FAREWELL, PHOTOKINA… AND THANKS FOR ALL THE MEMORIES

Production of this issue was being completed as the news came through that Photokina was “suspended until further notice”, which is another way of saying, “That’s all, folks”. The show’s organiser, Köln Messe, states bluntly, “Unfortunately, at present the framework conditions in the industry do not provide a viable basis for the leading international trade fair for photography, video and imaging”.

This is sad for a number of reasons, not the least being that the biennial gathering of the global photo industry was much more than just a showcase for was there. It was just unthinkable to miss it. Of course, it helped that Cologne was such a likeable and hospitable city and, inevitably, many of those personal interactions also involved at least one or two beerhalls and few glasses of , the local lager.