September 8, 2003 -- Some 16 years ago, Quad/Photo started out as a small, innovative photography studio. By blending creativity and technology to create outstanding images, it has grown into a well-known, well-respected and well-positioned full-service group of seven studios. Today, Quad/Photo helps clients nationwide to transform their ideas into images that sell. Its portfolio includes award-winning food, fashion, environment and product photography for catalogs, advertising and publications. One of the main differentiators that sets Quad/Photo apart from its competitors is its Quad/Graphics connection. Quad/Photo digital and conventional photography, lighting skills and creative expertise combined with its in-depth knowledge of the four-color print-production process give it the ability to achieve color consistency and accuracy from image capture through print. In addition, Quad/Photo offers an innovative suite of Web-enabled tools that give clients online, real-time access to the photo file and proof, expert color conversions, image database and more. Quad/Photo’s unique, linked system allows it to capture and maintain its clients’ visions from image capture to color evaluation, and from proofing through printing. A Little Bit of Magic A client wants to photograph a model standing at the base of the Eiffel Tower, a product shot on the beach in Aruba and another in Kansas’ sprawling cornfields. And, he wants to do it all without travel expenses. Quad/Photo says: "Can do." It’s all due to the magic of our new partnership with MatchLight, a company that has developed a proprietary system enabling Quad/Photo to produce realistic location photography without ever leaving the studio. With the world’s largest collection of location background images and the essential technology, MatchLight provides endless options for photo composites. Each background image has a digital "map" of its precise characteristics, including light direction, elevation, quality, ambiance and perspective. Quad/Photo uses those benchmarks and its expertise to photograph a product or model flawless lighting so that it can be digitally inserted into the selected background. The result is a photograph that looks like it was shot on location. "MatchLight’s services strongly complement our own," according to Wisconsin studio manager, John Niedermann. "This alliance enables us to add extra value, expand client options and save them time and money. It’s a win/win all the way around."