About us
Since 1996, Camera Bits has been producing revolutionary technology for photographers.
Dennis Walker is the President and Founder of Camera Bits. He started the company in 1996 after his initial exposure to digital photography at his previous job showed him a need for improved image quality and workflow solutions.
Prior to founding Camera Bits, Dennis worked in the field of neural networks and was co-author of the award winning game Dungeon Master. He then started working with digital pioneers, Kodak and Minolta, to vastly accelerate the RAW processing and image quality of their early attempts at digital cameras for working professionals. Dennis initially focused on image quality issues such as color artifacts and high ISO noise-reduction, creating Photoshop filter plug-ins to solve these difficult problems.
After attending several photojournalism workshops and seeing the woes of workflow at Super Bowl XXX, Dennis realized that the biggest contribution he could make to digital photography besides image quality was to improve the selection and editing process, which at the time was (to use a technical term) rather “clunky.”
Dennis continued to create Photoshop plug-ins that improved image quality by using new RAW processing algorithms and advanced image filtering techniques. Interestingly, he implemented RAW exposure compensation before Kodak did for their own cameras, earning him an award from the NPPA for his contributions.
Taking all that he had learned, including rigorous testing in the tense, real-world editing bays at Super Bowl XXXII, Dennis released the first version of Photo Mechanic in 1998. An instant classic was born. Because everyone in the photojournalism business used IPTC standards, Dennis also became an accidental expert on metadata, incorporating tools like batch captioning and variables in Photo Mechanic to simplify and expand the application and usage of metadata in photography.
Photo Mechanic isn’t just for photojournalists; its speed and organizational tools now help all professional photographers work faster and more efficiently. For 19 years and counting, Photo Mechanic remains the go-to software for professional photographers around the world.
Our Team
Dennis Walker
Dennis is the creator of Photo Mechanic and Chief Bit Wrangler / Photo Nerd. He doesn't take photos unless it is worth it, but admits this is really either by convenience or purely an aesthetic judgement on his part.
Katie Werremeyer
COO Katie Werremeyer has worked at Camera Bits for over a decade. In the past, she sang professionally. Today she wrangles a toddler and thinks 9pm is late. She holds an MBA from University of Oregon and a BFA from Columbia College Chicago.
Kirk Baker
Kirk Baker is a Senior Software Engineer and he likes to play video games, heavy metal guitar, brew beer, and go off-roading in his spare time. Kirk loves making software that makes a difference in the lives of photographers and editors.
Bill Kelly
Senior Software Engineer.
- High performance subsystems
- Scripting layers
- Testable architectures
- Databases, networks, servers
- Guitar, bass, drums
- Coding sessions punctuated by the antics of a very goofy cat named ShamWow.
Bob Russell
Support Manager Bob Russell was the first Support employee, helping craft the department into the benchmark it is today. When he's not creating solutions to complex workflows, he's refurbishing the historic Camera Bits main office building.
Jamie Brown
Jamie Brown is the Camera Bits Sales Manager. She enjoys travel, family time, gardening, and reading. During time away from the office, she likes road trips, big cities, and warm beaches.
Mick Orlosky
Mick is the Director of Marketing at Camera Bits. He enjoys photography, Portland Thorns soccer, and getting lost in 13th century Icelandic literature.
Katy Zukas
Katy is the Camera Bits Marketing Manager. She loves to travel to new places with her camera in tow, hike, cook drool-worthy recipes, and brush up on her Spanish skills. Aside from Portland, she has also lived in California and Spain.
Amy Bowers
Amy Bowers is the Customer Service Lead. In her not-at-work time, Amy is an avid photographer, singer, and just a little bit of a crafty goddess. She's most often seen around town (or at the dog park!) accompanied by her goldendoodle Kodak.
John Keel
When he's not playing board games or playing ukuleles, John loves taking photos and videos, and has for a few decades now. His background helps him on the Support Team because he's been there and knows how photographers think and work.
Patrick Wilson
Patrick is widely known as the fastest phone jockey in the west. When not working on the Support Team, he restores antique yachts, regales listeners with stories in a mid-Atlantic accent, and makes fun of his beloved dogs.
Andrew Howard
Andrew is a Support Team member and has a 75lb. pit bull named Tater and a 2lb. rabbit named Beans. He tries to never do the same hike twice and enjoys cycling, photography, and video games… maybe his next hobby will be less expensive.
Lindsey Halliday
Lindsey works on Camera Bits' Marketing Team. Regular outdoor adventure, music and coffee are essential for her survival. She enjoys playing her banjo, shopping for socks, and painting during her free time.
Credits
Team photos by: Ben Hutchinson
Original hand-drawn artwork by: Greg Bigoni
