I arrived back home last night from Cologne where I visited Photokina for the first time ever. I never made it there because there is no point in looking at sales presentations when you don’t have the budget nor the need to invest in new equipment. For information, you could always read the articles in the internet or test a piece at a camera shop nearby.

And I would not have gone this year either. But I was referred by Robert Kneschke as a mobile photographer to CEWE who were looking for photographers giving presentations on their stage. I am very grateful and proud for the opportunity. I have given lots of presentations and been on trade shows in my former life but being asked to share my experiences as a photographer has been a first for me.

I‘ve been playing around with the Hyperlapse app on my iPhone recently. Check out the first and second clip I have put on my Instagram account.

As I am also writing for Stock Photo Press (MyStockPhoto.org), we have decided to meet a day before my presentations and sit together to make some plans (expect more exciting stuff to come!).

Finally, Jasmin Cobalt organized a stock photographer dinner on Saturday night. She was also kind enough to offer a free bed for me, so I decided to have an extended stay from Thursday to Sunday. And it was a great decision. I have met a lot of old friends and made some new ones, saw a lot of stuff outside the well covered Canonnikonsony world and made new plans for the future.

I have also found out there is a lot of value being offered for photographers, not just things to buy: Lots of great presentations which I have missed this time but will plan for at the next Photokina. And some real good discounted offers – I ended up buying three small gadgets (and got two more for free) that hopefully will help me extend my video portfolio soon.

All in all I found the exhibition far more exciting and valuable than I expected it to be. And certainly interesting enough to plan for the next one. Maybe we’ll meet at Photokina 2016. 🙂