Jackson, MI—PMA announced that all major retailers and manufacturers that exhibited at The Big Photo Show event in Los Angeles this past May have already signed early bird contracts to exhibit in The Big Photo Show when the event returns to the Los Angeles Convention Center, May 17-18, 2014.
Among the many repeat exhibitors, several of which are taking larger booth spaces for 2014, are retailers Samy’s Camera, Paul’s Photo, Tuttle Camera and Fromex, as well as manufacturers Sony and Sigma Corp.
“The inaugural event drew more than 16,180 photo enthusiasts, advanced amateur and professional photographers, creating a remarkable opportunity for exhibitors to sell products, increase their brand awareness and build relationships with the most active imaging buyers in the Los Angeles area,” said Allen Showalter, PMA’s president. “It is certainly no surprise that so many exhibitors took advantage of our The Big Photo Show ‘alumni-only’ selling period and claimed their space for 2014. We are pleased to announce booth space is now available to any company interested in growing their sales in this fantastic market.”
In addition to exhibits, The Big Photo Show offers education sessions taught by well-known pro photographers, live-model photo shoots, creative ways to display images, custom framing design techniques and more.
For more information about exhibiting or sponsorship opportunities at The Big Photo Show, contact Jeff Frazine at jfrazine@pmai.org.
2013 Rise of the Amateur Report
In other news, the 2013 Rise of the Amateur report continues PMA’s annual study into the behavior of photo enthusiasts. With the number of people who consider photography a hobby or passion constantly growing, these photo enthusiasts and advanced amateur photographers represent a huge opportunity for the imaging industry.
To help better understand this vital market, PMA released the Rise of the Amateur 2013 edition, the newest in an annual series of reports revealing the interests, behaviors and buying habits of photo enthusiasts and advanced amateurs. Early in March 2013, more than 5,100 photographers were surveyed regarding their photo behaviors over the previous 12 months.
“The new Rise of the Amateur study shows that passionate photo enthusiasts spent an average of $1,824 on cameras, equipment and software in 2012, a 16% increase over 2011,” said Jim Esp, executive director of PMA. “The average time enthusiasts took pictures per week increased more than 9% in 2012 compared to 2011. We are excited to see this rise in both purchasing and activity, and the resulting growth in the imaging industry.”
Other study findings include:
• Ownership of mirrorless system cameras increased almost 13% in 2012 compared to 2011.
• In 2012, more respondents made income from their photography compared to 2011.
• Spending on photo services—printing, photo books, photo cards, etc.—declined in 2012, both in the U.S. and outside the U.S.
• The number of enthusiasts who took pictures with mobile phones daily or several times a week grew by 10%.
• Close to half of prosumers visit online photo communities every day.
The Rise of the Amateur Report, 2013 edition, is available now to PMA members for $399 through the PMA Store. Nonmembers can purchase the report for $699. Previous versions of the annual report are also available, at a discounted price. pmai.org
