Photo | Design | Media

Interview with John Gundlach, aerial photographer at Flying Holland

Dutch photographer, John Gundlach, specialises in aerial photography. He uses the ColorEdge CG279X to edit his images. In this interview, he tells us why he chose the CG279X and how the 27-inch graphics monitor with built-in calibration sensor helps him in his daily work.

Why EIZO?

It is important to me that the colours in my aerial photographs are reproduced exactly as I observed them during the flight. I can only achieve this with a true-colour monitor. It allows for binding cooperation with third parties. That’s why EIZO monitors have been my first choice for editing and evaluating my images for many years now – just like for many other professional retouchers and practically everyone who needs a monitor with precise colour reproduction, tonal values and contrast.

The EIZO CG279X has a variety of functionalities that allow me to customise the display to my professional editing needs. Typical examples of these include switching between different colour profiles, deep black, high contrast and reliability. When my CG279X was delivered, I was particularly impressed by the fact that the monitor came fully assembled in a large and stable box.

You can place it directly on your desk and get started. If you want, you can detach the monitor from its stand quickly and easily by pressing a button on the back. I have been working with the ColorEdge CG279X for a few months now. I have it connected to an iMac Pro. When evaluating the colour reproduction, it is difficult to comprehend the consistency of Adobe RGB colours on the iMac Pro’s screen. I therefore always prefer to use the EIZO panel with its matt, anti-reflective surface as a colour and image reference.

Why choose the EIZO ColorEdge CG279X?

The most striking thing about the ColorEdge CG279X is the bezel in the middle of which the integrated calibration sensor is hidden. This allows the monitor to be calibrated very accurately and efficiently. My menu is set to English. The calibration is called ‘self-calibration’, and I have configured it using the touch menu underneath it so that the calibration takes place at regular intervals and at a fixed time before I start working. This way, I always see consistent colours and the right brightness on my monitor.

I no longer have to deal with external colour calibration devices. I am spared the trouble of manual calibration. The self-calibration is a great functionality. The integrated calibration sensor is very useful because I also work on printed newspaper publications in double-page format in addition to digital publications. To preserve the spectacular colours in my aerial shots, the colours in the print must exactly match what I’ve seen on the monitor. This can only be achieved with a wide gamut monitor that displays the complete Adobe RGB colour space. There are many blues and greens in aerial photographs, and the Adobe RGB colour space offers significantly more colours than the sRGB colour space.

I have been using the CG279X for several months now in a fixed configuration on an iMac Pro. I use a direct USB-C to USB-C connection from my iMac to the EIZO monitor via a Radeon Pro Vega 64/16 GB graphics board.

If I want to be sure about the high-resolution aerial images I’m delivering to the customer at the end, I always go by the display I see on the calibrated EIZO monitor. The monitor proves to be reliable and consistent day after day. That’s why I start every working day in the studio with a good feeling.

A big advantage of the ColorEdge CG279X monitor is the 100% view of photos in Photoshop (QHD, 2560 × 1440 pixels), in which I can assess the level of detail and sharpness of the photo. The true sharpness is shown. The monitor reproduces the smallest details in high-contrast aerial images and the gradation is very even. This is a feature I really like and need when I edit my aerial shots. The automatic monitor adjustment saves me time and the ColorNavigator software allows me to switch between colour modes according to what I need and how I feel. ColorNavigator is a great piece of software for keeping the monitor workflow and colour profiles organised, however, this special monitor also has traditional direct access settings that are accessible via on-screen menus. The menus are easy to understand. If I want to experiment and switch between different colour profiles, I can do so particularly easily using the sensor buttons on the front of the monitor.

I need a lot of time to edit my photos. I probably need more time than when I take the photos. In any case, I spend a lot of time at the screen. All in all, I am very impressed with the EIZO CG279X. It is a pleasure to work with it every day. It is a great help to me when it comes to checking and correcting the usual colour adjustments of the many aerial photographs that we deliver to Flying Holland customers every week.

Flying Holland company profile

Flying Holland works for customers who need high-quality images. These include architectural firms, construction companies, government agencies and magazines. ‘As an aerial photographer, you don’t just take pictures, you also get a good overview. There is a lot of scope for design with aerial photography. I make a point of giving my images an individual touch when I edit them.’

About John Gundlach

‘I have been addicted to photography since I was fifteen. I later went on to study photography at the Royal Academy of Art, The Hague, Holland. My love of photography and graphics is reflected in all my work. In my photographs, I try to get close to abstract art through the play of lines.
I have been interested in the design of landscape and architecture in the built environment for a long time. In around 2013, I began to wonder how I could depict these connections from the air.’

john gundlach2x cf4
ColorEdge CG2700X

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CG2700X | ColorEdge

This flagship 27-inch monitor marks a new generation of ColorEdge with a new exterior design. With 4K UHD (3840 x 2160) resolution, 500 cd/m2 high brightness, and HDR gamma support, the monitor reproduces content in remarkable detail. USB Type-C® connectivity provides a streamlined experience so professionals in video editing, game development, photography, and more can focus on creating.

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