Hanging Pixels Podcast

In 1997, Clayton Christensen's book, The Innovator's Dilemma, laid the groundwork for the study of disruption and innovation and paved the way for the most successful businesses of our time. In this episode of the Hanging Pixels Podcast, host TW Woodward applies the principles of disruption and innovation to his experience in the photo industry, then uses the same principles to predict the competitive forces that might be lurking right around the corner.

The record industry made boatloads of money off of digital compact discs. But in the early 2000's, as access to the internet became widespread, a software program written by a teenager brought the industry to its knees. Join host TW Woodward and guest Steve Knopper, author of "Appetite for Self-Destruction: The Spectacular Crash of the Record Industry in the Digital Age," as they discuss technological disruption and look for parallels between the crash of the music industry and the photo industry today.

The newspaper has been one of the pillars of modern democracy, but the rise of the internet brought a 300-year-old industry to its knees, forever changing the way we consume the news. Join host TW Woodward and guest John Bodette, ex-Executive Director of the St. Cloud Daily Times as they discuss the culprits that drove the traditional newspaper to an online, digital model. Parallels to the photo industry abound.

Join host TW Woodward and guest Harri Olkinuora from Norway-based software company Netlife Suite as they discuss GDPR-the General Data Protection Regulation and how government legislation threatens the future of the photo industry. With CCPA (California Consumer Privacy Act) coming into effect in January 2020, consumer privacy and protection have become a critical component of how companies in the United States store and share private data. Host TW Woodward asks the tough questions surrounding government regulation and Harri provides direct experience and real-world examples from the photo industry in Europe.

Back from a trip to the heart of Silicon Valley, Gary Pageau (The Dead Pixels Society) joins Hanging Pixels host TW Woodward to discuss the tech trends presented at this year's Visual 1st conference. From comparisons between DSLRs and smartphones to computational photography and the gig economy, Gary and TW discuss the future of photography and take a peek at where the industry is headed.

Copyright law is at the heart of the transaction between a customer and a photographer, protecting the photographer's work from illegal printing and distribution. But how does this law--written in an era of film and paper printing--protect photographers in a modern, mobile, social and interconnected society? Join host TW Woodward and guest Darren Spielman Esq. from the law firm of Kain Spielman as they discuss the practicality of copyright law in the digital age.

As society changes and more and more customers move towards an online and mobile image experience, cyber security and data privacy may become the single greatest threat to photography businesses and the industry as a whole. In this installment of the Hanging Pixels Podcast, guest Mike Watkinson, CTO and security expert at Edge Imaging explores legislation behind data privacy, the risk photographers face from cyber security threats, best practices to avoid breaches and legal protocol when a data breach occurs. Hosted by TW Woodward.

Peter Read Miller has been covering the world's sporting events for over 40 years, including 41 Super Bowls, 9 Olympic games and 14 NBA Finals. His pictures have graced the cover of Sports Illustrated over 100 times. In this episode of the Hanging Pixels Podcast, Peter discusses how he climbed the professional ladder to arrive at one of the most coveted photography positions in the world--staff photographer at Sports Illustrated.

In the Hanging Pixels Podcast, we often discuss the accelerating rate of change due to technological advancement. In the same week that Alpine Software Group added PhotoLynx to a portfolio that already included ImageQuix, Apollo Global announced the purchase of Shutterfly, Lifetouch and Snapfish. In this episode of the podcast, guests Tim McCain (CRO of PhotoLynx and Imagequix) and Alex Kovacevic (CEO of PhotoLynx and Imagequix) explore these swirling changes in the photo industry and discuss the opportunities created by both software mergers. Hosted by TW Woodward.

A revolution in youth sports action photos is underway and Haim Ariav and Matt Winer of Glossy Finish Photography are leading the charge. Join host TW Woodward as he interviews Haim and Matt on-location at the Sync Sports Photography conference in Cranberry Township, Pennsylvania. Matt and Haim recount their struggles to build the premier youth action and event photography company in the United States and reveal why they are now sharing their business model with sports photographers across the country.

In this bonus content edition of the Hanging Pixels Podcast, Rob Mauldin, former Director of Imaging at Disney, explores practical ways volume school and sports photographers can elevate their own photo businesses from commodity to customer experience. From pre-pay to picture day to delivery, make your next photo day a magical experience. Your customers (and additional dollars) are sure to follow. Hosted by TW Woodward.

In 2015, Jeff Eckerle and Scott DeFusco realized that the photo industry was lagging behind the consumer. In the wake of mobile disruption, outdated products and selling methods had left the industry at risk of a rapid descent towards irrelevancy. Armed with years of experience creating software solutions that connected consumers to business, Jeff and Scott set out on the startup adventure and created the Capturelife mobile platform with their eyes set on more than just the traditional portrait and print market. Join host TW Woodward as he circles back with Jeff and Scott to discuss the early days of the startup experience and Capturelife's expansion into the experience economy where professional photography can unlock a lifetime connection to the consumer.

Everything must be magic at Disney resorts, including professional photos taken at the parks. But nothing could be farther from magic than endless lines and pressure print sales at the end of a long, hot day at the park. In this episode of the Hanging Pixels Podcast, Rob Mauldin, former Imaging Director at Disney, joins host TW Woodward to discuss how the Disney team transformed the outdated photo experience from long lines and inconvenient pressure sales to a magic encounter where the customer is king and the actual photography blends in with the overall park experience.

The Eastman Kodak company is one of the greatest success stories in manufacturing history and the epic collapse is deeply rooted in technological upheaval. In less than twenty years, Kodak went from the Fortune 500 top twenty to bankruptcy. But what caused the collapse? Could it have been prevented? And what can we learn? Join Hanging Pixels host TW Woodward as he looks at the shifting technological platforms and evolving market forces that led to Kodak's demise.

In this special "Trade Show Edition" of the Hanging Pixels Podcast, host TW Woodward and guest Gary Pageau of the Dead Pixels Society review Imaging USA and SPAC 2019. Gary and TW discuss emerging technologies like artificial intelligence and examine the topics heard around the events. The photo industry is on the brink of a major technological shift and both vendors and speakers reinforced the need to rethink the current model and make a seismic shift towards today's digital consumer.

Mark Schoenrock joins Hanging Pixels host TW Woodward to discuss the decisions and business practices that lead up to Shutterfly's acquisition of the school photo colossus, Lifetouch. Mark and TW speculate on the path forward and how this new business model--driven by an online retailer, with a CEO transplanted from Amazon--will change the photo industry forever. Our guest, Mark Schoenrock spent over 25 years at Lifetouch and rose to several executive positions, including VP of Photography.

Millennials are the driving force behind one of the newest and fastest growing sectors in United States. More and more, consumers are preferring to pay money for exceptional experiences over material goods. Forbes called it the “Do It for Me Economy,” and it is more formally known as the experience-based economy. Join guest Haim Ariav and host TW Woodward as they dive into a real-world example of how a photography business fits into the experience economy where the customer is king. Guest: Haim Ariav, Glossy Finish Photo

In the 1980's, the music industry went digital. Many executives feared the new technology, but quickly realized that the CD was poised to save the entire industry. In 1999, the internet paved the path for disruption and a small file-sharing program created by two teenagers brought the industry to its knees, forever reshaping the way we consume music. Join us to learn how technology and disruption in the music industry is directly related to disruption in the photo industry today. Hanging Pixels is a podcast for professional photographers, where we discuss trends in the photo industry, focusing on the rapidly evolving world of digital photography. Hosted by TW Woodward.