Why Don’t We Do It On the Road?

I have heard some industry reporters brag that they could cover a trade show from the confines of their office by merely cruising the Internet. After all, various feeds and even show Web sites beam reports right from the show floor, so all the news you might want can be gotten via the Web, right? Wrong. As the irrepressible Bob Schwalberg once intoned loudly from the entrance to the pressroom at PMA, noting all the press gathered over the meager lunchtime buffet, “Gentlemen, you cannot cover PMA from the pressroom!” The same goes for those seeking to escape the drudgery of travel by attempting to get the pulse of the industry in their cubicles or from behind the sales counter—it just ain’t the same. Not that you can’t get scads of press releases online. It’s in the random meetings in the aisles of a show, the quick conversations inside the booths and the general heat, or lack of it, emanating from the show itself that often tells the tale and leads to the most interesting revelations and industry intelligence.

With that in mind, and calendar in hand, I thought it might be helpful to offer a biased view of the major shows rolling around, starting this fall and stretching into the new year. Admittedly I have a different view of these shows than you might have, as my purpose for attending is probably not the same as yours. But having attended various shows for more years than I care to admit I thought my perspective might be helpful as you plan your travel budget. So here goes, in chronological order.

Photokina

Cologne, Germany,

The granddaddy of all photo shows, photokina is an extravagant, world-wide gathering of the industry that sets the mark for immersion in all things imaging for kindred spirits from around the world. The town throws itself wholeheartedly into the affair, with photo exhibits in every bank window, museum and city building, as well as more photography in the show halls than all other shows listed here combined. The trade show itself is daunting, with recently expanded and newly-built halls. The product displays rival and surpass the CES show in scope and size, with all entirely devoted to the image and how it is made, processed and communicated.

The show is held every two years and it’s a good thing, as the energy required to cover it and see all there is to see would be too much for an annual gathering. Folks come from around the world and just about every country where anything photographic is made or marketed is represented, as is the worldwide press. The show does seem to run long – until you get there. If you are looking for a few select items, such as lighting, give it two days; otherwise prepare for the long haul.

This show is especially useful for those looking to break into the market or seek export partners. For U.S. exhibitors there is a U.S./Canadian Pavilion, which helps with exhibiting expenses and is a much better way than doing it on your own. For those looking to find product there is no better arena, as every manufacturer and distributor in the world holds court. For those seeking an amazing look at the breadth and scope of the industry this show tops them all. And for those who want to get a feel for what’s happening with photographers and the images they make today, photokina is better than any New York gallery-hopping jaunt. If you have never done this show and you are part of the industry you owe it to yourself to make it, even if it’s a once in a lifetime trip.

So much for the praise, now here are some wags of the finger. The euro/dollar exchange rate is very bad right now. Prepare for sticker shock. The hotels jack prices up double or three times their usual going rate, which to me is almost criminal (though Las Vegas and New York are guilty of the same greed).

Photo Plus Expo

New York City,

While more an end user show than a trade show per se, Photo Plus Expo has become the main advanced amateur and professional photo show of the fall season. I don’t see this so much as a buying show as a show that will give anyone attending an excellent sense of what is exciting, and what excites the high-volume buyer. Attendees range from wedding photographers to grizzled commercial pros to weekend warriors to tire kickers and students, all of whom crowd into the Javits Center to look, listen and learn. There are numerous seminars given by the usual suspects that always include special nights with the best in the business and the “fine art” photo crowd. For retailers (especially those who sell more than blister pack products) the show is more of a three-day long focus group, where it’s easy enough to see what turns on this group of consumers.

The folks in attendance are those who actually buy f/2 300mm lenses, or multiple strobe units and even group buy 50 high-end DSLRs for their staff. They are drawn from the entire megalopolis (Boston to DC) corridor. Any pro or advanced amateur shop might do well to send a rep just to see what this high demo group is up to, and which booths they crowd. It has the look and feel of the old consumer shows held right before Christmas, with all the energy that entails.

The same caveats apply as far as sticker shock is concerned. Foreign tourists have driven working New Yorkers out of the hotels, and high occupancy rates have made for gleeful hotel owners and ridiculously high rates for rooms where you have to climb over the bed to get to the dresser.

CES

Las Vegas,

OK, I have to state right from the beginning that I have not attended CES for the last two years. While this show might be obligatory for buyers and sellers alike, finding products that relate to photography, even imaging, is daunting. Covering this show from a reporters’ perspective is deleterious to health and sanity, as the booths and displays of interest are spread over immense floor spaces that can take half the day just to go from one to another. You have to dodge huge crowds and make your way through acres of plasma TVs and booming car stereos just to find your next item of interest. Everyone seems to come back with the dreaded “CES cold.”

Admittedly, much of what I have experienced at this show took place a few years back, but I rely on hearsay from others in my trade that tell me not much has changed in the ensuing time. A trend that started years back and continues today is the “hotel suite meeting”, which might seem to help avoid the madness of the convention center but only adds to the dizzying pace, given the traffic congestion in the city during the show. Some folks even say that Vegas is getting too small for such a show (!)

Even with all that my chief objection to the show is that imaging is given fairly short shrift and is not the focus of the event. Attempts have been made to make the photography buyer’s (and reporter’s) trip more worthwhile, but from all accounts that has not been entirely successful. But if you see photography as just one aspect of consumer electronics (which I don’t) then I guess this show is right up your alley. Maybe I’m getting old, but for me it’s a pass. This publication puts on an event titled Spotlight on Imaging 2009 that is attempting to right these wrongs.

PPofA: Imaging USA

Phoenix, AZ,

As an alternative to CES some photo exhibitors are showing at the annual Professional Photographers of America, Imaging USA show, held in Phoenix next year. While not a buyer’s show, this venerable association puts on a good group of pro-oriented seminars, lectures, interactive displays and exhibits. Like the Photo Plus Expo in November it is more a focus group than a buy and sell show for dealers. The timing is such that I have not attended in the past few years, but by all accounts it is a lively show that draws a good cross section of professional photographers. Unlike most other shows it moves around the country to different host cities each year, making it feel more like a regional than a national show.

WPPI

Las Vegas,

Under the leadership of Skip Cohen and associates at Rangefinder Magazine this show has become the star of the professional photographer trade show circuit. The show has taken on a “young gun” reputation that incorporates a lively and informative group of seminars, displays, booths and picture shows. The show is a hotbed of professional photographers that has been lauded by vendors and attendees alike. While many dealers attend to see what’s hot and what’s not, it is not strictly a buying show but one that marks and creates trends for the coming year. Speakers set the bar for the latest in style and gear.

PMA

Las Vegas,

Thankfully next year’s PMA Show is not right after CES, a conjunction of events last Winter that gave some poor folks just enough time to do the laundry before they had to turn around and do Las Vegas all over again. I have been attending the PMA show since 1982 and have certainly seen its ups and downs, and after a few years where I, and others, had doubts (especially with the rumors about it being bought by or absorbed into CES) I can say that it is finding its true form once again.

This show is about imaging and related fields, although some cast a jaundiced eye at the framing and scrapbooking aspects, unwarranted criticism in my opinion. The leadership of PMA does an excellent job of offering seminars, related conferences (school photographer and photo educators) and various pre-show events (DIMA being a standout), all of which make for a show that concentrates on what the name implies—photo marketing. It is also where you get to attend specific workshops as well as informative industry sessions, which speak to the state of the industry in no uncertain terms.

PMA has done a remarkable job of reacting to and incorporating digital into the fold, where now it has come to dominate the floor in both interest and exhibits. And while the “back booths” at CES are filled with car alarms and plastic phones in the shape of frogs and footballs, the back booths at PMA are a wonderful place for a photographer to roam. International pavilions, a la photokina, have sprouted up again, which gives importers an excellent place to show their wares. And thankfully, but still pale in comparison to photokina, we are starting to see more photographers given space in the hall, and not just those touting product.

Of course it’s not all roses at the show, especially with some key players not exhibiting due to the overlap they might see with CES. But given the direction PMA has taken in the past few years I trust it will continue to carry the flag as the prime photo/imaging show for many years to come.

You probably noticed that I have not included regionals and flying circuses, although these more intimate affairs can be very useful as well. In all, it’s a busy calendar from September to March, one that keeps vendors and buyers busy. While the dealer-only shows are those most likely to snag your interest, don’t count out the end-user shows. yy