"Photographers on the World Stage"

"There are already a number of online Israeli photographers. On the Internet editors don't crop their photos, potential clients learn of them from afar, and final sales are dispatched electronically. If you're not there, you don't exist.

Ron Solomon, a "Yediot Aharonot" staff photographer, founded his site in 1996. "Due to the nature of my profession it is difficult to influence the (editor's) choice of image, and its final quality. Editors have criteria of their own, hence the selected photo isn't always the best choice. On my website I have the control to present what I consider to be the very best photos, and invariably I fine-tune them prior to display.

Establishment of a website and scanning of good photos aren't enough. Besides integration of the various elements of media and technology, it's important to locate the site suitably, to gain maximum exposure.

"Some weeks ago I wrote about photo sites on the Web, of which there are many. One I did not mention, but should have, is "Ron Solomon's Photo Showcase" (http://geocities.datacellar.net/SoHo/1527). Not only is it a good site, but it's also relevant to Israelis.

Solomon, an Australian by birth, is a staff photographer for one of Israel's leading Hebrew newspapers and he obviously knows his trade. His on-line portfolio, which forms only a part of his site, includes the latest news pictures, industrial and technology-related photos, commercial and fashion photography, and "The Rabin Memorial Album". The site also includes photographic essays on, among other subjects, "The Road to Peace" and "Turmoil in Lebanon."

One of the problems with a good site is that there's never enough of it, and this is true of Solomon's portfolio. On the other hand, his photos are worth seeing and the news section is updated regularly. The site also has links to other photo-related sites, and to radio and telecommunications sites."