Tag: Holiday

GoPro’s poor holiday sales lead to staff layoff

In its preliminary Q4 financial report this week, GoPro revealed it expects the last quarter’s revenue to be about $ 435 million, a figure significantly lower than the $ 512 million analysts had estimated. Due to poor sales over the holidays, GoPro states it will layoff 7% of its workforce as part of a restructuring effort.

The company announced its fourth quarter financial estimates on Wednesday, saying the quarter’s ‘revenue reflects lower than anticipated sales… due to slower than expected sell through at retailers.’ The company’s workforce had increased more than 50% annually over the last two years, eventually growing to 1500+ workers. With revenue down, GoPro will restructure its workforce to focus on ‘key growth initiatives,’ letting about 105 workers go in the process.

The company’s final Q4 financial numbers will be reported on February 3.

GoPro Announces Q4 and Calendar Year 2015 Preliminary Results

16% Annual Revenue Growth to $ 1.6 Billion for 2015

SAN MATEO, Calif., Jan. 13, 2016 /PRNewswire/ — GoPro, Inc. (NASDAQ: GPRO) today reported certain preliminary financial results for the fourth quarter and year ended December 31, 2015.

GoPro expects revenue to be approximately $ 435 million for the fourth quarter of 2015 and $ 1.6 billion for the calendar year. Fourth quarter revenue reflects lower than anticipated sales of its capture devices due to slower than expected sell through at retailers, particularly in the first half of the quarter. Fourth quarter revenue includes a $ 21 million reduction for price protection related charges resulting from the HERO4 Session repricing in December. Non-GAAP gross margin for the fourth quarter of 2015, excluding the impact of price protection and a charge of between $ 30 million and $ 35 million to cost of revenue for excess purchase order commitments, excess inventory, and obsolete tooling is anticipated to be between 44.5% and 45.5%. Non-GAAP gross margin for the fourth quarter of 2015 is anticipated to be between 34.5% and 35.5%. Non-GAAP operating expenses for the fourth quarter of 2015 are estimated to be between $ 150.0 million and $ 152.5 million. Cash, cash equivalents and marketable securities at December 31, 2015 totaled approximately $ 475 million.

These preliminary, unaudited results are based on management’s initial review of operations for the quarter and year ended December 31, 2015 and remain subject to the completion of the Company’s customary annual closing and review procedures. Final adjustments and other material developments may arise between the date of this press release and the dates GoPro announces fourth quarter 2015 results and the filing of the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K with the SEC.

Zander Lurie Appointed to GoPro Board
Zander has resigned from his role as Senior Vice President of GoPro Entertainment and has been appointed to serve on GoPro’s board of directors. Mr. Lurie has deep experience working with Internet-based business models across digital and traditional media. At GoPro Entertainment, he built a team dedicated to pursuing new formats and revenue streams from user-generated content and the Company’s large cache of digital entertainment. Prior to GoPro, he served as an executive at CBS Corp. which he joined with the acquisition of CNET Networks where he served as CFO and head of Corporate Development. Mr. Lurie began his career in the technology investment banking group at J. P. Morgan where he led equity transactions and mergers and acquisitions in the Internet sector.

Reallocation of Resources
Over the past two years, GoPro’s headcount has grown by more than 50% annually, to more than 1,500 employees at the end of 2015. To better align resources to key growth initiatives, GoPro has implemented a reduction in its workforce of approximately 7 percent. The Company estimates it will incur approximately $ 5 million to $ 10 million of restructuring expenses in the first quarter of 2016, substantially all of which will be severance costs.

Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2015 Earnings Conference Call
GoPro will release its financial results for the fourth quarter and full year 2015 after the market closes on February 3, 2016.

GoPro management will host a conference call and live webcast for analysts and investors on February 3, 2016 at 2 p.m. Pacific Time (5 p.m. Eastern Time) to discuss the Company’s financial results.

To listen to the live conference call, please dial toll free (888) 806-6221 or (913) 981-5588, access code 4243159, approximately 15 minutes prior to the start of the call. A live webcast of the conference call will be accessible on the “Events & Presentations” section of the Company’s website at http://investor.gopro.com. To access the live webcast, please log in 15 minutes prior to the start of the call to download and install any necessary audio software. The webcast will be recorded and the recording will be available on GoPro’s website, http://investor.gopro.com, approximately two hours after the call and for six months thereafter.

GoPro reports gross margin and operating expenses, in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) and on a non-GAAP basis. Non-GAAP gross margin and non-GAAP operating expenses exclude, where applicable, the effects of stock-based compensation and acquisition-related costs. A reconciliation to the comparable GAAP guidance has not been provided because certain factors that are materially significant to the Company’s ability to estimate the excluded items are not accessible or practically estimable at this time.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

January 17, 2016
dPS Holiday Week

We hope you’re already in full swing of your holidays and having a great time with family and friends. Just wanted to drop you a quick note to let you know what to expect here in dPS over the next week or so, in case you got some new photography gadgets and are itching to try them out.

By Will Montague

From now until New Years – the best of dPS 2015

It’s that time again for me to dig through last year’s articles and find the best, most popular ones, for you. Starting off tomorrow with the hottest landscape articles of 2015, we’ll have a new topic each day, with several articles for you to read or review.

Starting off 2016 – getting back into the things slowly

After all the parties are over, we’ll get back to our regular schedule of two articles a day on January 3rd (Australia time). For the first couple days you’ll see the wrap-up of the Best Of series, and just one post per day from us, then it’s back to business as usual.

So expect some good reading coming up. If you have some time you can catch up on a few articles you may have missed or focus on learning a new, specific technique.

Also remember to keep an eye on our 12 deals page for some great photography deals.

By melissa brawner

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The post dPS Holiday Week by Darlene Hildebrandt appeared first on Digital Photography School.

Digital Photography School

December 26, 2015
Hasselblad drops price of H5D-50c by 40% for holiday period

Hasselblad has introduced a seasonal offer that sees the price of its flagship H5D-50c and H5D-50c Wi-Fi cameras reduced by over 40% for what it describes as a ‘limited time only’. The offer means the camera is available for €12,500/£11,750 for the standard model, and €12,900/$ 14,500/£12,100 for the Wi-Fi model. The Hasselblad H5D 50c Wi-Fi usually retails for €28,500/£18,350. The offer varies slightly from region to region, as do the models that are included in the deal, but all the deals are for body + back combinations, so lenses will have to be purchased separately.

While the Hasselblads are still a good deal more expensive than Pentax’s 645Z model, the offer makes the H5D-50c much more accessible to professional photographers, and indeed slightly cheaper than Leica’s S Typ 007 and much cheaper than the Phase One XF with the IQ350 back that contains the same sensor.

Hasselblad has made a habit of dramatic price reductions in recent years, including similar offers at the same time in 2014 and also in May 2012. The Swedish maker could be reacting to pressure from growing pixel counts in the full frame sector as well as trying to stimulate competition with its main rival Phase One. Either way, if you were mulling over a H5D-50c now might be a good time.

For more information see the Hasselblad website.

Press release:

The festive season has come early for image quality obsessed photographers looking to step up to the ultimate in medium format capture.

In what is being described as ‘the camera promotion offer of the decade’ we have a new price tag for the award-winning H5D-50c camera. It is now available at just €12,500 (and with Wi-Fi at €12,900) – a discount of more than 40% on recommended retail prices.

This offer provides a unique window of opportunity for high-end professional photographers looking to build their businesses and provide their clients with imagery of the very highest order – at an utterly compelling purchase price. We have always said that bigger pixels are better. Now there has never been a better time to invest in world-beating Hasselblad medium format technology.

The ‘absolutely no compromise’ H5D-50c, which has just walked away with the ‘Best technical achievement in a medium format camera’ accolade at the prestigious Lucie Technical Awards in New York City, was the world’s first integrated 50MP medium format camera to use the groundbreaking CMOS sensor technology – enabling astonishing image clarity even in very low-light conditions.

This pioneering camera provides file sizes up to 154MB; ISO up to 6400, plus the widest range of shutter speeds from 34 minutes to 1/800 second.

The superbly engineered H5D-50c can handle even the highest contrast shooting situations thanks to its increased dynamic range of 14 f-stops – providing users with matchless detail and tonality in shadows and highlight areas.

The promotion is available for a limited time only so please contact your nearest dealer as soon as you can.

Please note that trade-in’s are not accepted with this promotion.

Prices exclude VAT.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

December 23, 2015
Tips for Capturing the Holiday Festivities at Home so You Can Enjoy Them Too

If you are a busy parent, you likely rely on your smart phone or pocket camera to capture the events of your daily life, especially at holiday times. But sometimes you want a little bit more than just the usual snaps, without the hassle of your bulky DSLR.

There are some days when you often wish you had the time and ability to take meaningful photos of your family and capture special, magical times. Not the phone snaps that mostly end up as blurry images, but the ones that evoke emotion and feeling, and make new memories. There may be times when you wish you had a handful of quality photos as opposed to a hundred unrecognizable snaps on your phone or pocket camera.

This article has nothing to do with awesome DSLRs, it is about using the camera that you have with you to document fleeting moments of your family life. But it’s different from just snapping away without a little artistic vision. Instead, it’s about about seeing differently – with a creative eye, and most importantly, having fun doing so.

Note: Of course if you wish these tips can also be applied using your regular DSLR. It’s about whatever works for you so that you can still have fun participating in the activity with your family

Remember preparation is key, even if a lot of it is mental preparation and you only devote a few minutes to it. It gets you thinking and creative juices flowing.

Christmas is just around the corner so let’s start get started creatively capturing Christmas at home in 10 images using the humble point and shoot pocket camera.

Part one: Capture a mini Christmas story at home in five photographs

Think of a simple theme (decorating a Christmas tree, making a Christmas card or décor, decorating a cake, etc.).
Choose a subject – a person, little or large. Find a location or corner in your own home and de-clutter the area. Choose a spot with ample light, or a light source such as next to a big window, lamps lit up, tree lights, or better yet just outside the house.

Select the macro or close-up scene mode. Turn your camera flash OFF as direct flash flattens the image and removes contrast making your photograph looking very two-dimensional. You want a play of light and shadow going on in your image to make it more interesting. Set the scene up as a fun activity with your family.

Top tip: When taking the photo, tuck both arms in, stay steady or lean on to something if that helps, and hold your breath as you press the shutter (some say press the shutter as you exhale but holding my breath works better for me).

Get ready to take photos. Wait for your moments. Take your time. Don’t snap loads of photos, rather try looking at the scene with an artistic eye. Remember you are only after 5 photos that tell a mini-story.

Photo 1: Get close and cosy

Choose a Christmas decoration in your home. Get really close to it and shoot at an angle so you need to tilt your camera. Shooting very close or with a wide aperture can help achieve nice blur (bokeh) in the background. In macro mode, shooting a scene that has several focal planes helps in achieving some bokeh.

Photo 2: Blur it all

Include beautiful blur in the background, or use blur as the subject of your photo. Make sure your subject is at some distance, and in front of the light source. Press the shutter while your camera is still focusing. This way you get intentional blur even while using the automatic mode.

Photo 3: Capture it

Choose a very simple activity, for example, ask your child to put a decoration on the tree. Tilt your camera, and fill the frame focusing in on the action. Avoid empty spaces in the background. You will have a more dynamic photo if you go close and fill the frame.

Photo 4: Mirror it

Make sure there is ample available light, then photograph a reflection instead of the subject. Try to use a mirror, or any reflective object like a bauble, to frame your subject.

Photo 5: Look straight down

Ask your subject to lie down under the tree and play with the baubles. Crack some jokes or tickle tummy and toes to get some genuine expressions. Make sure that the light from the window is illuminating your subject’s face so there is light in their eyes.

Part two: Capture a Christmas activity and document the process

Set the scene, the photos below show a Christmas decorating activity. Get everything ready. Buy a Christmas cake if you haven’t had the time to bake one.

Choose the look (outfits and colour scheme), as you want some sort of coordination so that there is a focus. For example, if the cake is colourful, you may want to put plainer aprons or outfits on your kids, so that there is contrast and focus, and vice versa. Limit your colour scheme to three or four colors, so there is some sort of harmony and cohesion. Try not to go too matching though.

Make it a fun activity, but explain to the children that there is a process to follow to ensure a successful outcome, therefore they must allow time for each process. In your head, plan to document this process. Give them a sequence of stages so they look forward to the next step.

Set your camera to portrait or macro. The automatic settings for these in-camera include a wide aperture so lots of light enters the lens, and a slower shutter speed which allows in more ambient light. The danger here is blur, but you can use that creatively too. To counteract blur, try to be very still, and hold your breath as you press the shutter. You can also steady yourself against a table or wall.

Get ready to document.

Photo 1: Set the context

In this case, it’s the bare, undecorated cake. One of the ways you can shoot editorially is to take the photo from a bird’s eye view. To make it interesting, rather than just photographing the cake on its own, get the kids to wave their hands on top of it for some energy and action. The blurry action creates an effective contrast to the still cake.

Photo 2: Introduce the characters

Take a photo of the kids kitted out in their aprons or outfits you planned for earlier, remember to try and capture expressions. You can introduce the kids by taking a more traditional front view image, or employing some creative cropping for a more interesting take.

Photo 3: Direct the spotlight on some details

Details are so important in telling a story, enhancing memory, and evoking emotions. Choose special, or key items in the process to focus on, and photograph them close-up. Avoid too many empty spaces in the background. A full frame engages the viewer more in this case.

Photo 4: Document some action

Movement and blur add so much dynamic and energy to a photograph. They strengthen a story and allows for fun moments too.

Photo 5: Add fun

Talking about fun, allow some silliness in the process, such as painting their faces with a bit of flour, writing their names on flour, waving decorations around while singing Christmas tunes, etc. Make it an experience, not just a secret photoshoot!

So there you have it, 10 creative photos capturing some Christmas joy in your home.

Do you have any tips for photographing the Christmas spirit in your own home, or images to share? Share them in the comments below.

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The post Tips for Capturing the Holiday Festivities at Home so You Can Enjoy Them Too by Lily Sawyer appeared first on Digital Photography School.

Digital Photography School

December 21, 2015
Weekly Photography Challenge – Holiday Lights
By Tracy Sigler

Photography of lights at night can be fun. There are many things you do and techniques to enhance photos of lights:
- Shoot at an aperture of f/11 or smaller to make star points on the light sources
- Use long exposures to shoot light trails
- Use a zoom technique to create a unique effect
- Or just shoot them straight up at night
Weekly Photography Challenge – Holiday Lights

Your job this week is to photograph some lights. If there are no decorations near where you live try some car trails, or street lights. Just try some shooting in the dark, or a new technique you haven’t tried before.

By Mike Schaffner

By Chris

By powershotpix

Share your images below:

Simply upload your shot into the comment field (look for the little camera icon in the Disqus comments section) and they’ll get embedded for us all to see or if you’d prefer upload them to your favourite photo sharing site and leave the link to them. Show me your best images in this week’s challenge. Sometimes it takes a while for an image to appear so be patient and try not to post the same image twice.

By DAVID MELCHOR DIAZ

By Counse

By Olivier Noirhomme

By Jeff Krause

By Johan Hansson

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The post Weekly Photography Challenge – Holiday Lights by Darlene Hildebrandt appeared first on Digital Photography School.

Digital Photography School
December 19, 2015
25 Glitzy Holiday Lights Photos to Sparkle up Your Day

Holiday time is almost upon us, however you celebrate. Regardless of location, it seems we all like to glam up a little and decorate. Let’s look at these glitzy holiday lights photos, including some abstract and zooming techniques:

By Ginny

By Howard Ignatius

By Dave Wilson

By Always Shooting

By Billy Wilson

By kkmarais

By Robert Couse-Baker

By Frank Farm

By maf04

By Matthew Paulson

By André Mellagi

By Howard Ignatius

By James Morley

By Nathan Reading

By Marco Ghitti

By Vitorcius

By Hernán Piñera

By Kevin Dooley

By gorfor

By Aurimas

By MissTessmacher

By Howard Ignatius

By Dawn Ashley

By Mike

By Tulane Public Relations

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The post 25 Glitzy Holiday Lights Photos to Sparkle up Your Day by Darlene Hildebrandt appeared first on Digital Photography School.

Digital Photography School

December 18, 2015
Your Last Holiday Guide and Special FREE Gift From Us!

It’s our *sniff* last gift guide of the season and we’ve saved the very best for last. A game-changing camera for your phone, our incredible Iris lens set and all the best selling gifts of the year. We’re also throwing a sweet enamel pin into every cart today only! So if you’ve waited until now to get all your shopping done, you clearly made the right choice.

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December 14, 2015
5 Holiday Photography Ideas to Shoot More and Get Less Stress

Ahhh, the Holidays, that time of year when everyone is happy and feeling great. Tensions are low, everyone is totally relaxed, and since there’s so much copious free time, everyone wants to get their family pictures taken. Well, that statement might be a little bit off, but I have to say, I love shooting holiday pictures. Just in case the Continue Reading

The post 5 Holiday Photography Ideas to Shoot More and Get Less Stress appeared first on Photodoto.

Photodoto

November 19, 2015
Holiday Guide to Gifting For Photo-Lovers

It’s time to get festive! Check out our very best gifts for photo-lovin’ folks like yourself and your pals. Including four brand-spanking new items from the world’s cutest and most powerful projector to enamel pins we designed ourselves.

Give your own photos as gifts and maybe even snag yourself an instant camera for those upcoming happy holiday parties.

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November 17, 2015
Photo gifts for every budget: 2015 Holiday Gift Guides

It’s not easy shopping for a photographer. We’re notoriously picky, our gear is confusingly named and the difference between something we like and something we don’t can come down to what seem like trivial details. But before you give up and just get a gift card, take a look through our carefully selected holiday gift suggestions, grouped by price range, for the photographer in your life. Read more

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

November 12, 2015