A Photographer, a Lake, a Dream: Giving new life to images
Walter Zerla | Omegna, Italy
Zerla is an internationally renowned professional photographer with an outstanding career in advertising, fashion, and design. His works are used in a variety of situations such as offices, hotels, showrooms, and other interior design.
Roland DG's technology has allowed a novice user like me to achieve incredible results right from the start. I am very satisfied with the best image quality and accurate color reproduction.
Before
- He wanted to establish a new technique of expression by printing his photography on diverse materials.
- He was looking for a product that could precisely reproduce the tones and depth of color of a photograph when printing on three-dimensional objects.
After
- New expressive techniques, such as backlit and large format canvases, decorative panels, and printing on wood have expanded the range of his work.
- It is now possible to produce exactly what he imagined with accurate color reproduction and the quality of photographic expression to print fine details precisely.
- In addition to the product features, he is happy with the support which allows him to use the product with peace of mind.
PRODUCTS: VersaUV LEC2 S-Series
We met Walter Zerla in his studio in Omegna in the Piedmont region of northwest Italy. His glamorous, minimalistic look quickly outs him as a perfectionist, particularly when it comes to the creation of images of quality and significance. Zerla is an internationally renowned professional photographer boasting an outstanding career in advertising, fashion and design. When asked about his inspirations for his extraordinary photography, he said:
“I'm lucky enough to live in a wonderful place, between Lake Orta and Lake Maggiore. My images speak of this: of my region.”
Zerla's vision is one of vivid and visceral photography. He aims to capture the physicality of the image, which, in a world that is becoming more and more oriented towards the virtual, is a dying art. From this viewpoint, he came up with the idea of printing his photographs directly onto new materials, opening up a world of experimentation through digital printing. At first, he had some hesitation, questioning:
“Is it possible for an image printed directly onto a material to faithfully reproduce the tones and the depth of the colors as well as an image printed on paper and then applied to the material?”
So, he did some research and became fascinated by the world of UV printing. After evaluating several brands, he found a solution that allowed him to achieve the results and the emotional effect that he wanted: the Roland DG VersaUV LEC2-640S-F300. Some of the features that he most appreciates about the S-Series UV printer are its very high-fidelity color reproduction, level of detail and colorimetry.
“We give new life to the images with this splendid layer of ink. These images have become living objects again,” said Zerla.
We give new life to the images with this splendid layer of ink. These images have become living objects again.
The combination of CMYK, orange and red EUV5 inks included with the printer feature first-class pigments for uncompromising reproduction of tonal transitions and color ranges. The device that Zerla chose has allowed him to expand his range of products and create new applications: backlit prints, large-format canvasses, decorative panels and glowing lamps. He has developed interior design applications for offices, showrooms, hotel rooms and trade show exhibitions. Of particular interest for his business is the option to print and reproduce his extraordinary photographs of water effects on plexiglass.
“I can freeze the water while it is falling on a model's skin and portray it via the transparency of the plexiglass,” said Zerla.
During our visit, Zerla also focused on Roland DG's technical support, which is essential for optimizing the device's potential. Zerla emphasized how happy he has been with the support. This isn't just because of the knowledge and experience that Roland DG's technicians have. It's also because of the positive connection that grows between people who are passionate about visual communication. This is something that goes beyond mere sales and encompasses Zerla's satisfaction in seeing his works reproduced exactly as he intended.
“This technology has allowed a novice user like me to achieve incredible results right from the start,” he said.
This technology has allowed a novice user like me to achieve incredible results right from the start.
This Roland DG S-Series devices can immediately print onto a wide range of surfaces and objects up to a thickness of 20cm, allowing Walter to seamlessly move into multiple sectors, expanding his business opportunities into areas that were previously unthinkable. Finally, the photographer bids us farewell with an interesting thought:
“Ultimately, the greatest satisfaction is creating real windows into environments, giving them new life thanks to the quality and beauty of the images obtained using a Roland DG printer.”
