Time Inc Photo Studios
Time Inc ran into a growing problem
from the user side of digital imaging, specifically...
The growing fees that photographers have been
adding to digital jobs that did not exist in the past
with film were beginning to inflate the budgets for
editorial photography for the various magazine groups.
While the company had no issue with photographer’s
day rates, strange new fees would pop up out of the blue.
Digital tech fees (this is a fancy name for someone
that helps a photographer with computer issues and burning
cds etc), retouching fees, rental studio fees, as well
as computer and digital camera rental fees were all being
added to the photographer’s day rate.
Even the rental studios used by photographers began
to bill the client for digital equipment and services.
The situation in New York City was quickly getting out
of control.
The company decided to create a state of the
art in-house digital studio facility where staff photographers
as well as freelance photographers could work to create
editorial photography more effectively.
Time Inc turned to CDI to work
with management to design the studio and specify the
equipment and entire workflow.
This work involved planning sessions with the various
magazine groups in terms of requirements, as well as
Information Technology, Design, Marketing, and the architects
and construction team.
This was a ground up effort in a large organization,
and CDI worked directly with the project manager to steer
the project.
Near the completion of the physical space, CDI worked
with management to identify and select staff candidates
to manage the facility.
From the day the studio launched it has been highly
successful. Now a freelance photographer can work directly
at the Time Inc studio even if he or she does not own
any digital equipment. Since the in house staff maintains
the internal workflow and color parameters, the photographers
do not require digital techs or costly retouchers.
On any given day, the Time Inc studio is busy
with up to three simultaneous shoots at a time. The
Time Inc studio has helped it’s magazine groups
explore new ideas, and has actually helped the quality
and turnaround of images all under one roof.
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