- When did you first understand the importance of colour in the photographic process?

Even before I knew that I would do photography, colour had already been a major element of my life, as I was a fan of comic strips and, while drawing them, I always coloured my images with care and detail.
 
At the Graphische Bundes Lehr- und Versuchsanstalt, where I studied, I did not got a place in a Photography course, which opened an opportunity with me to study  Graphics before a place was available. There I learned everything about colour, colour management and prepress. After that I finally studied Photography and was overwhelmed with colours. I did not attend regular classes; I always spent more time in the darkroom and was trying to create my own pictures with a weird and surrealistic-looking touch.  
 
Then came the time when I started to get into professional photography and realised that colour is very important. At that time, knowledge about colour was scanty and hard to come by. Clients expected only the best in quality, so I spent more and more time in manual and digital colour management. From the very start my clients were surprised how well my pictures were prepared for press; studying prepress and graphics, sort of by chance, helped me to understand better the requirements of colour management.
 
- What is the most important aspect of colour management that an aspiring photographer should know?

I would say get your camera, equipment and there are no limits known, as long as you know your equipment and what you can push out of it. Don't use 8 Bit if you have 14 or 16 Bit, depending on the system you are using. Even the best camera will not help you to achieve great results if you’re using a non-calibrated monitor. Get to know all ICC profiles and see how they compare with each other.

- Could you give an example how a solid knowledge of colour management (or an accurate colour environment) has helped you – on a project? In a consultancy situation?

Working with clients is a hard piece of work. If a client doesn’t know anything about colour, it’s my job to take care of it. I usually ask my clients or the creative agencies I’m working with for the printing media and contact to the printing companies – that’s a huge improvement when you know which profiles will be used so you can adjust them in the proper profile, make colour corrections and prepare your files as accurately as the printing company may need.
 
- How long have you been associated with X-Rite?

Since 2016 – it’s my first time I’ve had this great opportunity to collaborate with you.
 
- Why are you committed to using X-Rite products?

There are a lot of companies out there, but I’ve always had this inner desire to find something that will fit my workflow, my colours are difficult and I needed a manufacturer that would fulfil my needs - and now here I am.
 
- How important are the latest colour management tools in today’s industry?  Why?

It’s the craftsman’s signature - don't even start without calibration.
Time changes, I remember my first experiences in spectrometering, I’m thankful that companies such as X-Rite have made this process much easier and affordable not only to big companies.
Monitors, printers and printing technologies have changed and will continue to  change in the future. Therefore it’s important to keep abreast with all these new developments in order to be able to offer the best quality there is.
It’s been a huge improvement and I’m looking forward to what the near future will bring.
 
- What does the (near) future hold for the photo industry, in your opinion? Do you think colour management will be more, or less important – and why?

Colour Management will always be the one crucial thing in the industry, it will only be easier for us to use these props. 

- How is color management related to your artistic process?

It’s a disaster for me when I’m retouching my work and I see a tiny switch in colour - even if it’s only 1% I get crazy, I immediately stop working and make a new calibration. I actually have a couple of monitors and screens to check my work on different outputs. Calibrated and non-calibrated screens, only in this way I feel secure that the end consumer such as high-end clients and my neighbours will mostly see what I see.

- Do you see colour management as an advantage for saving money?

Of course, it’s not cheap to buy one of those gizmos but in the end, when you count all the aspects together, you win. TIME is the most expensive item!!! if you have to make more colour corrections, you have to spend additional time for post if the printing company does not see what you see or if the printing fails. And that’s a huge loss of money. If your client is not into the world of colour and uses a regular desktop computer they will see different colours than you do, and will start to complain. It’s nerve-wracking to lose time and money, so be smart - and calibrate your monitor!