Jan Kratochvil

I am a Czech freelance photographer, trainer, application manager and specialist for SW localisations.
I have been interested in photography since childhood, originally using 35 mm cameras. Throughout my life I have retained my fascination but rekindled my interest in earnest in 2004 when I acquired my first DSLR. After exploring the world of digital photography I returned to the medium of photographic film, using various 35mm cameras and testing different types of film. I soon acquired a Hasselblad medium format camera and believes that photographs taken in close up with the 150 mm portrait lens accompanied by the use of extension tubes have exceptional qualities. To further refine the results I moved to a larger format and an Eastman Kodak 2D 8×10” camera was the next piece of equipment that was added to his collection. The Kodak 2D has a modified film container such that the camera can work with wet plate collodion photography. Wet plate collodion photography is a truly outstanding medium. It is possible to create positive photography instantly using a process originated in the 19th century. A particular strength of the wet plate collodion process is the ability to create negatives on glass which in turn can be used to create contact prints. A few examples of contact prints using this process are salt prints, albumen prints, Bromoils and Rawlins Print, but there are many other possibilities. My extensive experience gives me an excellent understanding of what taking photographs is all about. My aim is to produce a limited number of high quality photographs focusing on the content of the picture rather than quantity of the output. Creating digital pictures is simple. By attending a few workshops and abiding by a few common rules you are ready to start your own business with just a DSLR camera and some speed lights. My goal is to create “something unique”and in my quest to achieve this he has extensively explored the fascinating world of historical photographic processes. Today I work with the following photographic techniques and media: Ambrotype, Tintype, Wet Plate Collodion Negative, Salt or Albumen Print, analog film and digital cameras.