Exposure technique Kratochvil style?

[ryunin]

Could anyone suggest what kind of exposure technique Antonin Kratochvil, one of my favorite photographers, uses to achieve those contrasty photographs? If that is possible to say based on some pictures at his website?

Here is the link Antonin Kratochvil


to his pictures of George Clooney, I think it may be a bit overexposed / based on metering in the shadows. I don't think details in shadows are lost, just almost invisible. I usually try to expose like this, but as people sometimes criticise me that I don't try to be precise enough, using quality light meters and working with different methods of developing, but I wonder how precise I should be to achieve similar results in tonality that Kratochvil achieves. When I loot at my prints, I think they are the same style, but maybe I am not aware of some secret exposure or developing techniques Kratochvil employs.

 

[Mike_E]

It looks like he's putting his highlights in zone 7 to me.

 

[ryunin]

I reckon you are joking. I don't think a war photographer has enough time to deal with the zone system as his life is in danger and could be shot dead any minute. But I think even a war photographer has tio have a kind of technique how to shoot quickly and achieve wonderful shots that Kratochvil achieves. I saw an interview with Kratochvil whre he says recently he has begun to use digital and that he has no time to deal with RAW and as the life is in danger, ti is better to shoot jpeg and not check the pictures all the time, rather make sure you survive.

 

[dots]

Is he printing in a war zone too?

 

[ryunin]

I think he doesn't develop his films or make prints but somebody does it for him. But as even that is not quick enough for him or the magazines he works for, he had to switch to digital and shooting jpeg without any complicated post process. So maybe it was his approach even when he shot film - maybe he would just point the camera at something dark using the available built-in meter, and set the exposure for the rest of the shooting session.

But is my question stupid? Because I don't know if everyone who knows how to photograph uses the zone system, or did Cartier Bresson use the zone system when hopping around the streets of paris? But I think all good photographers have some kind of exposure technique, be it something simple or complicated. So I am just asking if it seems like this guy may have some kind of exposure metering technique. But if there's no chance to find out based on the web pictures, then I give up and will try to contact the guy himself.

 

[dots]

One problem i having is i've tried that link 3 times in 3 days and it either takes ages to load or i get a blank page.Wish i could see what these photos look like. Do you have another link to a different page ?

 

[Helen B]

You don't have to use the Zone System to use ZS terminology. It's a very convenient shorthand sometimes.

One way of achieving similar contrasty, deep graphic shadow effects is to underexpose (not overexpose) and overdevelop. It's not so much about being 'precise', but about understanding how film responds to exposure and development.

 

[dots]

Asking does he print also in a war zone was tongue in cheek response. Zone system can be an approach to look of the print, as well as exposure. A quick google of HCB street photos doesn't suggest to me HCB was cavalier about blowing highlight to expose for a primary picture element. His style seems to me more inclusive to balance-out across the whole scene.

And he didn't make his own prints.

 

[ryunin]

One problem i having is i've tried that link 3 times in 3 days and it either takes ages to load or i get a blank page.Wish i could see what these photos look like. Do you have another link to a different page ?

just try www antoninkratochvil com

then go to stories

george clooney

done

 

[dots]

antoninkratochvil.com
i go there (i just tried it again) and the url resolves, the page completes loading... but it's blank. ??? Sorry but i think i have a problem with my google chrome browser. I got a warning from a website to enable javascript and javascriptis enabled,, so...

i will try with IE

 

[ryunin]

You don't have to use the Zone System to use ZS terminology. It's a very convenient shorthand sometimes.

One way of achieving similar contrasty, deep graphic shadow effects is to underexpose (not overexpose) and overdevelop. It's not so much about being 'precise', but about understanding how film responds to exposure and development.

so you are talking about pushing, basically, right? I have that experience / pushing to me means making sure it is contrasty enough and losing a bit of detail, more grain

i am afraid to expose neutrally to get the realistic image as that may mean not contrasty enough a t the end when I print

which is frustrating / so I like to push things when I want to make sure I get enought contrast in the end, does it make sense?

 

[ryunin]

antoninkratochvil.com
i go there (i just tried it again) and the url resolves, the page completes loadings... but it's blank. ???

that's strange something must be wrong with your browser

it is a regular web page

 

[dots]

No luck. I just tried with IE and the website hasn't even begun to load after 30 seconds. Is there video or heavy flash? My ISP has restricted my mobile bandwidth for video..maybe that is it?

 

[Kerbouchard]

No luck. I just tried with IE and the website hasn't even begun to load after 30 seconds. Is there video or heavy flash? My ISP has restricted my mobile bandwidth for video..maybe that is it?

The website is poorly designed. It loads to a blank page with options on the left. It makes you think something is loading but it isn't. The page actually loads quite fast.

In any case, the text on the left are links. You have to click on those to see any type of pictures.

As far as the pictures, all I saw was some noisy shots with blocked up blacks and blown highlights. If that's all the OP wants to do, shoot at a high ISO, expose so the highlights are just over exposed or just prior to it, and raise the blacks until you have the contrast you want.

 

[ryunin]

No luck. I just tried with IE and the website hasn't even begun to load after 30 seconds. Is there video or heavy flash? My ISP has restricted my mobile bandwidth for video..maybe that is it?

The website is poorly designed. It loads to a blank page with options on the left. It makes you think something is loading but it isn't. The page actually loads quite fast.

In any case, the text on the left are links. You have to click on those to see any type of pictures.

As far as the pictures, all I saw was some noisy shots with blocked up blacks and blown highlights. If that's all the OP wants to do, shoot at a high ISO, expose so the highlights are just over exposed or just prior to it, and raise the blacks until you have the contrast you want.

hmmm, that's what I have tried to do several times and it seemed I got similar results / so it doesn't seem to be some kind of sophisticatd secret technique / anywya you said "Noisy" do you think the Clooney shot were not even made using film cameras? I know Kratochvil used to use Nikons with 28 mm, but recently switched to digital