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Photo Information Booth - 17th Season by Art Netzer Back in September, Art and Gloria Netzer kicked off the 17th Season of the Photo Information Booth in Norwalk, CT. Article rating: 8.00

The Photo Information Booth, (PIB) sponsored by PMDA (the PhotoImaging Manufacturers & Distributors Association), starts it’s 17th season this September. The PIB has been traveling the country, setting up at boating, sport and ski shows in major metropolitan areas. The purpose of the PIB is to bring the word about photography to outdoor, hunting, fishing and boating enthusiasts, in other words, to people who should be carrying cameras along with their outdoor gear.

Art & Gloria Netzer have been in charge of this traveling road show for the past eleven years. The 2007/08 has always started at the outside Norwalk International Boat Show and modify the schedule to different locations around the country.

After the start at Norwalk the show schedule will take the PIB to LA SkiDazzle, New Orleans Boat Show, Atlantic City Boat Show, Chicago Strictly Sail and ends up at the Northwest Sportshow in Minneapolis in April 2008.

© 2007 Art Netzer

The objective over the past years was to take products of the booth’s sponsors and show them to the general public, promote photography in general and educate during the transition from film to digital cameras. Now there is little discussion about film cameras and emphasis what’s new with products and where the market is going. The Photo Information Booth doesn’t sell products, doesn’t take orders and doesn’t endorse one piece of equipment over another. What Art and Gloria, do is demonstrate products and answer questions. We have about 75 or so digital cameras, lenses and accessories to show along and because most sportsman use binoculars we have a variety of binoculars, which are always popular at these shows. During the past few years a good of the time is spent showing current camera owners how to use the camera they have then updating them with new equipment on display. At several shows there are seminars showing groups of people what is new and answering questions.

In order to have equipment displayed, manufacturers must be PMDA members, then they sponsor the booth with dues based on the number of pieces of equipment they want to display. This season booth sponsors are Canon, Nikon, Panasonic, Pentax, Olympus, Tamron, Fuji, Epson, Popular Photography and American Photo.

© 2007 Art Netzer

So why do people attending a sports show stop at a camera booth? People want to know and see what they buy, and they’re not getting a enough information from their visits to the internet or retail outlets. Ten years ago it was almost all film now digital makes up about 95 percent of the questions we answer and conversations we have. At the booth they can see the newest products and usually learn something. Newcomers to digital can learn about pixels, zoom lenses, etc and learn the basics to purchase their first digital camera. Second and third time buyers learn about new features like anti-shake, large screens, zoom features, high MP’s and the small size available of sponsors products to help them determine how much they want to spend. In recent years much if the conversations are about SLR cameras and lenses. The smaller, lighter SLR's are most appealing and getting a lot of attention. Although the main objective is to show sponsors equipment we often get questions on so software, printing, and how to transfer on to the computer. At several shows we have seminars we call it "beyond the basics" which is intended by people who want to know what digital cameras can do, beyond the basic point and shoot. Very often we are asked to explain to people with new cameras how to use the features. At first people are skeptical about stopping because they really didn’t come to a sports show to buy a camera, but after they find out nothing is for sale they usually get right into it and leave saying "what a great manufacturing courtesy"

The booth also supplies sponsors literature, various travel and photo imaging guides as well as complementary issues of Popular Photography and American Photo. Show attendees can fill out a short questioner providing PMDA with buying habits and trends giving attendees a chance to win donated sponsors gifts for daily and show prizes.

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