provide the full names) also held hourly seminars detailing PhotoShop, Lightroom and Aperture 2.0 workflow.
If that’s all that was available then you may have felt a little short-changed (especially considering the £12 entry charge for anyone that failed to pre-register on the website), but here’s the real clincher – the large programme of seminars and lectures covered a whole range of subjects. Travel photographer Colin Prior chatted about integrating new technologies into his workflow, Magnum photographer Donovan Wylie about his work and how a digital workflow has scuppered his use of film, and a whole smattering of other freelancers, product managers and Apple-related professionals also presented.
Adding extra value for money was The British Journal of Photography’s Insight Lecture Programme and Conference sessions. Thurday saw Christian Poulsen (CEO of Hasselblad), Anne Braybon (art director), Paul Foster (director of Getty Images) and Sony Photography Award winner Vanessa Winship showing the first major presentation of her work since coming home. Friday’s programme was equally excellent with the likes of top portrait photographer Harry Borden, Jess Crombie providing an inside look at the contrasting world of advertising and documentary photography from an art buyers’ perspective. To finish the day Alastair Thain discussed his commercial and personal art projects, including his use of a 9” roll-film large format camera (taking hundreds of shots per roll – so you can only imagine the physical size and weight, not to mention costs!) to rapturous applause.
Our tip for next years’ DPI show is that it is likely to be bigger and better. If you’re a Londoner and dont need to travel far then you will benefit from discounted sales and professional demos and advice; further afield however and you’d be better sticking to the bigger shows if you can deal with the crowds. What truly adds value is such a varied set of seminars – and these alone provide the inspiration and add value that would make it worth getting the train from Newcastle and back.
Discuss in our forum: Who was there and what did you think?
DPI Show, Business Design Centre, Islington, London, 26th-27th June 2008
Info: www.dpishow.com
