Atttendees of this year’s Photokina should make plans to join a panel of internationally acclaimed photographers for three panel discussions at Photokina, entitled "When to Use Film? When to Use Digital? Let the Professional Decide." The panelists, featuring Renate Forster, Frederic Lagrange, Jock McDonald and Chris Usher, will showcase images taken with the new KODAK PROFESSIONAL PORTRA color negative film family and discuss the importance and relevance of film in a digital world.
"When I first saw the images created by these amazing photographers using our new PORTRA films, I had such a strong emotional reaction – the vibrant colors; the natural skin tone, the amazing detail," said Mary Jane Hellyar, President, Film and Photofinishing Systems Group and Senior Vice President, Eastman Kodak Company. "It also reminded me that our job is to provide the tools that enable these photographers to create their magic and how lucky we are to work with artists such as Chris, Frederic, Jock and Renate. I think Photokina attendees will find their depth and breadth of experience, combined with the variety of their styles, both inspiring and provocative."
Kodak will host the panels on Wednesday, September 27 and Thursday, September 28 at Photokina’s Koelnmesse fairgrounds at the following times and locations:
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 27, 10:00 A.M. AND 2:00 P.M., KRISTALLSAAL, SECTION THREE, 3RD LEVEL
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 28, 10:00 A.M., SALON BARCAROLE, ENTRANCE WEST, 3RD LEVEL
About the photographers:
RENATE FORSTER: After five years as a photographer’s assistant, rising star Renate Forster kicked off her career in 2000. Since that time, her mix of fashion, editorial and wedding photography has focused on the essence of real life. Teaming with her partner, Lisa Martin, Forster captures the natural moment and mood of real people in real situations. Her work has appeared in publications such as Shape, Cosmopolitan, Joy, Jolie and Freundin.
FREDERIC LAGRANGE: After assisting world-renowned fashion photographers such as Nathaniel Goldberg, with whom he spent two years, Lagrange launched his professional career in 2000. Lagrange started visually documenting his life and always carried a camera to capture it — from the grit of New York to the pristine islands of Indonesia. In 2003, Photo District News Magazine named him one of the prestigious "30 under 30" emerging photographers. Since then, Lagrange has contributed regularly to many national and international magazines, among them Vogue Japan, GQ, Travel + Leisure and Conde Nast Traveler, shooting a range of work from portraiture to travel and fashion. He is currently working on a book about Mongolia.
JOCK MCDONALD: Jock McDonald, a self-taught photographer, has gained international acclaim through distinctive wit, humor, exaggeration and pathos. A well-known and accomplished commercial photographer, McDonald’s work ranges from celebrity portraits to depictions of rural America, Europe and Asia, including Cuba, Russia, Ukraine, and China. His work can be found in museums and galleries around the world. Currently, he’s creating a personal project that documents garbage dumps in Third World countries, to better understand the legacy left for future generations.
CHRIS USHER: Chris Usher’s work appears regularly in domestic and international monthly and weekly publications. Usher also continues his documentation of behind-the-scenes moments at the White House for his "Behind the Velvet Rope" project which is currently touring as an exhibition. In addition to "Behind the Velvet Rope," Usher is in the middle of his project, "One of Us," which documents the ongoing aftermath of Hurricane Katrina at three weeks, three months, six months and one year. Currently, he’s traveling across the United States capturing portraits and interviews of first responders, volunteers, and evacuees who never returned to the Katrina-ravished Louisiana and Mississippi.
Want to stay in the loop? Register with our World of Photo newsletter, and receive the latest news articles regularly.
