During a filed trip to the National Geographic photography labs in Washington, DC the following tidbits of information were shared or gleaned from informal converstaions: 1. The average number of 36 exposure rolls of film that are used per feature article that might contain ultimately some 15 -25 photographs is 1000. 2. The proportion of film vs digital use at NGS is 98% film (mostly E6 and small amount of Kodachrome) and 2% digital. There are, however, indicators that a radical shift in practice is about to come. 3. NGS processes their own E6 film in a Hostert dip-n-dunk processor maintained to the highest levels of quality and control. It and the environment around it were spotless! 4. NGS also does contract photo finishing work for outside agencies basing their "value added" on the highest standards in the industry. 5. They have their own minilab to print staff and outside C-41 work - also relying on quality as their main selling point. 6. They have a wide format inkjet printer that makes up to 6 foot wide prints. They also operate a Durst Lambda that makes large format display prints (reflection and transmission) using RGB lasers to expose the paper and the associated RA-4 color paper processor. Prediction is that in future ink-jet will replace the RA-4 and Lambda. 7. Their new darkroom will have one enlarger in the future but apparently none of their current enlargers have been used to make prints in a few years. 8. There have been staff cuts of about 20% in the last few years but the labs output has almost quadrupled as a result of the digital revolution. 9. There are now about 5 full time staff photographers, up from a low of about 2 several years (4-5?) years ago. 10. The photography lab and the pre-press operations have been merged or are getting merged. 11. Global "color management" in the digital age is a major headache and an area where a lot of time, energy and brainpower is being invested. ... well, that is all I can remember from the NGS or anywhere else for that matter! - oh, they don't have openings and everyone loves their job! FYI, Andy Andrew Davidhazy, Professor School of Photographic Arts and Sciences/RIT andpph@xxxxxxx http://www.rit.edu/~andpph
