Unless you’ve been living in a cave the last 20 years, you have undoubtedly had at least one imaging industry conversation with Herbert Keppler. The International Photographic Council (IPC), a multinational non-profit photography organization of the United Nations honored Herbert Keppler earlier this year for his many years of service to the photography industry with the IPC Annual “Hall of Fame” Award. IPC honored Herbert Keppler because he personifies IPC’s motto: over his long career, Keppler has been dedicated to increasing worldwide recognition of photography as a universal means of communication. Keppler’s history in photography is well-known and illustrious, spanning seven decades of devotion to the photographic arts, starting at the tender age of six.
Keppler has authored numerous books on photography as well as written numerous columns for a wide variety of photo publications over the years. His background includes graduating from Harvard College and serving as a commanding officer in the Navy. After years as Editorial Director and Publisher of Modern Photography Magazine and Senior Vice President of ABC Leisure Magazines, a division of the American Broadcasting Company, Keppler was most recently Vice President, Popular Photography & Imaging and American Photo magazines.
Among the many photography awards Keppler has won, include “The Order of the Sacred Treasure, Gold Rays with Rosette,” presented by His Majesty, the Emperor of Japan for his outstanding contributions to the development of the Japanese camera industry and the promotion of understanding between Japan and the United States; the Photo Marketing Hall of Fame in 1985; the Photographic Administrators Award for Lifetime Achievement in 1987; and the Photographic Manufacturers and Distributors Association Lifetime Achievement Award in 1991.
We recently caught up with the still very busy Mr. Keppler and asked him about the current state of the imaging industry.
Digital Clique: How has the photo industry changed ?
Keppler: American importers and distributors, not manufacturers, were the prime sales agents for most imported products. Huge companies, such as Ehrenreich Photo Optical Industries, Berkey, and Allied Impex, handled many different brands. For instance, EPOI (Ehrenreich Photo Optical Industries) distributed Fujifilm and cameras: Nikon, Bronica, Durst Enlargers, Capro Flash, Mamiya cameras, Ultima ultraminiature film, and Omnica Bags. Kodak was the most dominant company of all. Electronic stores sold only TV and radio, not cameras. In New York, Masters just started selling multiple products at a discount. In the early 1950’s there was still little post-war product for sales. Prices were fair traded. A pro could get maybe a 10% discount.
The German 35mm camera manufacturing industry, which had been dominant before and shortly after WWII, was primarily high precision, but dependent on shutters from Compur and Prontor, who manufactured leaf shutters only. Producing interchangeable lenses to fit in front of leaf shutters was a very difficult, severely limiting SLR design.
The Japanese photo industry perfected cameras made in mass, automated fashion with sampling inspection. Copal created a metal blade shutter for all Japanese cameras specially designed to accommodate interchangeable lenses. With these and other automated advances, the Japanese manufacturers were able to become the dominant force in camera manufacture in the late 1950’s and ‘60’s, and later to reclaim direct distribution of their products, largely eliminating the U.S. distributor.
Of course, the digital revolution has provided the photo industry with a much-needed new lease on life, which many parts of the industry have yet to use properly.
Digital Clique: What do you think are the most exciting opportunities for the photographic market?
Keppler: Would you believe 3D? Thanks to electronics, there is a good possibility that 3D or stereo photography may have a fantastic new life. Sharp has been developing two image 3D switchable to 2D TV, computer and monitor screens which would allow sensational three-dimensional pictures for screens of every size at remarkably low cost. Many major electronics and camera companies here and in Japan have quietly joined committees to develop the 3D system. Want to shoot your own 3D? You’re going to need two lens cameras to do so, right?
In today’s market, I think that commercial photofinishers of all sizes are letting profits slip through their fingers because of a lack of suitable promotion and advertising to mass markets, who still don’t realize that they can get superior prints from photofinishers. Perhaps photofinishers need to unite and promote their wares. Every time I send a memory card in for processing I am horrified when I get the pictures back in photofinisher envelopes designed for 35mm film and negatives.
Digital Clique: What do you think the industry is doing right and what is it doing wrong?
Keppler: Wrong: The electronics industry creates products to be used and discarded within a few years—computers and printers are swiftly outdated and junked. The camera industry never expected such turnover. A top-level 35mm SLR could expect a life up to seven years, medium-level cameras up to five. A leading camera company president gave his top-level digital SLR a life of but one year and his point-and-shoot but 6 months before they must be replaced with newer models. The turnover is far too swift to allow manufacturers to amortize costs adequately and stores to sell what they already have. Just read the financial statements and losses from many camera manufacturers. The cycle must be slowed.
Right: Producing magnificent picture-taking and making products, but too many of ‘em.
