How to achieve that?

[TeknoPhil]

Hi,
I was looking at these amazing photos from Nick Brandt and I was wondering how to get this kind of print? What kind of camera and lens to use to achieve such great result?

http://www.younggalleryphoto.com/photography/brandt/brandt.html

Thanks for helping!

 

[Alpha]

Brandt shoots digital. They're achieved with very sharp glass, extraordinary post-processing, and badass inkjet printers.

 

[Sideburns]

Really, really good post processing.

 

[TeknoPhil]

Thanks for the quick reply.

Wow ... Never though that could be digital!
I'm really a noob here ... What do you mean by sharp glass (lens?).
Also, any idea on the post processing setup?

Thanks!

 

[TeknoPhil]

It's not digital ... I sent an email directly to Nick Brandt and I got a quick reply (he's great!):

I shoot on medium format film - with the Pentax 67. I don't shoot
digital.
And I don't use telephoto lenses.

thanks

Nick

 

[maddermaxx]

Theres your answer, Medium Format.. Learn to take good photo's develop them and print them and after some practice and know-how you should get pretty close!

 

[usayit]

GO FILM!

 

[Alpha]

Why the hell is he printing on inkjets if he's shooting film?

 

[doobs]

Scanned film for post processing in Photoshop?

 

[Alpha]

I still don't get it. If there's that much detail in the negs, then I don't see that much of a technical advantage to scanning. Especially for archival uses...toned silver gelatin is much more stable than ink, and doesn't suffer from metamerism. Just seems like a really curious choice.

 

[usayit]

- The right scanner and high quality negative can produce wonderful detail in digital photos
- Perhaps he's perfected his photoshop/digi-post-pro skills but not his darkroom?
- Cost?
-Pigmented inks have a different look.. perhaps it fits with what he is trying to achieve.

I'm just shootin in the dark...

 

[Alpha]

-The right scanner, like a Flextight or a drum scanner certainly can produce really detailed scans. I'm sure he's using one of them.
-Maybe he has perfected those skills. I'd kill to be able to produce a digital print like that. It's really like nothing I've ever seen, and I've worked on some very expensive and very well calibrated equipment. I'd like to know how he arrived at that workflow.
-As for cost, that can't be too much of a consideration. Here are the costs for a basic setup to print something like that:
1) Epson 7800: $4000
2) Set of Piezography K7 cartridges: $652.90
3) Set of Piezography flush cartidges: $618.00
4) StudioPrint RIP: $1400

Would take a lot of prints to rack up that kind of money. And remember the inks and flush cartridges have to be replaced...

 

[Puma]

.

Wow his work is truly amazing. I dont think I have ever seen photos like that. Wow is all I can say.

-Puma-

.

 

[Groupcaptainbonzo]

These days results as sharp as this are available using digital (About 22 mega pixels plus). Although just like using a different kind of film, Using Digital will mean that the "feel" of the image is different (Horses for courses).
But in short he got results like this with Very expensive kit. incredible amounts of knowledge about his kit, film, subject , light etc. A huge amount of talant. Unbelieveable amounts of dedication, application and Hard Work. Great P.P. work. And not a little luck.

 

[usayit]

1) Epson 7800: $4000
2) Set of Piezography K7 cartridges: $652.90
3) Set of Piezography flush cartidges: $618.00
4) StudioPrint RIP: $1400

Take a digital image that has been through all the require post-pro work. Send it to a high end photo printing service for large print. Order let say 20 prints.

Take a negative and send it to a professional with significant darkroom experience who has the capability to produce large prints (same size) in a wet darkroom. Have him do 20 prints.

Then letsay, 10 more orders are placed online of various sizes. I bet reprinting from digital image to ink jet will be significantly cheaper.

BUT... I bet if he took those same 67 negatives and sent to a professional darkroom.. the final quality would probably be better.