"1197" Camera-phone Conference and Workshop Announced

SAN FRANCISCO, Sept. 14, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Blurb, the global creative publishing platform, has announced the first 1197 Mobile Photography Conference, presented along with Bolt | Peters, a leading research and design firm. The conference, to be held on October 22, 2011 in San Francisco, CA, will explore the rapidly evolving technology and aesthetics of mobile photography by bringing together professional photographers, photo enthusiasts, and app developers for a one-day workshop. The goal is to provide a forum for attendees to explore current camera-phone app solutions, share production techniques, and discuss trends in the market.

1197 website:  http://1197.is/

Registration: http://www.eventbrite.com/event/1849163899

Attendees who register before September 17, 2011 can save 20% on registration with the promo code:  EARLIESTBIRDS.

The conference features leading iPhoneographers who are using a range of apps to express their photographic visions. Confirmed speakers include: Teru Kuwayama, a Knight Fellow and camera- phone photographer formerly embedded with the First Battalion, Eight Marines, in Afghanistan; Jessica Zollman, community manager for Instagram; Lauren Lemon, a creative portrait photographer; Dan Marcolina, author of iPhone Obsessed; and Richard "Koci" Hernandez, a photojournalist and Professor of Multimedia Journalism at UC Berkeley's Graduate School of Journalism.

The name of the conference is a reference to June 11, 1997, the date that technology innovator Philip Kahn first used a camera phone to take and send photographs. The pictures of the birth of Kahn's daughter are considered to be the first ever photos to be transmitted via the now-ubiquitous technology. Mr. Kahn will be a featured speaker at the 1197 Conference and will discuss the inspiration behind the camera phone and his experience helping to launch the market in the late 1990s.

"The camera phone's unique ability to immediately capture, produce, and transmit a photograph, may be as significant a shift for creative expression as when the original Kodak Brownie brought photography to the masses," said Jim Lanahan, Blurb's VP of Mobile Product. "Blurb is excited to be working with Bolt | Peters to present what may be the world's first camera-phone app conference. We are excited to see this new market come to life at 1197."

“We're seeing an explosion in interest for camera phone photography,” said Nate Bolt, CEO of Bolt | Peters. “The quality and access of these camera phones has increased so fast that it’s suddenly a viable way to create images other people really want to see.”

The camera-phone market has realized tremendous growth since the first photography apps launched in 2009. Today, millions of photo enthusiasts select from thousands of apps as they capture and share their worlds using their camera phones. The 1197 Mobile Photography Conference is one of the first gatherings that formally addresses this movement and promises to bring together an innovative community of iPhoneographers to share insights.

Blurb's own foray into the iPhoneography world came this year with the launch of Blurb Mobile, a multimedia storytelling app for the iPhone, as well as Blurb's streamlined process for creating books with Instagram photos.

About Blurb®

Blurb® is a creative publishing and marketing platform that unleashes the creative genius inside everyone. Blurb's platform makes it easy to design, publish, market and sell professional-quality books, using the Blurb Bookify™ online bookmaking tool, Blurb's free, award-winning Blurb BookSmart® app or by using Blurb's PDF to Book workflow. Blurb's bookstore and online marketing tools enable customers to market and sell their books, and keep 100% of their profit. Blurb's social and community features allow customers to create and share Blurb books among friends and colleagues with ease.

Blurb was founded by Eileen Gittins in 2005, and includes a team of design, Internet and media veterans who share a passion for helping people bring their stories to life. In 2010, Blurb shipped just under 1.4 million books to more than 70 countries and territories. In 2010, Blurb was ranked the fastest growing media company on the Inc. 500. Blurb is based in San Francisco with offices in London. For more info, visit www.blurb.com.

About Bolt | Peters

Bolt | Peters is a research and design firm specializing in remote user research and interaction design. The company helps make the experience of video games, web apps, and cars awesome. Founded in 2002, Bolt Peters has completed 231 projects, 1 book, 6 events, and 1 app.

CONTACT: Grace Musat, +1-212-880-5371

SOURCE Blurb