Expert in large format printing & panoramic photography, CZ
In 1991, Jan William Drnek founded the HSW signal company, which with time became one of the leading firms in the signmaking business in the Czech Republic. Shortly thereafter, he returned to photography, his life-long hobby, with the intention to meet the challenge of producing high quality photos that were in great demand by printers specializing in large format reproductions. He became a color management specialist and large format printing expert in combination. He persevered in his efforts and quest as a jaded self-starter, then, one day accounted for among the highly praised professionals in his country and was granted membership in the Czech Association of Professional Photographers. The magic enshrined in a moment or the spirit and the soul of a place one once visited can be capture by following concise processing sequences and making the appropriate choice of large format printing techniques, which then reveals a new dimension. His work has been exhibited on regular occasions since 2005. A large collection of panoramic pictures, captured wilderness, animals and local inhabitants was shown at an exhibit entitled WILDa AMERICA and WILDa AFRICA that took place in Prague in 2009. In the summer of 2010 he also presented a series of large format prints in the framework of a group project called “Talking Glass”, bringing together Borek Sipek, a Czech architect and glass designer and Ondrej Smeykal, a Czech didgeridoo musician, (Australian aborigines’ wind instrument).
His cooperation with Hewlett Packard consists mainly in testing new printers and creating samplers. Currently the company is exhibiting his high resolution and large format prints as a part of their newly opened demo – center in Prague. Jan William Drnek maintains working relations with X-Rite, Onyx Graphics and EIZO.
His photographs have been published in adventure and travel magazines, as well as in specialized photo periodicals and books. Further, he has published several articles on color management, presented specialized lectures and organized expert workshops. While the text of his web site will soon be available in English, his portfolio can be seen at: www.jwd.cz .