Visual 1st brings together imaging innovation

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The 121th annual Visual 1st conference was held Oct. 16-17, at the Governor’s Residence at Ft. Mason in San Francisco, Calif. The high-tech executive-level conference, which was sold out this year, featured numerous sessions continuing to examine the ongoing influence of AI and technology across various segments of the imaging ecosystem. Conference organizers Hans Hartman and Alexis Gerard brought together a wide variety of companies from across the industry for a day and a half of lively discussions. Once again, the Dead Pixels Society hosted a well-attended coffee meetup on the first morning of the conference. This casual gathering was the perfect way to kick of the content-heavy conference.

There were many impressive panels on the program. In the “Innovation in photo print products, technology, and manufacturing” session, co-hosted by Bruce Watermann, PrintReady Network, with Hartman, the panel discussed the evolution and future of the print industry, focusing on smartphone photography, image recognition, and the impact of APIs and print buttons on business. Anya Thrash, executive VP of Marketing, Pro Channels, at Sensaria/Bay Photo highlighted its history, including the development of metal prints in 2009.

Cate Cannavino, Business Development Leader of Emerging Markets at  The Gilman Brothers emphasized their 130-year legacy in materials and their focus on innovation. Krista Minekime, Vice President, of U.S. Operations, for Gelato, which has operations in 32 countries, stressed the importance of local and regional fulfillment for sustainability. Hans Scheffer, CEO of HelloPrint, which connects 300 global print producers, underscored the role of AI in reducing labor costs and improving efficiency.

Websites offering print products are dealing with a very different customer set than in the past, according to Thrash. “It’s a whole different generation. They have a whole different understanding. Attention spans are different. So we started to cool down the options more digestible. You know, have curated sets of things that we do. We’ve concentrated a lot on the value proposition of what we have to offer. We’re really trying to focus more on user experience and get photographers the tools that they need so that they can be educated on how to sell.”

The group also talked about how AI was affecting their businesses. In a frank admission, Scheffer noted AI will reduce the number of HelloPrint employees drastically. “We’re an AI-first company,” he said. “We’ve really pivoted towards that. We’ve been using machine learning for many years, but we went from 330 people in HelloPrint to 160. We will be down to 100 and I think we will be down to 50 in a couple of years. AI is definitely going to take jobs, regardless if its customer service or marketing or product creation.”

When prompted by Hartman about those effects on staffing, Scheffer responded: “We’re very open and transparent about saying AI is going to take your job, but it doesn’t necessarily mean you need to leave. You need to reinvent yourself. There’s so many new jobs available, but everybody who thinks that their job is still there in two years from now, I would say, think again.

The discussion also touched on marketing strategies, quality control, and the potential of generative AI in enhancing personalization and manufacturing processes.

Visual 1st Awards

A highlight of the annual event is the show-and-tell sessions, where companies can give a four-minute demo of their product or service, with a chance to be recognized with one of four awards. This year’s presenters were, in order of appearance: Taopix, Vimmerse, Neurapix. Hypno, The Gilman Brothers Company, EyeQ, imgix, SlicPic, Tracer, GeoSnapShot, Remake, Photogramics, MediaViz AI, Mediaclip, Imagen, Evoto, Artifcts, Aftershoot, Mixbook, Printess, Series, PicCollage, Printbox, Photomyne, Nodle, Memory Maker, Imag.ly, Dig Your Photos! and Pixami

Visual 1st Best of Show Award: PicCollage

“While generative AI dominated discussions last year, it hadn’t yet proven ready for full product commercialization. PicCollage stood out by blending AI-powered templates with personalized portraits in a way that is both visually stunning and easy to use, enhancing an already popular product. Their well-executed AI strategy exemplifies how technology, when applied thoughtfully, can elevate user experience and drive future product growth.”- Sami Niemi, Partner at Spintop Ventures

Visual 1st Best Business Potential Award: Tracer

“TilePix from Tracer was a clear choice for our Best of Business award.  First, they have developed a conceptually simple product that solves a ubiquitous problem – hanging a picture on the wall without damaging the wall.  They have partnered with Corning to supply the Gorilla Glass used as a lightweight and strong printing substrate. They have established a nationwide sales channel for their product (Walgreens) and are generating revenue, profit, and happy customers.  Better yet, they have accomplished all of this without needing to raise venture capital!” – Rudy Burger, Founder & Managing Partner at Woodside Capital

Visual 1st Best Technology Award: Nodle

“While AI continues to attract attention and investment to improve productivity and generate new media content, AI also poses risks to consumers, creators and businesses as they encounter deepfakes and copycats. With that context, we are excited to award the Best Technology to Nodle for its Click app, which delivers a simple and powerful solution for signing and authenticating media content in advance of broader C2PA implementations.” – Andy Kelm, Managing Director at Palmarés Advisors

Visual 1st Special Recognition Award: Hypno

“In an environment heavily focused on AI, it is refreshing to see a company that is innovating in the event photography space.  Our Special Recognition winner, Hypno, is redefining how brands engage with their audiences through immersive experiences, combining instant photography, video & music to create captivating and shareable moments at live events.” – Anna Dickson, VP Content Strategy & Operations at Shutterstock

Following is our annual overview, featuring comments from Hans Scheffer, Helloprint; Andy Edwards, GeoSnapShot; Brad Malcolm, EyeQ/Perfectly Clear; and Reiner Fageth, CEWE Color.

 

Check out the event photos here.