30 years of DAM: Fotoware employees reflect on the journey
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Monica: From the box to the Cloud
Monica’s career with Fotoware began even before the company was officially founded. Joining Interfoto in 1991, she was part of the early days when digital cameras were a novelty and nobody knew how to handle the influx of digital images. “For international events like the Winter Olympics 1994 in Lillehammer, we provided PCs with Fotoware software so that photographers could send their images quickly back to the newspapers abroad,” she explains. “Distributing images was otherwise a big struggle at that time – very slow and expensive.” These kinds of hands-on initiatives, showcasing how our products solve real-world problems, helped establish Fotoware as a pioneer in DAM solutions.
Monica has witnessed significant technological advancements. “I remember when we had to send out software in boxes, with CDs and thick printed manuals, and we did that ourselves. Now, everything is 100% digital!”
The shift to SaaS-based solutions was another real turning point for Fotoware, both operationally and technologically, and one of Monica’s proudest moments. “Watching the team come together to achieve that transformation, while still ensuring every customer’s needs were met, was incredibly rewarding.”
Monica has also been integral to ensuring Fotoware’s operational foundation kept up with the company's evolving technology. “As we transitioned from ‘traditional’ image management software to enabling more complex workflows, it was important that our operations reflected the same level of innovation we were delivering in our products. Staying agile while ensuring quality for our customers was always the balance we strived for,” she explains.
Over the years, Monica has worn many hats - working across departments in sales, marketing, accounting, and operations. What has kept her with Fotoware for more than three decades? “It’s the people,” she says. “Colleagues, partners, and customers became friends. The people here are something special.”
— “Nothing is like it used to be, but that’s what I love. Everything evolves, and I grow with it.
Øystein: Making Fotoware fashionable
Øystein joined Fotoware in 2004, when the company was celebrating its 10th anniversary. Looking back on his two decades at Fotoware, he reflects on the broad scope of responsibilities he’s had. “In the early days, we were Jacks of all trades – we were all doing sales, talking to partners, helping customers, marketing. It gave us unique perspectives and made us a dynamic team.”
One of Øystein’s most memorable moments came early in his career when he helped launch Chinese version of FotoStation at a fashion show in China, standing on stage with Miss China. “It was surreal!” he laughs.
Over time, the company grew, and with that growth came the need for more structured, long-term planning. “In the early days, the CEO would visit local newspapers, gather their requirements, and the developers would quickly create solutions based on those wishes. Today, while we’re still working closely with our customers to make sure we solve real problems, but we’re thinking more long-term to ensure creating something that stands the test of time.”
Today, Øystein is excited about the future of DAM and the new opportunities that technologies like AI bring but is equally invested in safeguarding Content Authenticity. He points to recent partnerships within GLAMs (galleries, libraries, archives, museums), highlighting a strong suit of Fotoware. “We’re deeply rooted in the media industry but it’s exciting to see how we can support industries like museums, manufacturers, and even healthcare and the police in their purpose.”
— “What excites me most is what we don’t know yet. There are so many opportunities ahead.”
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Andreas: Innovation and truth
Andreas joined Fotoware in the summer of 2008, bringing with him a unique background from running his own business. He was won over by an enthusiastic recruiter and the warm atmosphere of the company. “I didn’t know what to expect but I immediately felt welcome,” Andreas recalls. “It was a great atmosphere where the employees were genuinely looked after, which made the transition much easier.”
When Andreas started, Fotoware was a company with fewer than 20 employees and he was one of only five developers. Over the years, while Fotoware has grown to more than 100 employees, Andreas feels that the core values remain intact. “The general vibe has been well-maintained over the years. It still feels like a place where people care for each other, even if we are now spread all over the world.”
For Andreas, some of his proudest moments revolve around the major transitional phases of the company’s products. Whether it was the shift from Fotoware 6 to Fotoware 7 or the more recent move from on-premises solutions to SaaS, he takes pride in seeing how these transformations evolved into successes. “We’ve always had the user in mind, even when we were a small team of developers. It's all about solving real problems for them.”
Looking forward, Andreas is excited about Fotoware’s potential to expand its impact across more industries, becoming a key platform for content management on a global scale. “We’re already supporting a variety of organizations to do good in the world – helping journalists sharing news, the police combatting crime, and museums preserving cultural heritage. And that’s what excites me.”
— “We are helping the world share the truth, that’s our contribution.”
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Florian: A developer’s journey
Florian’s journey with Fotoware began in autumn of 2011, when he found this job opening and joined the team by pure coincidence. But even in his initial interview, it was clear that he had found a place where he belonged. “We were speaking the same language, tech-wise,” Florian recalls. Although DAM wasn’t really a very well-known segment at the time, he quickly grew into his role and became an integral part of the company’s development team.
Over the years, Florian has grown into his role as a software architect. He thrives on the collaborative culture at Fotoware, where innovation is encouraged, and there’s plenty of room for creative thinking. “People here have their special areas of expertise, but there's no micromanagement. If you believe something is the right solution, you can go ahead and make it happen.”
Florian is especially proud of his contributions to the company's evolution. As Fotoware transitioned from on-premises software to SaaS in 2016, he embraced the opportunity to play a part in modernizing the product. “It's been an exciting journey, watching the product grow and seeing how our work directly impacts customers around the world.”
Florian loves solving complex problems for customers. “Working with legacy code is what I imagine city development must feel like - you can’t just tear everything down and start over. It has to fit together.” This hands-on approach and his passion for problem-solving have kept him motivated for over a decade.
— “My proudest moment? Every time I diagnose a problem, fix it, and make a customer happy.”
