PENTAX Announces Book to Benefit Childhood Cancer Research

GOLDEN, Colo., Feb. 27, 2009 — PENTAX Imaging Company is pleased to announce the PDML Photo Annual comprised of artwork from 59 photographers from around the world. This book will benefit Childhood Cancer Research. The project, led by Mark Roberts, an instructor in multimedia at Youngstown State University, with photographers Doug Brewer of Richmond, KY; Bill Robb of Regina, Canada; and Scott Loveless of Harrisburg, PA, brought together 59 artists in 15 countries to create this work. Their Internet-based approach facilitated coordination between the editors and dozens of contributors scattered around the world. Photographers uploaded their images through a web site, where the editors could view them and exchange ideas and opinions through email. The book was assembled electronically and uploaded to an online publishing site where copies are printed whenever orders are placed through the web.

Mark Roberts' partner, Dr. Lisa Teot of the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, is a pediatric pathologist and member of the Children's Oncology Group, so they decided to use the book to raise money for the National Childhood Cancer Foundation's CureSearch project (www.curesearch.org). The PDML had previously undertaken a project selling photography-oriented items online to raise money for the CureSearch project, a charity dedicated to raising private funds for childhood cancer research by the Children's Oncology Group, the world's largest cooperative cancer research organization. (In addition, one of the photographers contributing to the project, Dr. Rick Womer of Philadelphia Children's Hospital, is a COG member.) 100 percent of the profits from sales of this book will be donated to the National Childhood Cancer Foundation.

The PDML (PENTAX-Discuss Mail List) is an email list of photographers all over the world, whose subject matter and styles are as varied as the countries in which they live. What they share is a sense of camaraderie and community, a deep love of the art of photography and the use of PENTAX cameras and lenses. Participating photographers came from United States, Canada, Great Britain, Norway, Israel, Australia, Germany, New Zealand, Spain, Serbia, Iceland, the Philippines, Italy, Hungary and India. The photographs range from sweeping landscapes to urban documentary, fashion shots to abstracts and from still-life to wildlife. The PDML Photo Annual 2008-2009 is available now at http://www.blurb.com/bookstore/detail/573542.