It was the last weekend in July when I received a phone call from a photographer on a cell phone in Alaska. He was out in the wild, but wanted to follow up on a conversation we’d had three weeks earlier, that time on his cell phone from the wilds of Montana. I was in the early stages of planning World in Focus, an event designed to bring together some of the industry’s foremost photographers of nature and endangered cultures. Including him in the mix of presenters seemed like a no-brainer. I had attended one of his seminars years before and considered him one of the most inspirational speakers on the circuit.
It was more than five years since his last visit to Seattle. Not only was he excited about the event and being a part of it, he was looking forward to the chance to reconnect with the many friends he had here. We ended that conversation by scheduling a follow-up call to work out the details upon his return from Alaska a few weeks later. He was psyched, and so was I.
On the morning of Aug. 12, I received the call notifying me that the person with whom I’d spoken, Galen Rowell, had lost his life along with his wife, Barbara, in a plane crash the night before on approach to the Bishop, Calif., airport, returning from that same Alaska trip. It had been only six months since they had relocated to Bishop, after many years in the San Francisco area. The entire photography and nature communities will sorely miss them.
Although Galen never got to make that follow-up call, his spirit and passion for nature and travel photography will infuse the atmosphere of World in Focus, to be held in Seattle, June 6-8. As you turn the pages of this issue of PhotoMedia, you’ll learn more about what’s planned. It’s the first time since presenting our successful PhotoMedia Expo, from 1993 through 1996, that we’ll be staging an event to bring the area’s photographic community together.
In this issue, we revisit the subject of studio photography with a cover story on Gerald Bybee, one of the most creative photographers in the business. He is one of those rare photographers who independently have the know-how to offer a full range of services to his clients, from concept to final print, all in-house.
Providing full service also is the subject of our Trends story, on the emergence of the one-stop photo shop. It concentrates on several operations that have merged photography departments with design and prepress departments on a larger scale, all within the same company, to handle high-volume projects with maximum benefits to their clients. In the new world of digital studio photography, it’s also advantageous to the studios.
In this issue’s Guest View, photo consultant Bobbi Wendt offers her thoughtful perspective on whether or not to sustain a studio.
On a side note, I’m pleased to report that PhotoMedia was recently honored with an Apex Award of Excellence for Overall Layout and Design in a Trade Publication. It is the third year in a row that the Apex Awards have recognized PhotoMedia.
As always, please let our advertisers know that you saw their ad in PhotoMedia. That support is largely responsible for our ability to bring you our in-depth coverage for free. And as the nation’s economy struggles to regain its momentum, the advertisers need to know, more than ever, that their ad dollars are being well spent. Please help reassure them by visiting our web site, www.PhotoMediagroup.com, and taking our survey.
Wishing you happy holidays and a prosperous New Year ahead.
Sincerely,
Gary Halpern, Publisher
