A reader has sent us brief details about a London based agency called Fast News Pictures-or Photos – “the 1st all digi agency owned by John Blishem run by Clive Howes. Some exceptional content for example the pic of gerri haliwell in that union jack dress”
If you have any info regarding this agency pleas get in touch we would like to list it with detail in the Agency Directory
UPDATE: this just in from the founder of Fast News Photos
Hi Will,
Further to our telephone conversation here are the relevant details on Fast News Photos (FNP):
“FNP was set up in 1996 by Chris Blishen (then owner and MD of John Blishen & Company Ltd) and Clive Howes, previously a photographer with the London Evening Standard.
Both Chris & Clive saw an opportunity to provide news photos with digital cameras and in fact FNP was the first all digital camera photo agency in the UK.
At that time John Blishen & Company was a key supplier of digital camera systems to the UK newspaper industry and Chris Blishen saw an opportunity to increase the supply of digital camera systems to UK newspapers, by proving through FNP that digital was the way forward. Clive had been a believer in digital cameras for newspapers since his time at the London Evening Standard and was keen to continue innovating in this area.
During its short lifetime (it closed in February 1998 and its assets were sold to Star Images, owned by David Jacobs), it provided a full all digital service to UK Newspapers during the 1997 General Election and then again for the funeral of Princess Diana in late Summer of the same year. Before FNP came on the scene, many UK newspapers did not believe that digital was the way forward (hard to believe now!); FNP conclusively proved the digital point although it was some years before it would become mainstream.
Chris Blishen is now an investor in start-ups, having exited John Blishen & Company in 2002; Clive is currently running Xclusive Pix, a new and fast growing photo agency”
Regards,
Chris Blishen
