Kathmandu, April 13:

Photography business in Nepal has grown by mammoth proportions in recent times. To achieve its true potential however, it would need quality assurance from the industry, says D B Thapa, chairman of Photo Concern Pvt Ltd.

He was speaking to The Himalayan Times on the eve of completion of 46 years of Photo Concern on April 14.

Photo Concern is the sole distributor of Kodak Express in Nepal. Today, Photo Concern gives employment to 150 people, who have been trained in ‘technical skills’ by the company, says Thapa.

He says that the company has already invested Rs 45 million in buying latest technology and equipment, to ensure quality of photographs being printed. Talking about the future prospects of photography, Thapa says, “It is gradually getting commercialised and customers are demanding high quality photographs day-by-day.”

Photo Concern is the first company in Nepal to introduce digital printing machine for ensuring quality photographs. One of the latest photograph printing machines the company has bought from Japan costs about Rs 10 million, according to him.

Talking about his journey to success, he says, “You just need devotion in what you are doing”. He also talks about his earlier travails, even for getting a license for running this business. He had to wait three years for a license to start doing photography business here. Disagreeing with the view that Nepalis need to go abroad to earn money, he says, “Wonderful opportunities are knocking on the door. Today, more than 1,000 people have set up photography labs in the country and some 270 are using standard machines as well.”

Even during the initial period in 1960s, Thapa had invested about Rs 200,000 to start a photography business. After the acquisition of a machine worth Rs 500,000 during 1980s, business really boomed, as work came from different parts of the globe, Thapa informs. Despite many other studios and labs that have cropped up in Kathmandu, Photo Concern’s business transactions have not decreased. Thapa says his main motto is to make ‘customers happy’ with quality photographs which is keeping the company on-the-move. All employees of Photo Concern obtain training on how to take ‘personal care’ of customers, which may be one of the major reasons for the company’s ‘sustained’ success. Today, the company has tie-ups with more than 100 companies and issue privilege cards for the benefit of customers.

Talking about the new services, Thapa informs about the availability of world-class wide format inkjet print, named Roland Hi-Fi Jet Pro which produces eight colours, at Photo Concern. Its services include photographs of five feet wide length as per the requirement of the customer and different media like vinyl, backlight, glossy, and matt. It also has latest machines in the country named Noritsu of 3202 model QSS and its printing system is laser. It accepts all digital formats, and has a capacity to print 1,200 prints per hour and can also print in digital formats products such as calendars, visiting cards and ID photos along with different templates.

Commenting on the future of photography business in Nepal, Thapa laments the fact that despite photography business having been recognised as an industry and requiring registration from the Department of Industries (DoI), the government usually turns a deaf ear to all its problems.