Every FOTOMAX has its own reasons for existence

During the era of film finishing, we enjoyed the sense of "unknown" and would remember small things such as when, with whom and where the photos were taken. Back then, FOTOMAX provided "one-hour finishing and printing" service, which shortened the waiting time and made it easier for customers to reproduce memorable moments. So the world moves and the days of film photography seem to have come back. In this era of mobile phones dominance, FOTOMAX's Pioneer Centre branch continues to provide "one-hour finishing and printing" service to safeguard our collective memories.

Joan, the Manager of the branch, said that her daily work over the years has been observing the needs of each customer when they enter the store and finding ways to communicate with them well. "One day, a customer entered our store and asked for a roll of photographic paper. We puzzled about it before realizing what he wanted was a roll of films! During the past two or three years, the many more people looking for films have created demand for film photography and its peripheral products." A group of customers are picking up (or re-picking up) film photography, and Joan will provide them with tips to keep them enthusiastic about it. For example, films must be stored properly after finishing, or the reprint quality will deteriorate. So Joan suggests digitizing the films, which can also facilitate social media and email sharing, editing using related software and viewing on various devices.

From taking photos with physical film and CCD cameras to cameras built into mobile phones, customers’ demand for quality is a pursuit of another “unknown” realm, according to Joan. "For film finishing, the quality requirements have indeed become lower than before as many new customers have no such experience. We came across a university student who could only make more than ten photos with the 36-film roll, while the rest were all underexposed, possibly without turning on the flash. However, he was so happy and said, "Oh, it turns out that I did take the photos and it’s not a total loss.’ Whether it is done with a digital camera, an instant camera or a mobile phone, after taking the photo, customers can see what is taken, so big mistakes can be avoided. But film photography is very different. Its selling point is the sense of unknown and uncertainty.” Discovering this, Joan will also tell customers to boost the fun of “unknown” by conveniently buy Japanese-style Showa-style films in the store to create a sense of nostalgia. What’s more, don’t throw away expired films but slightly overexpose them to make the rough texture, low contrast and chromatic aberration even more prominent. Of course, the quality of the final images also depends on the expiry date and the preservation of the films.

With more than 20 years of frontline servicing experience, Joan has witnessed the evolution of FOTOMAX's business. Since the popularity of mobile phones equipped with photo-taking functions, many customers bring us their memory cards or USBs for digital printing. Thanks to the wave of immigration and border reopening after the pandemic, many people come to take ID photos for document renewal.

Joan still feels excited about her work every time when she can help customers solve their problems, motivate them to take photos and make them like their photos. The sense of accomplishment is indescribable. "I remember a couple, almost 70 years old, who asked us to help with their film camera which was out of battery. After replacing the battery, we took out the film and only then did they realize that it was a roll left unfinished from their Japan trip. The two, looking at the photos of which the colours had changed after more than ten years’ time, were so happy when they saw their faces. In the store, they talked about what they were doing that day. “Do you remember?” the wife asked. "My wife, how can I remember what we were doing at that time? We don’t even remember there is such a roll of film!" the husband said. Everyone looked at them when they happily chatted. A customer who was selecting photos nearby also turned his head and looked at them with a smile. I felt warm and happy standing in front of the counter chatting with them. The old lady took the photos and asked the old man to buy another roll of films, saying that the camera should have no problem, and asked him to bring the camera to try it out during their short-haul tour the following week." Looking at Joan who shared every detail about this couple, you can imagine how the couple couldn't help laughing when they saw the photos!

In addition to "one-hour finishing and printing service", the Pioneer Centre store has also retained many attentive services, such as Fuji camera repair collection and corporate photography services, so that customers who demand for image quality can feel confident when they enter the store and leave satisfied when they leave. Joan believes that customers come to FOTOMAX for its professionalism. This feeling of being needed is the strongest motivation for frontline staff.