News and Announcements

PLUS Registry To Launch

The PLUS Coalition has announced that it plans to launch the PLUS Registry — a global online resource that connects images, rights holders and rights information — in the Fall of 2010. ASMP has been a significant contributor to PLUS, which is operated on a non-profit basis by and for all communities engaged in creating, distributing, using and preserving images. By registering with PLUS, rights holders obtain "PLUS-IDs" which uniquely identify them throughout the global marketplace, allowing image users to access and manage the rights information associated with that image.

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ASMP Joins NDSA

ASMP is the newest founding member of the Library of Congress' National Digital Stewardship Alliance (NDSA), an outgrowth of the National Digital Information Infrastructure and Preservation Program (NDIIPP) efforts through which the dpBestflow project was funded. NDSA is a collaborative effort among government agencies, educational institutions, non-profit organizations and business entities to preserve a national collection of significant digital content. The LOC said, "We look forward to this continuation of our relationship and to our mutual continued dedication to the preservation of our cultural heritage." According to Executive Director Eugene Mopsik, "ASMP is pleased to have the opportunity to share our point of view with this key government organization. We view this alliance as a major step in our outreach."

Best of ASMP 2010 Selected

After reviewing and evaluating a strong group of entries from more than 200 ASMP members, the judges have selected 20 projects as Best of ASMP 2010. The finalists represent a wide span of subject matter, including both personal and commissioned imagery. Fifteen different ASMP chapters and most membership categories are represented. The Best of ASMP issue of the Bulletin is scheduled for early September and will include much more about the winners. Many thanks to all who submitted work!

Congratulations to:

ASMP participated in an amicus curiae ("friend of the court") brief in which the 10th Circuit Court has sided with us. In this case, Golan et al. v. Holder et al., a challenge was mounted to the constitutionality of the "Uruguay Round Agreements Act," which amended the Copyright Act and had the effect of placing copyright protection on some foreign works that had previously fallen into the public domain. The 10th Circuit has rejected that challenge.

On June 18th, ASMP submitted an amicus curiae brief in the case of Muench Photography, Inc. vs. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company and R.R. Donnelley & Sons Company, pending in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York. At issue are copyright registrations of digital catalogues that include photographs made by ASMP members David Muench and Marc Muench. In ruling on a motion filed by the defendants, the court held that the copyright registrations of the digital catalogues did not create copyright registrations for the individual photographs due to the fact that not all of the photographers' names appeared on the applications. The Court is being asked to reconsider its ruling. The effect of the ruling, if left standing, would be to invalidate copyright registrations covering many thousands of photographs made by media photographers and others.

The judge in the Viacom-YouTube suit has rebuffed media company Viacom's attempt to collect more than $1 billion in damages for the alleged copyright abuses of Google's popular YouTube service. The ruling supports Google's interpretation of a law that shields Internet service providers from claims of copyright infringement as long as they promptly remove illegal content when notified of a violation. Viacom says it will appeal.

ASMP is preparing to file an amicus curiae brief in the case of the University of Alabama v. New Life Art et al. It involves a trademark suit by UA against an artist who has been selling limited edition fine arts prints of scenes from their football games. The District Court found in favor of the artist, but set restrictions on the size of prints and the items he could sell. Both sides have appealed, and UA has an amicus brief being filed by most of the big name football universities. ASMP is filing on behalf of the artist.

Photographing Oregon, a guidebook by Greg Vaughn, has been named best travel book of the year by IBPA, the Independent Book Publishers Association. IBPA honored the best books in 50 categories at the 22nd Annual Benjamin Franklin Awards in New York City prior to the BookExpo America trade show. More info can be found at www.PhotoTripUSA.com.

Connie Springer's exhibit, POSITIVELY NINETY: Interviews with Lively Nonagenarians, is on view in its 5th venue at the Oxford Community Art Center in Oxford, Ohio, until August 6th. More information is available at www.oxarts.org/events.html.

Bill Diodato's first book, Care of Ward 81, the first of two books about a special ward set up to help women in need, will be celebrated on July 22nd from 7 to 10 pm at Sun West Studios, 450 West 31st Street in Manhattan. RSVP to diodato@resourcemagonline.com.

Emmanuel Faure is the co-founder of Flexfolios, a multi media portfolio app for the iPad. Flexfolios empowers users with tools to digitally organize and display multiple mixed-media portfolios and campaigns and is accessible for download at www.flexfolios.com.

Behind the Veil: An Intimate Journey Into the Lives of Kandahar's Women featuring photography by Paula Lerner and stories by Jessica Leeder has won an EPPY Award for Best Web Special Feature. To learn more, go to www.theglobeandmail.com/news/world/behind-the-veil.

Seth Resnick and Jamie Spritzer, co-founders of D-65, announce their new book D-65's Lightroom Workbook — Workflow, Not Workslow in Lightroom 3. The book details everything you ever wanted or needed to know about the five modules in Lightroom. Get more info at www.d65.com.

In Memoriam: Sadly, ASMP Life Member Dan Hatzenbuehler lost his battle with a brain tumor on June 18, 2010. Dan was a member of ASMP Dallas since 1989 where he served as President of the Chapter for three years and held many other positions on the Chapter Board including, most recently, Sponsorship. Dan was a well known architectural photographer and one of the founding Members of ASMP's Architectural Specialty Group.

Dave Anderson shares news of the publication and exhibition of One Block: A New Orleans Neighborhood Rebuilds, which will be accompanied by a number of exhibitions. There are several July events in New Orleans including 7/17 at Octavia Books (http://www.octaviabooks.com/event) and at The Historic New Orleans Collection (http://www.hnoc.org/) To order a copy of the book, go to http://www.aperture.org/books/books-new/one-block.html.

Don't forget to keep us in the loop about what you're doing! Send your news to feedback@asmp.org.

Executive Director Gene Mopsik gave a presentation at the recent symposium: Copyright Policy, Creativity & Innovation in the Internet Economy held by the US Patent Trademark Office/National Telecommunications & Information Administration in Washington D.C. He said of the experience: "It was a great day for ASMP. Simply to be included as a participant in the event was an honor. I believe that we have impressed upon the legislative aides that there is a need to consider the plight of the individual rights holder."

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Read a summary of the event

Professional Women Photographers (PWP) 35th Anniversary

To celebrate their anniversary, PWP is sponsoring an International Juried Photography Exhibition and invites all women artists to submit images. Deadline is September 30, 2010 and awards will include cash prizes, a group show in Manhattan's SohoPhoto gallery, an online exhibition and the cover image of IMPRINTS Magazine. Get complete information at www.pwponline.org/calls/individual.php?which=2010-06-10-1.

China-Chengde 3rd International Exhibition to be Held

This photographic exhibition is jointed organized by China Photographers Association and Chengde Municipal People's Government. Deadline for submission of entries is August 10th. For more information, go to www.upiphoto.com/upiphoto/content/2010-china-chengde-international-photo-exhibition.

Adbase Acquires FoundFolios

ADBASE has officially launched FoundFolios, a revolutionary new artist search engine showcasing online portfolios from some of the industry's top artists. Initially featuring artists from the sourcebook, this site will be opened up to other photographers in the near future and expanded to include other artists starting in the fall. See it at www.foundfolios.com.

Lightroom Summer Workshops

Two-day Adobe Photoshop Lightroom Workshops are being offered throughout the summer at a special reduced rate. Find out more at www.lightroomworkshops.com.