 Associação Brasileira dos Fotógrafos de Publicidade |  Australian Commercial + Media Photographers |  Advertising & Illustrative Photographers Association (NZ) |  Australian Institute of Professional Photography |
 Association of Photographers (UK) |  Advertising Photographers of America |  American Society of Media Photographers |  American Society of Picture Professionals |
 British Association of Picture Libraries and Associations |  Professional Photo Companies and Photo Agencies Association (Sweden) |  Canadian Association of Photographers and Illustrators in Communication |
 Editorial Photographers |  Hong Kong Institute of Professional Photographers |  International Digital Enterprise Alliance |
 Museum Computer Network |  National Association of Professional Photographers of Italy (TAU Visual) |  National Press Photographers Association |  Picture Archive Council of America |
 Picture Licensing Universal System |  Professional Photographers of America |  Stock Artists Alliance |
The UPDIG Working Group is an ad-hoc industry consortium of nonprofit associations, whose logos are shown here, along with allied trade groups and manufacturers.
Who We Are: A working group of digital imaging professionals and allied trade groups and manufacturers, dedicated to promoting worldwide standards in the commercial application of digital imaging.
Vision Statement: Our industry is in a state of great change, and established ways of making and working with photographs have been supplanted by entirely new ones. The enormous capabilities and efficiencies of digital capture and delivery have revolutionized the image marketplace at an astounding rate. But they have also created gaps in creative and quality control that have frequently led to confusion, inequities, loss of quality, and unnecessary expense. We recognize the need for worldwide imaging quality and delivery standards that will facilitate reliable and repeatable image reproduction.
The work-product of the film-based photographer — the transparency or print — has served as the capture and storage medium, as well as the primary vehicle for color/colour management throughout the entire supply chain. The lack of the transparency or reference print has left a void in the image-quality control chain that can only be filled by integrated color/colour management according to accepted ICC workflows.
As the foundation of the image supply chain, it is essential that photographers establish and adhere to the best practices of color/colour management. Further, it is essential that entire imaging supply chain implement these practices. We plan to identify terminology and workflow for each stage of image creation and delivery. Through these guidelines, we will ensure that color / colour will be as accurate as possible, enhancing creative control and economic efficiency.
It's important to note here that integrated color/colour management (ICC / ICM) is a mature, proven technology that is already used by many imaging professionals. This effort is to ensure that the adoptation of these best practices will happen as quickly and easily as possible.
Mission Statement: Our mission is to bring the creators, distributors, customers, and other vendors in the imaging trades together to identify and promote digital imaging standards. We will identify a delivery protocol that promotes creative and quality control, and builds value and efficiency.
Objectives:
- Make digital imaging practices more clear and more reliable through the development of quality standards and terminology for all levels of digital delivery.
- Develop a web resource for imaging professionals in order to establish a common language between photographers and other members of the imaging supply chain.
- Demonstrate the creative and economic benefits of these guidelines to our clients, and to the reproduction industry.
- Develop industry guidelines and suggested workflows for various types of image reproduction. Possibilities include:
Level 1: Raw File DeliveryLevel 2: Batch-converted filesLevel 3: Color/Colour-managed Master FilesLevel 4: CMYK with contract proof
First Steps:
- Identify and extend a worldwide invitation to all professional photographer trade organizations.
- Establish an advisory council to bring insights from the multiple facets of the imaging industry. These should include, but are not limited to:
- agencies and distributors who market Stock Photography, and their trade organizations,
- purchasers and licensors of photography,
- software and application developers,
- hardware manufacturers,
- members of the pre-press and printing industry and their trade organizations
Standardization Goals:
- Color/Colour-Managed Workflow
- Metadata issues. IPTC and XMP embedded metadata, including Licensing Language through PLUS.
A note about Fees and Production Charges: While our working group found that making sense of digital production charges is one of our primary needs, we determined that providing a Workflow Guide, and some standardization of quality assurance was a necessary first step. In the interest of encouraging the greatest possible participation, there will be no effort here to address remuneration issues at this time. We do expect, however, that the marketplace will be able to make more reasonable evaluations of the value of digital production once the standardization of workflow, terminology and quality assurance have been addressed.
Historical notes
Groups attending the first meeting at Javits Center, on October 21st, 2004:
APA
ASMP
EP
NPPA
PPA
SAA
Not present, but having expressed interest or submitted reports:
AIPA
ACMP
AOP
BAPLA
How to Join
For access to the discussion forum for this initiative, please contact UPDIG and indicate the trade organization or group that you are representing.