Press Releases 30

23

February 2, 2007

Adobe Debuts Photoshop Lightroom 1.0

Adobe Systems Incorporated has announced that Adobe Photoshop(r) Lightroom(tm) 1.0 software is now available for pre-order and is expected to ship in mid-February 2007. Photoshop Lightroom enables professional photographers to import, manage and present large volumes of digital photographs, helping photographers spend more time behind the lens and less time at the computer. With more than 500,000 photographers participating in the public beta program over the last 12 months, Photoshop Lightroom now includes a wealth of innovative features that streamline digital photography workflows.

Recognizing the photography community for their efforts, Adobe is offering Photoshop Lightroom at a special introductory price of US $199 through April 30, 2007 at the
Adobe Store. Photoshop Lightroom will later sell for an estimated street price of US $299.

"It's an unlikely scenario that professional photographers would moonlight as software developers," said John Loiacono, senior vice president, Creative Solutions Business Unit at Adobe. "Fortunately for us, they were willing to give it a shot. Everything, from image viewing and evaluation tools to timesaving editing features, was developed with the help of photographers. This was truly a collaborative effort and we extend our thanks to everyone who provided invaluable feedback to help us deliver a powerhouse professional photography tool."

Lightroom Feature Advancements

Photoshop Lightroom includes new functionality added since beta 4.1, with significant changes to the Library and Develop modules complementing improvements to the Slideshow, Print and Web components. While in the Library module, new advanced keywording tools help photographers filter through large collections, and an improved import dialogue with more flexible file handling allows more choice when determining file location. The new Key Metadata Browser provides quick access to key information tags with an improved ranking and rating system that now incorporates color labels and a pick/reject system that sorts and locates photographs faster than ever. New to the Develop module, Virtual Copies and Snapshot tools help present multiple versions of the same image, providing the most choice to clients without the confusion of saving separate physical versions. Additional tools added include a Hue, Saturation and Luminance targeted adjustment tool for precise and intuitive image edits. Clone and Healing features provide non-destructive edits to eliminate sensor dust across one or many images.

High-Quality Raw Processing

Photoshop Lightroom leverages Adobe Camera Raw technology and supports over 150 native raw file formats, in addition to JPEG and TIFF, bringing raw conversion into a single workflow experience. The latest camera models supported include the Nikon D40 and D80 and the Pentax K10D. This support means that photographers can use Lightroom with even the newest cameras on the market, knowing that the image files will be recognized today and in the future. Upon import, files can be converted to the
Digital Negative specification (DNG) or renamed and segmented by folder or date. DNG is an industry-wide initiative to create a universal file format for solving workflow and archiving issues. It aims to eliminate barriers to new camera adoption while giving professional photographers the confidence that their digital body of work is securely archived and will remain accessible as digital imaging technology evolves.

"Photoshop Lightroom gives me the capabilities to get everything out of a raw file. Now I can easily duplicate enhancements and apply them across a range of similar images almost instantly," said Denis Reggie, a nationally renowned celebrity and society wedding photographer. "Lightroom is brilliantly conceived and masterfully executed. I can see my digital workflow moving fully to Lightroom now that it is final."

Pricing and Availability

Adobe Photoshop Lightroom will ship in mid-February 2007 and is available for pre-order in the United States and Canada through the Adobe Store at www.adobe.com/store for a special introductory price of US $199. The $100 discount is offered to all customers through April 30, 2007 in appreciation of loyal Photoshop users, early supporters of Photoshop Lightroom and beta participants who devoted time, energy and feedback throughout the process. Photoshop Lightroom will later sell for an estimated street price of US $299. Recommended system requirements are Macintosh OSX 10.4.3, 1 GHz PowerPC G4 processor or Microsoft(r) Windows(r) XP SP2, Intel(r) Pentium 4(r) Processor, and 768 MB RAM and a 1024x768 resolution screen. Adobe Photoshop Lightroom is a Universal Binary application that will run natively on PowerPC and new Intel-based Macintosh systems.

The announcement of Photoshop Lightroom 1.0 signifies the official conclusion of the groundbreaking Lightroom beta program. Users of Lightroom beta will have access to the program until its expiration on February 28, 2007.

Corbis / Smithsonian Offers Celebrated Images of American Culture

Corbis (www.corbis.com), has announced it will begin licensing widely-recognized digital imagery for the Smithsonian Institution, offering creative professionals a one stop venue to access photography and images of famous objects in American history and contemporary culture.

This is the first time the Smithsonian Institution, one of the world's preeminent cultural organizations with 19 museums and galleries, is working with a visual content provider to license the breadth and depth of its imagery for editorial and commercial use worldwide. It includes a broad spectrum of imagery, from historical photography, cultural objects, paintings, prints, sculptures, textiles, scientific instruments, and natural specimens, to aircraft and space vehicles.

"Corbis is proud to work with the world-class Smithsonian Institution to bring its impressive catalogue to the global marketplace," said Steve Davis, CEO, Corbis. "Images from the Smithsonian complement our other famous collections from Andy Warhol, The National Gallery, London, zefa, The Bettmann Collection and others to ensure Corbis is the best place for advertisers, marketers and the editorial community to find the superior imagery they need to succeed."

The partnership plans to provide hundreds of images from Smithsonian museums such as the National Museum of American History, the National Museum of Natural History, the Smithsonian American Art Museum, the National Air and Space Museum, the National Portrait Gallery, the National Museum of African Art, the Freer Gallery of Art, the Arthur M. Sackler Gallery, and the National Museum of the American Indian.

"We are excited to be working with Corbis, a global leader in image licensing, to expand access to Smithsonian's vast archival resources and offer images that have never before been available in high quality digital format," said Gary Beer, CEO, Smithsonian Business Ventures. "The capabilities of Corbis, their relationships with editorial and commercial clients, and their reputation for high quality, were all reasons that we have chosen to work with them. We expect this partnership will foster a stronger global awareness for the Institution and its archives, and generate important revenue that supports its educational mission."

The first of the Smithsonian images were recently added to Corbis.com, with plans to increase the numbers significantly by the end of 2007. Imagery available includes Charles E. "Chuck" Yeager's Bell X-1, Alexander Graham Bell's invention, the telephone, and the 45.52-carat Hope Diamond.

Newscom Hires Director of Sales and Launches New Brand Image

Newscom, a global source of news and information, today launches a new brand image and adds a key company leader to its management team.

Tom Bannon has been hired as Director of Sales for Newscom. His responsibilities include management of sales and business development in the U.S. and Canada, and leading customer service efforts for the company. As he starts in his new role, Bannon will develop Newscom staff expertise in solutions selling, key accounts and expansion of Newscom's presence in the aggregation and database business.

"We are excited to add Tom Bannon to the Newscom team," said Newscom General Manager Bill Creighton. "He has proven himself a strong leader and capable strategist in both small entrepreneurial endeavors and large corporate settings. His expertise in business development, sales and management will be a valuable asset to Newscom."

Bannon previously was Director of Sales for national accounts at Getty Images. He also has served as Senior Vice President for Business Development at Octopus Media, Director of Business and Content Development for Netserv LLC, Senior Manager of Sports at Prodigy Online Services, and Director of Publications for the New York Yankees.

Bannon graduated from the University of Dayton in Dayton, Ohio, with a bachelor's degree in communications and minors in English and marketing.

The addition of Bannon to the Newscom leadership team coincides with a new visual identity for the company. With a new logo and updated brand imaging, Newscom is poised to present a fresh image to the global publishing community.

"With an updated visual identity, we intend to set ourselves apart from the competition," Creighton said. "The new Newscom logo exudes a modern, fresh personality - one that reflects the ease and simplicity that our customers enjoy when they use Newscom's services."

Michael Masterson Joins Janou Pakter, Inc. As Company Launches Photography Division and West Coast Office

The international executive search firm, Janou Pakter, Inc. [JPI], has launched of a new division dedicated to the photography and stock photography industries today. The firm will also open a new West Coast office in addition to its current offices in New York, Paris and Milan. Jerry Tavin, former CEO of nonstock, Inc. and a founder and vice president of JPI, announced that Michael Masterson, longtime veteran of Workbook and Workbook Stock, will work with him in launching the new photography division and also direct West Coast operations for JPI.

The new division will leverage Mr. Tavin's and Mr. Masterson's combined years of experience in the photography and stock photography industries to recruit outstanding international talent for stock image companies, corporate and publishing clients and advertising agencies and design consultancies. Mr. Tavin said, "We are excited about expanding JPI's range of services to include the photography industry and we are delighted that Michael Masterson will head this new division for us. His twenty plus years of working in the stock and photography world will be of great value in sourcing both clients and candidates."

The photography division will place talent nationally and internationally at all levels including creative, marketing, production, sales and management positions. Janou Pakter, JPI founder and president stated, "Michael's incredible reputation and network of relationships, nurtured over the last 20 years in the stock and photo industry, combined with our company's 22 years of global search expertise puts us in a unique position. We can offer clients who are looking to hire industry-related talent the best possible service available. It's a perfect fit."

For additional information about JPI's new photography division, please contact info@pakter.com or call 323-302-5353.

Michael Masterson : director - west coast operations : www.pakter.com: 7095 Hollywood Boulevard, #787 Los Angeles, CA 90028 : 323-302-5353