Fujifilm increases prices for photographic papers and products

Fujifilm USA, to reflect international changes and price trends, have adjested the prices for their domestic market. Affected products include photographic papers, chemistry and other photosensitive products. Good news is increasingly hard to find for traditional photographers, as existing products grow ever more expensive, and most popular darkroom products have been discontinued entirely by companies like Kodak. Many digital photographers are quick to remind of the health risks, huge expenses, and general technical frustration to be encountered in the darkroom, though others have no intention of giving up this lightless sandbox anytime soon. Prices will increase by 10-20 percent, effective July 2008.

From Fujifilm's official announcement:

"Globally, Fujifilm has undertaken intensive structural reforms to reduce fixed costs and improve productivity. The company has continued to absorb increasing costs associated with raw materials used in the manufacture of films and papers in recent years. However, soaring costs of raw materials, such as, silver and crude oil have made it impossible for Fujifilm to continue to absorb these costs in its manufacturing process."

For more information on Fujifilm, go to their website.

Bielsko's second FotoArt Festival comes to a close

Fine art photographers from 12 European countries as well as the US, Argentina, and China kicked off the FotoArt Festival October 19, 2007, with 17 exhibitions and a multimedia presentation with a grand piano accompaniment by Bielsko composer Jausz Kohut. The following two days were devoted to the artists, with a Marathon of seminars and one-on-one meetings. Acclaimed French glamour artist (and renowned model) Sarah Moon was one of the headliners, showing an exhibition of her work, including the film "Circus."
Another keynote speaker was Naomi Rosenblum, author of A World Hisory of Photography and A History of Women Photographers, about the famous New York Photo League. Many of the featured photographers had never exhibited in Poland before.

Spain's Joan Fontcuberta presented "Landscape without Memory," a series of computer-generated landscapes made to look real. Witold Krassowski of Poland discussed the Union of Polish Artists Photographers, and British Photographer Mitra Tabrizian presented her exhibition "Beyond the Limits," and talked about living and creating photography in Iran. Hungarian photojournalists Judit Horvath and György Stalter provided glimpses into the world of the Romas, or Gypsies.

Etienne Tombeux, from Belgium, and Lukas Maximillian-Hüller from Austria, presented their exhibition "Seven Deadly Sins," which comprises elaborate, staged photographic dioramas. Also included in the presentations were Latvian resident of the US Misha Gordin and his dark, abstract photomontages,and José Luis Raota of Argentina, talked about his works, as well as those of the late Pedro Luis Raota, his father and one of the most acclaimed photographers in the world.

Peter Marshall from Great Britain concluded the Marathon with a lecture about leading British street photographers. The next FotoArt Festival will take place in 2009. For a complete list of exhibitors and sample images from each, go here.