On Dec. 10, 2003, Time magazine correspondent Michael Weisskopf and war photographer James Nachtwey suffered injuries in a grenade attack in Baghdad.

According to an account of the incident that appeared in Time, a grenade was thrown into the back of the “humvee” vehicle in which the two were riding with a U.S. Army patrol. Weisskopf threw the grenade out of the vehicle, losing his hand in the process. Although Nachtwey was wearing protective gear, he was hit by shrapnel in the abdomen along the lower perimeter of his armored vest, as well as in an arm, hand and legs. Two members of the patrol also were injured.

The two journalists were transferred to a U.S. military hospital in Landstuhl, Germany, and then returned to their homes to recuperate.

National Geographic CD-ROM Suit Dismissed

A print publisher of a collective work may use individual contributions digitally, a federal judge ruled. The case was brought by Douglas Faulkner, a freelance photojournalist, protesting that “The Complete National Geographic,” a digital archive of the magazine available on CD-ROM and DVD, reused contributions that he and others had made to the magazine during its 108-year history without payment or license.

The judge found that because the contributions appeared in substantially the same context as they did in the print version, the addition of software or other materials did not alter National Geographic’s right to use the contributions.

The ruling could have a devastating impact on the Copyright Act, as well as on the livelihoods of photographers and all independent authors of creative works, according to Editorial Photographers, a trade organization that submitted an amicus curiae supporting Faulkner.

In a previous case, photographer Jerry Greenberg prevailed against National Geographic. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit in Atlanta ruled that the magazine violated Greenberg’s copyrights by creating and selling the CD-ROM package without a license to do so from Greenberg.

Budget Plight Prompts NPPA Resignations

Two National Press Photographers Association directors recently resigned from the organization’s executive committee to protest its handling of the NPPA’s finances. Last November, immediate past president Michael Sherer quit, citing poor decision making on the part of the committee. Earlier this year, board member representative Judy Borich followed suit.

The association’s financial difficulties are due to poor planning, according to current president Todd Stricker. “We didn’t get it right and we haven’t for the last few years, due partly to the economy and partly to overly optimistic projections,” Stricker said in an article posted on the NPPA website. “We find ourselves short on cash, and we have made some changes to address the issue.”

At the end of 2003, the association was facing a deficit of $344,787, according to executive director Greg Garneau. In order to save money, two staff positions were eliminated in the national office and cuts were made in other areas, including production of the “Best of Photojournalism” yearbook. This year the book’s content was included in the January issue of News Photographer magazine. Membership dues also have been raised.

The recent actions taken by the committee could presage the end of the association, warns Sherer, who maintains that a move away from volunteerism precipitated the crisis. “I believe that we must make serious across-the-board spending cuts in our entire budget rather than relying on the financial cherry-picking process that was used to eliminate the ‘BOP’ book,” he said in an article on the NPPA site. “I believe that if we return to our tradition of a heavily volunteer-based association, we will work our way out of this financial crisis.”

Digital Top Concern at NANPA Summit

The North American Nature Photography Association (NANPA) held its 10th annual summit and trade show in January to discuss the pressing issues facing the nature photography industry, most notably the impact of digital technology.

The conference, held Jan. 21-25 in Portland, Ore., began with a “pro’s meeting,” which was attended by nearly 200 photographers who make at least part of their livings selling nature photography. Moderated by past NANPA president Jim Clark and well-known professional photographer Darrell Gulin, the often-heated discussion lasted two hours.

Topping the list of concerns at the meeting was digital photography and the upheaval it is causing among photographers and publishers. Several of the attendees said that digital submission standards are needed. Other topics on the minds of the professionals in attendance included declining stock revenues, access to public lands and the ethics of game-farm photography.

The conference also featured keynote presentations by nature photographers Dewitt Jones, Art Wolfe and George Lepp, and underwater photographer Norbert Wu, who received NANPA’s Outstanding Photographer of the Year award. The conference was attended by approxi-mately 750 of the group’s 2,300 members.

For more information about NANPA, visit www.nanpa.org or call 303-422-8527.

RIT Launches All-Digital P.J. Curriculum

Responding to the growing influence of digital technology, the School of Photographic Arts and Sciences at the Rochester Institute of Technology has implemented an all-digital curriculum for undergraduate students studying photojournalism. RIT’s program is the first of its kind nationally to make such a change.

Beginning this year, photography students interested in pursuing photojournalism will be the first class required to own professional digital equipment by the time they reach their junior years. Through the exclusive use of digital cameras and lenses, students are more likely to gain proficiency with the tools of today’s working photojournalists, program faculty believe. Students also will be required to capture sound and transmit images to remote locations.

Another recent addition to RIT’s photography curriculum is the visual media undergraduate degree program, which incorporates elements of graphic design, print media and management.

More information is available at www.rit.edu.

Photographers Win Change to Carry-On Baggage Regulations

The Transportation Security Administration has revised its regulations to allow airline travelers an additional piece of carry-on baggage containing photographic equipment. In addition to one personal item, airline passengers now will be permitted to carry on two bags, provided that at least one is photographic equipment.

The American Society of Media Photographers worked with the administration to effect the rule change, citing the delicacy of expensive photographic equipment, which would be better protected not traveling in an airplane’s baggage hold. The ASMP argued that musicians had received permission to take expensive or fragile instruments on board with them as added pieces of carry-on luggage, and photographers should be extended the same rights.

The new carry-on regulations can be found at www.tsa.gov/public/interapp/editorial/editorial_1248.xml.

Ivey Imaging Acquires Arscentia

Ivey Imaging, a Seattle-based graphic company, has purchased the Oregon operations of Arscentia, a visual communications firm. Arscentia was founded in Portland, Ore., more than 30 years ago as Wy’east Color. The firm’s Washington locations were not included in the acquisition.

The acquisition adds brands such as Nike and Intel to the Ivey client list. In the transaction, Ivey also gained a specially designed 52,000-square-foot production facility and a range of imaging technology and equipment. In addition, 45 Arscentia employees have joined Ivey.

Founded in the early 1970s as Ivey Seright, the company was sold in 1999 to Photobition, a British company. On Oct. 4, 2002, Ivey was acquired by a group of local investors that include Sienna Partners, Buerk Craig Victor and Zachary Scott & Co. More information is available at www.ivey.com.

P.R. Executives Recognize Canon’s Social Efforts

The Foundation of Women Executives in Public Relations recently awarded its second PRism Award to Canon USA, headquartered in Lake Success, N.Y. The award was created in 2002 to recognize organizations that are placing ongoing emphasis on socially responsible programs.

Canon’s environmental focus includes development of worldwide programs to recycle toner cartridges. In addition, the company supports environmental awareness programs, such as Eyes on Yellowstone, the Canon National Parks Science Scholars Program for the Americas and Canon Envirothon, an annual environmental science education program for high school students. Canon also has provided long-term support for public television’s “Nature” series.

Heritage Groups Unveil Online Vintage Photos

A group of Seattle and King County heritage organizations, led by the Museum of History & Industry and the University of Washington Libraries, has launched a website offering access to historic images. The site, www.kcsnapshots.org, contains more than 12,000 photographs of local people, places and events, gathered from 12 organizations.

Groups taking part in the project include the Black Heritage Society of Washington State, Eastside Heritage Center, Maple Valley Historical Society, Northwest Railway Museum, Puget Sound Maritime Historical Society, Rainier Valley Historical Society, Renton Historical Museum, Shoreline Historical Museum, White River Valley Museum and Wing Luke Asian Museum. Funding came from the federal government’s Institute of Museum and Library Services in the form of a National Leadership Grant to MOHAI 2001.

Winklers Expand PAM’s Photography Collection

Susan and James Winkler, of Portland, Ore., have underwritten a fund for the Portland Art Museum’s photography collection. With the new fund, the museum will buy one or more photos from each show held at the city’s Blue Sky Gallery in the next three years.

The works to be added to the museum’s collection will be chosen by a committee comprising Christopher Rauschenberg, one of Blue Sky’s founding members; James Winkler; Terry Toedtemeier, curator of photography; and Bruce Guenther, curator of modern and contemporary art. The first artists to be included in the collection are Stephen Hughes, Ken Grant, Shawn Records, Jo Whaley, Alex Harris and Adam Bartos.

Canon Renews Education Panel

Canon USA has assembled a group of 60 photographers to conduct seminars, workshops, gallery showings and photo presentations at colleges and for professional associations and amateur photo groups across the country. Representing a variety of specialties and styles, the Explorers of Light panel includes disciplines such as photojournalism, nature photography, wedding photography, portraiture, illustration and celebrity photography.

Joining the Explorers of Light roster for the first time are nature photographers Jim Brandenburg and Lewis Kemper; Pulitzer Prize-winning photojournalist David Turnley; portraitist and Photoshop guru Eddie Tapp; master photographer and author Rick Sammon; Illustration imager Mike Grecco; and wedding and portrait photographer Clay Blackmore.

Photographs of and interviews with the Explorers of Light panelists will soon be featured on the website www.photoworkshop.com.