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Photo Industry Helps With Katrina Relief  
 

left: the totally destroyed downtown area of Bay St. Louis, Mississippi

Marilyn Sholin has made available four of her best New Orleans original paintings as 13x19-inch fine art posters to raise funds for the Hurricane Katrina Red Cross Fund. To purchase a poster, log onto the secure web site with all the information: https://sslnet. com/marilynsholin/NewOrleansPosters.html. As of September 5, 2005, over $2000 has been raised with the web site, and they are hoping for much more.

Photography Relief Fund
In response to the devastating effects of Hurricane Katrina, members of the professional photography trade have established a relief effort to help industry colleagues get back on their feet. The P.H.O.T.O. Foundation (Photographic Industry Helping Others To Overcome) aims to rally industry support in the form of financial contributions, loaned equipment, extended billing and payment arrangements, and in-kind services to help photographers rebuild their businesses.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents.

As of September 5, more than 40 organizations had agreed to help raise funds and awareness regarding the photographers affected by Hurricane Katrina, including: Albums Inc., Amphoto Books/Watson- Guptill Publications, AsukaBook, Auto FX Software, BIG Folio, Blossom Publishing, Blue Skies Marketing, Buckeye Color Lab, DWF (Digital Wedding Forum), DxO Labs, Epson, garyfongestore. com, GNP (Gross National Product), H&H Color Lab, Hahnemühle USA, Hallmark Institute of Photography, Hasselblad, Kodak, Kubota Image Tools, LabPrints, Leaf America, LexJet, Marathon Press, Media Street, Miller’s Professional Imaging, nik Multimedia, Nikon, PDIA (Professional Digital Imaging Association), Phanfare, Photovision, PMA (Photo Marketing Association International), Rangefinder Publishing, S.I.R. Marketing Communications, The Chilcote Company, the MAC Group, VPO (Virtual Press Office), WPPI and Zookbinders.

To contribute equipment, services or other assistance, please contact Karyn Newman at PHOTOReliefFund@zookbinders.com or Skip Cohen at PHOTOReliefFund@wppionline.com/.

DWF Members Raise $43,000 for Katrina Relief
So far, Digital Wedding Forum has raised $43,000 for P.H.O.T.O (above). According to DWF Founder, Jeff Caplan, “Every cent of this money will aid photographers struggling with the basic necessities of life along the Gulf Coast.”

gambling barge, washed a quarter mile from its mooring;	receding flood waters;

Operation Heirloom
Many people escaped Hurricane Katrina with nothing more than what they could carry. Much of what was left behind was destroyed. It is impossible to imagine what these people have been through, but we sometimes try to imagine what we would take if we had to leave the house now and never come back.

After loved ones and essentials, people would probably bring photographs and other cherished heirlooms. Many Katrina survivors did not have the chance to take these items. We cannot replace what was lost, but as photographers we can help these people begin to build a new foundation for family history and memories. Survivors of Hurricane Katrina will need many basic items and services of primary importance. But in addition to these concrete needs, they need some of the psychological tools necessary for rebuilding their lives and achieving a sense of normalcy.

Operation Heirloom was started by Matt and Enna Grazier, Boston wedding and portrait photographers, who hope other photographers and photo organizations across the country will offer their services to survivors of Hurricane Katrina. While service can be provided on an individual level, they hope to work with photographers and associations to plan large-scale Operation Heirloom Portrait Days in regions where evacuees will benefit.

“We strongly believe that family photos can play a strong part in the healing process,” the Graziers commented. They encourage photographers to volunteer their services for free portrait sessions and prints to Katrina survivors. Please contact them if you would like to use the “Operation Heirloom” name for a local portrait project. Visit www.operationheirloom.org or call (617) 524-8718.

82nd Airborne troopers patrolling the streets of the French Quarter;	ICE agents on a mission with the National Guard to a crashed helicopter site;

Katrina Relief Wristbands
Neil Enterprises is taking a step that will hopefully generate thousands of well needed dollars. They are offering “Katrina Relief” wristbands to everyone in the industry for just $0.45 each, minimum order 500 pieces. 100 percent of the proceeds will go to the American Red Cross.

The wristbands can be used by anyone as a give-away or fundraiser to bring awareness and support to the effort. For more information, visit www.neilenterprises.com/.

Marathon Suspends Charges in Affected Areas
In an effort to ease the financial burden of our clients who have been displaced by Hurricane Katrina, Marathon has suspended all monthly fees associated with Internet Hosting, Client Connections, Marketing Partnership Service, and the Marketing Value and Marketing Basics Plans. All clients whose studios lay within the path of Hurricane Katrina have been placed on hold and will not incur any additional charges until January 2006 or such time that the studio is able to contact Marathon and make other arrangements. All web sites will remain active with no disruption in service, as well as all marketing control sites for the administration of Client Connections and the Marketing Partnership Service. Please contact an account representative at (800) 228-0629 with any additional questions or to inquire about the status of your account. And, as always, if we can be of any assistance during this difficult time, please don’t hesitate to ask.

Collages.net Helps Out New Orleans-area Photographers
Collages.net, in an effort to help photographers devastated by Hurricane Katrina, are contributing to the effort by offering a free account (normally $70 a month) to photographers who need support and assistance getting their studios back in business. The free account allows photographers to upload as many jobs as they would like to Collages.net for 18 months (this is a $1260 value per photographer). Interested photographers should get in touch with Rachel Pass, Collages. net’s customer service manager, directly at (267) 572-5019. The account can be activated whenever the photographer is ready.

Nikon Aids Katrina Relief Effort
Nikon’s Professional Services (NPS) division has set up an on-site presence in New Orleans to provide free repair services to photographers and photojournalists who are working around the clock and facing problems with camera equipment affected by difficult climate and environmental conditions. Additionally, U.S.-based Nikon is making a donation of $50,000 to the American Red Cross to support their efforts in mobilizing resources and supplies for the victims of Hurricane Katrina and disaster relief workers in the Gulf region. Nikon has also created a Hurricane Relief Fund where the company will match employee contributions to the fund.

The ravaging effects of hurricane Katrina have directly impacted six Nikon employees. The employees and their families are now safe, and Nikon is working with them to help rebuild their lives.

wind damage in the city;	flood waters in the lower Ninth Ward.

Buckeye Color Lab Lends Software Link for Donations
PPA Charities is serving as a collection point for funds for disaster relief. These funds will be collected, and at the end of the month will be donated to the registered disaster-relief agencies based on need. A tax-deductible donation can be made directly through BOSS (Buckeye Order Submission System), simply by ordering the $5 donation print. Order one if you wish to donate $5, two if you wish to donate $10, etc. There are alternate means of donation on the Buckeye web site if you do not have BOSS software (www.buckeyecolor.com)

BIG Folio Helping Out
BIG Folio (www.bigfolio.com) is giving half of all new sales from Sept. 1-15 to the P.H.O.T.O. Foundation fund. Says Mike Caston of BIG Folio, "We thank all who bought BIG Folio solutions knowing it would also assist their fellow photographers in need"

GraphiStudio Lends a Hand
The GraphiStudio family in the USA and Italy will collectively be donating $10 for every order received in the USA office from September 1-30. This donation will be divided between two charitable organizations; the Red Cross and the P.H.O.T.O. Foundation (Photographic Industry Helping Others to Overcome) to help support those affected by Hurricane Katrina.