We have enjoyed a busy start to the New Year with a variety of events and the spring diary is beginning to get booked up.

Our most recent outing was to The British Heart Foundation Grand Ball which was held appropriately in Brighton's famous Grand Hotel. The event was to raise funds for the "Mending broken hearts" appeal which is aiming to raise £50 million over 5 years literally mend hearts broken by disease. Whilst there we were lucky to photograph up and coming boy band ClassA who supported the cause by entertaining everybody and posing for pictures with guests and sponsors. A great bunch of lads who are definitely going places. http://www.bhf.org.uk/mending-broken-hearts-appeal.aspx

We are beginning to notice that some of our clients are asking for new ways to commission and receive their pictures in addition to printing onsite from the event. Many are now asking for downloadable pictures from our secure online web galleries as well as or sometimes instead of taking prints away with them. These galleries can be password protected and in some cases are even invisible on our site unless you have the correct link. In addition to hosting the pictures that are all licensed for yourselves,guests and sponsors to use for promotional, PR and marketing use USB memory sticks are also becoming popular. We are even in early budget negotiations to cover an overseas international event that will be available on a custom made smartphone or tablet "app"

Whatever your requirements we will produce the pictures you want and deliver them by whatever method suits your needs and your budget.

Next week see's the annual Focus on Imaging exhibition at Birmingham's NEC. The show is the UK's premier photography trade event and we look forward to seeing some of our friends and colleagues there. I suspect the Smartpicsuk.com budget may take a bit of a hit as all the major manufacturers and dealers display their new products and display their special offers.