ZEFA

ZEFA (originally ZFA, Zentrale Farbbild Agentur) was a German picture agency headquartered in Düsseldorf. It was founded in 1956 by photographer Walther Benser and publisher Willy Vogt under the umbrella of V-Dia-Verlag in Heidelberg, initially to market the printing rights of a rapidly growing collection of color slides. In 1964 Benser moved the agency to Düsseldorf and invested heavily in image quality and technical equipment. From 1969 it operated from Schanzenstraße 20a in Düsseldorf-Oberkassel, and the renamed ZEFA established subsidiaries in London, Paris and Milan. By the 1980s ZEFA was one of Europe's largest picture agencies. In 1995 Erwin Fey took over as managing owner and within less than a decade built it into the largest agency in Europe and the third-largest worldwide. The company was renamed Zefa Visual Media GmbH and in December 2004 was acquired by the US picture agency Corbis, which used the purchase to expand its presence in the competitive German market. The ZEFA brand is now defunct as an independent agency, its assets absorbed into Corbis.

ZEFA's origins lie in the V-Dia-Verlag publishing house in Heidelberg, which in 1953 produced slide series on various topics for school lessons. Walther Benser, a friend of publisher Willy Vogt, recognized that duplicates should be made from slides to enlarge the distribution network and protect the unique originals, which were at high risk of damage. In 1956 the two founded a picture agency under the publishing house's umbrella: the ZFA (Zentrale Farbbild Agentur), intended to market the printing rights of a rapidly growing image collection. During the start-up phase Benser invested money he had earned from Leica lectures into the agency. Benser eventually lost patience with the slow progress, moved the agency to Düsseldorf in 1964, and began investing intensively in image quality and technical equipment. The success vindicated him. From 1969, based at Schanzenstraße 20a in Düsseldorf-Oberkassel on the left bank of the Rhine, the former ZFA became the more smoothly pronounceable ZEFA, with subsidiaries in London, Paris and Milan. In the 1980s ZEFA was among Europe's largest picture agencies. In 1995 Erwin Fey took over ZEFA as managing owner and in less than ten years made it the largest agency in Europe and the third-largest worldwide. The company was then renamed Zefa Visual Media GmbH. In December 2004 the US picture agency Corbis acquired Zefa Visual Media GmbH, massively expanding Corbis's presence in the hard-fought German market. The ZEFA brand ceased to operate as an independent agency following the acquisition.

• 2004

  Zefa Visual Media GmbH acquired by US picture agency Corbis in December.

• 1995

  Erwin Fey takes over ZEFA as managing owner.

• 1980

  ZEFA ranks among Europe's largest picture agencies.

• 1969

  Agency established at Schanzenstraße 20a in Düsseldorf-Oberkassel; renamed ZEFA with subsidiaries in London, Paris and Milan.

• 1964

  Benser moves the agency to Düsseldorf and invests in image quality and technical equipment.

• 1956

  Walther Benser and Willy Vogt found the ZFA (Zentrale Farbbild Agentur) under the V-Dia-Verlag umbrella.

• 1953

  V-Dia-Verlag in Heidelberg produces slide series for school lessons.

International picture agency and stock photography library; at its peak Europe's largest and the world's third-largest agency.

• Stock photography library

  International collection of color images and slides licensed for print and digital use.

• Color slide archive

  Original and duplicate color slides marketed for reproduction rights.

1. 1ZEFA (Bildagentur) – Wikipedia (German)de.wikipedia.org
2. 2Zefa – Wikidatawikidata.org
3. 3Royalty-Free Stock Photos, Creative Images & Vectors | News, Fashion, and Entertainment imagery - Getty Imagesgettyimages.com
4. 4AI-Free Imagery Policy - Getty Images | Getty Imagesgettyimages.com
5. 5About Us | Getty Imagesgettyimages.com
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