When did you first understand the important of color to the photographic process?
It was made clear to me when I studied photography at Hawkeye Institute of Technology that the correct balance of color in any given lighting situation was vital to the visualization of the end result.
What is the most important aspect of color management that an aspiring photographer should know?
Good workflow and color management throughout the process is essential. Calibrate your monitor so that what you see will be translated in the final repro. If you are making prints yourself, then also calibrate each media that you are using with your printer.
Why are you committed to using X-Rite products?
The ease of use and accuracy in calibrating the monitors and printers.
How important are the latest color management tools in today’s industry?
Because so much responsibility is now left to the photographer to provide good quality scans whereas a few years ago it was the job of the repro house to produce accurate color scans from transparencies. It is now vital for the photographer to produce image files that represent the conditions and color of light in which he or she created the image because ith digital there isn’t a transparency to refer to for color.
How is color management related to your artistic process?
I love color so I try to incorporate strong, punchy colors in my work. From the second I press the shutter I am trying to capture color in a way that represents my style of photography. From that point onwards, there are so many variables that can change the color in a way that I want to portray it. With good color management, the end product will hopefully depict what my intentions were when I pressed the shutter.
Do you see color management as an advantage for saving money?
As the old saying goes, “time is money” so in this respect if we are saving time by utilizing good color management we are ultimately saving money.