photography and computer imaging

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Force 8 Photo Digital began life in 1991 as "Photography by Randy Lagerway". Canadian born and raised Randolph Lagerway had moved to Hong Kong after a two-year stay in Japan and was keen to turn his life-long hobby of photography into a business.

In the early years he shot mainly executive portraits, special events, and editorial features including magazine articles/covers for various Hong Kong magazines including Asiaweek, Asian Business, YZ, The Peak, Institutional Investor, Travel News Asia, Electronic Business Asia, EDN Asia, Telecom Asia and more.Randy Lagerway Photography

Gradually the company expanded into corporate photography, shooting pictures for company brochures, annual reports, and press release photos. We had a knack for "people" pictures.

Discovery Bay International School invites us back year after year to shoot student portraits because the parents love how we capture the essence of their children on film. Bonnie Jahnke -- our "child relations expert" -- helps create memorable pictures of kids. Whenever women or children are in front of the camera needing a calm, compassionate presence, Bonnie will usually be involved.

Though we used Macintosh computers for accounting and other administration since 1991, the first Macintosh computer for graphic imaging arrived in 1994. Packing an impressive 33mHz processor, the new Quadra 650 boasted a whopping 40MB of RAM and 500MB of hard disk! With this kit we embarked into the digital domain.

We were doing impressive special-effects "in-camera"* but the computer and trusty Photoshop software allowed us to work magic. A special-effects niche opened up to us in the Asian-based high-tech industry. Texas Instruments, Intel, Motorola, O2 Micro and Fujitsu Microelectronics all commissioned us to produce magazine covers, graphics and even full 2-page magazine advertisements in trade publications. We have subsequently upgraded gear many times, but the Quadra still troops on as our administration computer!

The arrival of the internet allowed us to easily communicate with clients around the world. We didn't meet Catherine at Fujitsu in person until after we had been working together by phone, fax and email for three years! Similar for O2 Micro in California. Now we routinely communicate and electronically send our stock and assignment graphics to customers around the globe.

Gradually we moved to provide services in the internet arena not just to produce graphics, but to design websites and help others do so. Our internet consultancy arm -- Rapid Response -- helps companies excel online, articulate their offering and create highly usable, successful websites.

Just for variety, we have recently added blimp-based exhibition marketing and "surveillance" to our list of services.

And just to make SURE that no moss grows under our feet, we operate the profitable e-commerce website Tradewind Direct

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* EDN Asia's "Oscilloscope" cover in 1994. Shooting with 3 studio lights and 2 slide projectors we exposed one frame of film 6 different times to create one composite image. Working late into the night at the Cahners Wanchai office we created one of their most memorable magazine covers -- posted on editor Mike Markowitz's "Hall of Fame" for months.

 

All content © 2001 Force 8 Photo Digital (Hong Kong)