Panasonic Announces Plans for New School


Panasonic Launches Digital Photo Academy to Enrich Digital Imaging Lifestyle

 Nationwide digital photo workshops help digital camera owners of all levels

Following its recent launch of a sleek line of Lumix digital point-and-shoot cameras, Panasonic continues to make waves in the digital imaging community by introducing the Panasonic Digital Photo Academy, available to digital camera owners who want to improve their photo skills.  The academy, an expansive workshop series available in 20 major metropolitan areas across the country, will help digital camera owners at all skill levels learn how to better use their cameras and optimize their digital photography experiences.

Beginning in May 2007, the Panasonic Digital Photo Academy will offer workshops once a month in each designated city at three levels: beginner, intermediate and advanced. The instructors are accomplished professionals based in each market and they will teach seminar workshops, available to 15 students per skill level.  Panasonic wants every level of attendee to feel comfortable and to avoid having experienced photographers lumped in with beginners who have completely different questions and needs.

To coincide with the Digital Photo Academy workshops, Panasonic will also launch www.DigitalPhotoAcademy.com in late-April, through which visitors can view workshop schedules, read instructor profiles and access instructional materials online.  Advertisements for the workshops will run in photo enthusiast magazines, as well as other national publications. Local promotions will also run in each designated city.

“Panasonic expects that this nationwide program of personalized instruction will inspire amateurs and even motivate professionals to build their photographic skills and pursue their individual interests.  It’s a great program for consumers and for the entire digital imaging industry,” said Richard E. Campbell, Vice President, Imaging, Panasonic Consumer Electronics Company.  “While instructors will be using Panasonic’s popular Lumix digital cameras, Digital Photo Academy students are encouraged to bring whatever brand camera they use.  This is a program to help all consumers.”

Beginners will participate in a three-hour workshop designed to increase their enjoyment of point-and-shoot cameras.  Instruction will cover the basics of digital photography and introduce simple-to-learn computer techniques such as removing red-eye, emailing images, and making calendars or scrapbooks.

The intermediate workshops will offer four hours of instruction for people who have stepped up to a digital SLR or are planning to make the move.  Students will learn how to benefit from the greater power, versatility and precision of digital SLRs.  Instructors will also provide tips on building a camera/lens system that suits their special individual interests. 

The advanced seminar consists of a half-day shoot, followed by six hours in the classroom.  The intensive program is for enthusiasts who are thoroughly familiar with digital photography and want to acquire professional-level skills, even if they pursue photography as a cherished hobby, not a livelihood.

In contrast to other national programs in which traveling pros sweep through cities for a day or two at a time, the Panasonic program is taught by local instructors and promoted by local merchants.  To access qualified instructors, Panasonic is partnering with Richard Rabinowitz of R2Rainmaker Marketing. 

“Rabinowitz knows hundreds of top photographers around the country, as well as gallery curators, photo editors and stock agency execs.  He’s passionate about photography and adds credibility to the program,” said Campbell.

“The Digital Photo Academy instructors are accomplished professional photographers who live in the same cities as their students,” said Campbell.  “By offering local monthly classes at all skill levels, the academy will help build networks of people involved in photography and encourage ongoing contacts between instructors, students and merchants in the community.  This is more than a single weekend, and will build up throughout the year and beyond.”

The Digital Photo Academy workshops will be offered in the following 20 cities: Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Cleveland, Dallas, Denver, Detroit, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, Minneapolis, New York, Orlando, Philadelphia, Phoenix, San Diego, San Francisco, Seattle, Tampa and Washington, D.C.