Photokina (Part 1)

As I began talking about in my Starting at the End blog, in late September I went to Photokina, The major photography conference which brings 180,000 visitors to Cologne, Germany for 1,251 exhibitors from 45 countries to present a huge range of new products, technical innovations, and future trends to visitors from more than 160 nations. I'd like to say I represented two of those nations (being Australian but most recently working for Atlantic Photo Supply in Halifax, Canada) and with the one day ticket that i had bought to the show I tried to experience as much of it as I possibly could and I'll be sharing a bit with you over the next few blogs..

Following the many men in their black suits, I walked my way towards the conference centre, a HUGE pavilion not too far from my wonderful hostel, for day two of the conference. I followed Nikon's yellow step road and got my copy of the Photokina Daily and after being blinded by the display that Canon had put on I quickly made my way to Lomography (I'll be talking about that venture in my next blog) and along the way I began to realize a few things, the first one being what a surreal environment it was, everyone there was doing it for real, models, world famous photographers, big displays of all of the gear that they carry and revealing new products, trying to make their face be brighter than the next with the amount of space they took up, the gimmicks they had and what free samples they could give you.

Wildlife shooting anyone?

Sony, Keepin it real..

Fuji trying to convert me to their attempt to revamp instant photography. Fail!

The largest photoglobe in the planet... Not that I've ever really wanted to see one but whatever..

Me, posing in an Amy Winehouse wig for Kodak, they gave me free (TERRIBLE) instant prints of this..

Crumpler bags, with such catchy slogans as "Everytime a laptop gets dropped a baby deer dies" I have no idea why they aren't selling more laptop cases..

Some of the random fun free things that I picked up along the way..