Although his photography has taken him around the globe to shoot assignments and build images for each of his books, Andy Katz has not only found his niche, but has risen to the top of that vertical market. Accomplished in many types of photography, Katz is most often known for his worldwide documentation of all things wine. Living in Sonoma Valley for the past ten years, for decades he’s been shooting and publishing some of the most arresting scenes of vineyards and wine production. We recently had the opportunity to discuss photography, tripods, and, of course, wine.
©Andy Katz
In high school he worked in a White Plains, New York camera store. After graduation, he attended the Art Center College of Design to study photography. Leaving to turn pro, he relocated to Boulder, Colorado, and opened a studio focusing on the ski industry. Shooting an album cover for Dan Fogelberg led to a spate of work for the music industry, including album covers for other artists.
©Andy Katz
Katz moved to Los Angeles in 1977 to specialize in music industry photography. Eventually faced with having to sign another one-year contract with a record company, Katz realized he no longer wanted to be in L.A., so he returned to Boulder, where he lived a total of 32 years. A friend owned a restaurant showcasing American wine, and gave Katz an assignment: fly to Napa and Sonoma to photograph the wine industry for eight days. “I fell in love with the place,” he recalls. “I really liked the photos I got. They were framed large format in a studio-style for this restaurant, and they looked great. I went back to Napa and showed some images to the wineries, and I got several jobs.”
©Andy Katz
One job turned into another, and Katz built up his library of photos from both valleys until he created his first book, A Portrait of Napa and Sonoma. The book was well-received. “It got me my start in the book biz,” he says. Since then, he’s gone on to publish Vineyard, The Heart of Burgundy, Burgundy and Its Wines, Robert Mondavi Winery, Tuscany and Its Wines, and Concannon: : The First One Hundred and Twenty-Five Years, among others. His latest title, New Zealand: Sea, Earth, Sky, is available on his site. A book on India is forthcoming, and a new book on Sonoma with an introduction by James Laube is heading to the printer this month.
©Andy Katz
Katz shoots all-digital these days, and his main camera body is a Sony Alpha 900. “There are certain things I miss about film,” he says. “I’m convinced in years to come these software geniuses will be able to figure out ways to recreate everything I like that film does better than digital. Digital brings it up a notch. I’m shooting a 35mm digital camera now that has equal quality to 6 x 7 film.”
©Andy Katz
“I use a tripod often,” Katz says. “There’s so much you can do with a tripod that you absolutely cannot do without one. When people are starting out in photography, it’s essential. It slows them down and lets them observe what’s in the viewfinder, as opposed to shoot first, focus second, and compose third,” he says, laughing. As far as tripods go, he’s well-covered. “I now have three Induro tripods I use,” he reports. “For travel, I’ve got the C114. When I’m not shlepping, I’ve got the C413, and I’ve got one in my car that’s in between. I’ve been a big advocate for tripods for a long time.”
©Andy Katz
When asked what younger photographers are missing by not using a tripod, Katz is quick to list his thoughts. “First, it slows down what you’re doing and it makes you think. Anything that makes you think is good. With digital technology, things are so simple. Pixels are free, so no one’s worried about shooting too much. There’s a machine gun mentality of overshooting and not thinking enough. What a tripod does is it makes you stop, think, and look more carefully at what you want in the frame and what you don’t. That, to me, is the key of composition.”
©Andy Katz
“Using a tripod allows you to take photos where you couldn’t do it without a tripod,” Katz reiterates. “If you’re shooting in gorgeous light which is very low—and that’s my favorite light to shoot in—and you want some depth of field, you’re going to be shooting at two or three seconds, and there’s no way you can do that without a tripod. I often tell people the tripod and the ball head you choose are going to be two of the most important decisions you’re going to make photographically.”
©Andy Katz
Keep an eye out for his forthcoming books, which Katz shot with the help of his Induro tripods. “Using one is a piece of cake,” he says. “They’re very well designed. They’re light because of the carbon fiber. You just do a quarter of a turn and everything pops in or out. I’ve had mine in rain, sleet, salt, dirt, dust, grime… I put these things through hell. I just wipe them down with a little water and they’re fine.”
©Andy Katz
After all the years of photographing vineyards and spending time with winemakers, the bug has bitten Katz, too. This year will see the release of a new venture for him: his own wine. Called AJE, it’s 100% Alexander Valley cabernet. “It’s wonderful,” Katz glows, just like his photos of the region.
©Andy Katz
Andy Katz Photography
