World-class photographer Andy Katz has traveled the globe seeking subjects for his varied cannon of work, highly evocative photos that can be seen in any of his acclaimed books such as A Portrait of Napa and Sonoma; Private Reserve and The Heart of Burgundy; Tuscany and Its Wines; and Vineyard as well as in museums and galleries throughout the U.S. and abroad. Andy has earned a reputation for capturing “true to life” images, unposed subjects, and rich pastoral landscapes rendered by relying on nothing but natural light. So it may seem strange that this photographic “purist” is also an avid adopter of the latest color technology.
It doesn’t seem strange to him. According to Andy, technology has evolved to the point where it would be a detriment to artistic vision not to use it. “When you consider what light does to color, it would be crazy not to use the best color management tools available. Why would I go through all the trouble of being at a certain moment or place in time, to capture just the right light, and then not use the latest tools to help me deliver exactly what I envisioned?” he asks. Katz, who shoots in both black and white and color, incorporated digital into his repertoire years ago, and in fact, shot photos for his book New Zealand: Sea, Earth, Sky digitally, starting the project off on the right foot by using a ColorChecker and then using an i1Pro to ensure accurate color calibration and profiling throughout the process.
When it comes to color management, Andy finds that the simplification of complex tasks – both in and outside the darkroom – appeals to him most.
“Using the i1 is the simplest choice in the world. It delivers that all important managed color environment so it pays for itself in a very short amount of time,” Andy says.
He feels much the same about the production end. “I love to reminisce about the old dark room days as much as anyone, but really, I don’t want to spend more time there than I have to.”