Agency leverages technology to distribute photos globally
NEW YORK and PARIS, Sept 8, 2004. -- Digital Railroad Inc. announced today that AINA Photo, Afghanistan's first photo press agency, has selected Digital Railroad technology.
AINA Photo (http://www.digitalrailroad.net/ainaphoto) will leverage Digital Railroad's web-based application services as its workflow, distribution and archiving system. Reduced costs and streamlined workflow will enable them to more quickly distribute vital news stories to the media and the public.
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Reza, a world-renowned photojournalist and National Geographic contract photographer, established AINA as a non-governmental organization (NGO) with the support of UNESCO to help revive the media and disseminate culture in Afghanistan. Brother and award-winning photographer Manoocher Deghati founded the AINA Photo division to help bring back photography that was strictly banned under the Taliban.
Reza and Manoocher value the independence Digital Railroad provides the agency and its photographers.
"We cannot take Afghanistan to democracy without an independent media," said Reza. "Digital Railroad understands our mission and their efficient online distribution and archiving system enables AINA Photo to focus on communicating visual stories globally-not managing technology."
The news accompanies a significant industry agreement this week as Digital Railroad signs the elite VII photo agency.
Digital Railroad announced the agency deals at VISA Pour L' Image, the premier photojournalism conference and exhibition held annually in France, where more than 3000 of the world's best photojournalists, editors and technology companies discuss and view photography often underreported in the mainstream media (http://www.visapourlimage.com).
Webistan (http://www.webistan.com), Reza's own Paris-based photo agency, will also use Digital Railroad to minimize repetitive production tasks and provide permission-based access to photo buyers searching their photos online.
"Digital Railroad empowers photographers and agencies with an affordable, searchable online archive system to distribute their images globally," said Evan Nisselson, founder and chief executive officer. "We allow photographers to more easily leverage the Internet so they can focus on their passion-being creative."
Since its mid-August launch, Digital Railroad has also announced deals with US-based documentary photography fund FiftyCrows, and UK-based EI8HT Magazine and Foto8.com. Both selected Digital Railroad to modernize their photo submission process for photographers and editors.
