We're always looking for innovations that increase the variety and flexibility of mounting alternatives available to our customers and we'd like to use this newsletter to get early feedback from you on two ideas we're considering.

The first item describes a prototype wall-mounted structure that enables a "3D" display of fotoflōt panels. We'd like to get your feedback on the concept to help us decide whether to make it available as a standard offering.

In the second item, we're seeking your input on the possibility of offering fotoflōts of arbitrary size, rather than just our specific predefined sizes.

The wrap-up describes another indication of our commitment to innovation: a key fotoflōt patent that will be issued by the U.S. Patent Office on July 6.

fotoflōt 3D structure

Detail of the structure

We find that developing new products works best when we work closely with a lead customer who understands the needs and requirements. And sometimes, new product ideas come from these customers as well.

A professional photographer in the Philadelphia area, Jay Yozviak, contacted us last year and described a frame-like structure he had purchased that displayed multiple photos at different distances from the wall. He recommended that we provide a similar offering and after working with him for several weeks on different ideas, we developed a prototype that he used to create a 3D wall arrangement for a client. The images on the left show the prototype. The lighting isn't perfect, but the pictures provide an early glimpse of what may become a standard offering.

We designed a clear acrylic structure that is hidden entirely behind the fotoflōt panels with arms extending out from the center image to the four surrounding panels. The center of the structure and each of the four arms holds a mounting bracket to which the five fotoflōt panels are attached magnetically.

The structure is designed to hold a 10"x15" panel in the center and four 7.5"x10" panels on the four arms. In the prototype, the viewing surface of the center panel is 0.75" from the wall and the four outer panels are 1.5" from the wall.

All of the images may be in either portrait (vertical) or landscape (horizontal) orientation. The positions of the four 7.5"x10" panels can be adjusted by two inches, and if desired can be arranged so that the panels do not overlap. The acrylic structure can be mounted on the wall with a picture hook, with screws, or with nondestructive removable adhesive strips.

The five fotoflōts with brackets and wall structure will be sold as a bundle if we decide to proceed. We haven't set pricing for the bundle yet, but it will be a modest increment over the $270 list price for the five fotoflōts (one 10"x15" plus four 7.5"x10"). And as always, Priority Mail shipping is included.

We would appreciate your feedback on the following:

• Would you be interested in such an offering if we made it a standard product?
• Do you have any suggestions regarding the design of the wall structure?
• Do you have any suggestions regarding the distance of the images from the wall?

Arbitrary sized fotoflōts

17.791" x 10"


15" x 10"

Standard proportions


Oversized 1:2 and 1:3

We currently offer fotoflōts in a large but finite number of predefined sizes. A customer's image must have the right proportions to fit one of the sizes, or else be cropped to fit it. But sometimes the predefined sizes aren't ideal, for several possible reasons.

• You might want to crop the image using non-standard proportions for best display of the image. For example, to have as many band members as possible in the picture on the left, the fotoflōt would have to be 17.791"x10" in size. The standard product size of 15"x10" would cause many band members on the left and right to be cut off.
• You might be creating a multi-image geometric arrangement in which some of the images must be cropped to non-standard sizes to make the entire arrangement work. For example, the first diagram on the left consists of images with standard proportions (1:1, 1:2 and 1:3), and they don't create a geometrically pleasing arrangement. In the second diagram, the proportions of some images have been modified to create the resulting arrangement.
• You might want to display an image in a space that constrains the size. For example, you might have a nook where a 14.5"x25.8" image would work perfectly.

We're evaluating an approach that could make it possible within a few months to offer arbitrary fotoflōt sizes between our smallest (7.5"x10") and our largest (20"x30") products. We would also continue offering our predefined sizes. Because of the nature of our production process, the price for a "custom size" would be the price for the next-larger predefined size. For example, that 14.5"x25.8" fotoflōt would be $185, the price of our 15"x30" size.

• Do you think you would use this capability?
• In what situations would you tend to use it?
• Do you have a feel for frequency of use?

Updates to fotoflot.com

fotoflot.com start screen

Top of FAQ

Bottom of FAQ

Speaking of innovation and updates. We are making a series of incremental changes to fotoflot.com . The architecture allows us to make theses changes without requiring extensive down-times, so that we will roll changes out on an ongoing basis.

The first few updates are addressing some "behind the scenes" enhancements, but we will roll out new features and additions throughout the Summer and Fall. While all changes are tested before they go live, sometimes an "undesired feature" escapes and causes an issue with your experience using fotoflot.com .

We would appreciate it if you could let us know in case you run into any issues. The most convenient way to do this is to go to the FAQ section (from the application footer) and scroll all the way to the bottom. Simply click on the "Troubleshooting" section and you should get an email window with a lot of helpful information already filled in.

Finally, we'd also like to hear from you about any enhancements to fotoflot.com that come to mind. Anything that would make the user interface more intuitive, or features that are missing. We'll keep you updated about the progress in upcoming newsletters. A few items that are high on our list include:

• The ability to move, delete, and rename images and folders.
• The ability to make diptychs and triptychs (e.g., to cut a single image into multiple fotoflōts)
• Integration of the shopping cart into the application.

Wrap-up

Finally we're delighted to announce that we have received another patent covering the fotoflōt system. The U.S. Patent Office will issue U.S. Patent 7,748,152 on July 6.

The new utility patent covers fundamental aspects of the fotoflōt system design, especially the flexible mounting system and complements the patents have have previously received in the U.S. and in Europe. We're committed to ongoing innovation and intend to file for additional patents in the future.