Fred H. Lerner, president and CEO of Ritz Interactive, has been appointed to the board of directors of the United Nations' International Photographic Council (IPC).

Lerner's career started at Berkey Photo more than 30 years ago. In 1977, he founded the California-based Lerner Photo, a wholesale photofinishing company, later sold to Qualex (Eastman Kodak) in 1992.

In 1999, Lerner co-founded Ritz Interactive, a specialty online retailer that...

Seattle-based shooter Kevin Schafer has been named the 2007 Outstanding Photographer of the Year by the North American Nature Photography Association (NANPA). For more than 25 years, the wildlife photographer has used his images to document endangered ecosystems and species.

Other honors being presented in 2007 include...

Photojournalist Jim Hubbard, creative director of Venice Arts in Venice, Calif., has been honored by the National Child Labor Committee with a 2007 Lewis Hine Distinguished Service Award. Hubbard is the first photographer to receive the award, which recognizes those who have made a positive impact on the welfare of the nation's youth.

During his 40-year career, Hubbard's work has called attention to the plight of...

David M. Ritz, chairman and CEO of Ritz Camera Centers, recently received the annual Hall of Fame Award for 2007 from the International Photographic Council, a nongovernmental organization of the United Nations. The award honors legendary contributors to the photographic industry. Information about the council is available at ipc-un-ngo.org.

Kennan Ward, a photographer based in Santa Cruz, Calif., earned one of three 2007 NANPA Fellow Awards, for photographers who have made significant contributions to the field of nature photography for at least 20 years.

Additional awards presented at the NANPA 13th Annual Summit included the NANPA Outstanding Service Award to Alice Robertson of Las Vegas, for her work developing the NANPA College Student Program.

Canon USA has expanded its Explorers of Light panel with the addition of 20 photographers from all segments of the industry.

Joining the roster for the first time are Joe Buissink, Bob Davis, John Dibbs, Don Emmerich, Rod Evans, Hansen Fong, Paul Gero, Darrell Gulin, Jeff Hawkins, Stephen Johnson, Adam Jones, Vincent Laforet, Terrell Lloyd, Andy Marcus, Parker Pfister, Fran Reisner, Ken Sklute, Onne Van Der Wal and Jeff Woods.

Among the six professional photographers recently inducted into Microsoft's new Icons of Imaging program, three were from the western United States: Bambi Cantrell, a portrait photographer based in Pleasant Hills, Calif.; nature and landscape photographer John Shaw, who lives in Colorado Springs, Colo.; and wildlife and nature photographer Art Wolfe, who has a studio in Seattle.

The other photographers honored by Microsoft were Reed Hoffmann of Kansas City, Denis Reggie of Atlanta and Matthew Jordan Smith of New York (see microsoft.com).

The International Center of Photography recently announced the winners of its 2006 Infinity Awards. Don McCullin, a photojournalist who spent nearly 20 years as a correspondent for London's Sunday Times Magazine, was the recipient of the Cornell Capa Award, named for ICP's founding director. The organization's Lifetime Achievement Award was bestowed upon Lee Friedlander.

Also honored were Dutch photographer Ahmet Polat, as the year's Young Photographer; German Thomas Ruff, in the Art category; Time magazine's...