Photography As Art and Investment

So You Want to Be In Pictures?

Photography is great art and a good investment to boot

Until recently, few serious collectors thought photographs were worthy of their attention. Photos were bought and sold mostly through antiquarian book dealers, and though Sotheby’s in London held its first photography auction in 1971, it was not until 1975 that photo sales become an annual event there. As the price of contemporary paintings skyrocketed in the early 1980s, though, collectors began to turn to the sleepy photography market for bargains, and critics paid more attention to the art form.

Nobody would call the photography market sleepy now. In 1993 Sotheby’s photography department established a new world record for a single photograph at auction when Man Ray’s Glass Tears, a 9-by-12-inch work from about 1930, sold for $190,100.

And there’s still room for persistent new collectors. Prices for prized photographs are still a pittance compared to those for modern paintings. Be aware, though, that although a major show or a new publication about a photographer will almost certainly increase the artist’s cachet and keep his work in demand, it won’t likely have much of an immediate effect on the price of his work.

An auction may be more important. This was the case when the Museum of Modern Art in New York City decided to auction off 12 photographs by Dorothea Lange, an American well known for her depression-era photos. The works commanded high prices and may appreciate in the future.

Here, Susan Arthur Whitson, director the Houk Friedman Gallery in New York City, which represents many respected photographers, offers some other pointers for beginning photo collectors.

A photographer’s most typical works are also the most valuable. If you’re building a collection, you want to get something that speaks to you about the artist. Of course, you don’t want to buy a picture just because it’s the most famous thing the artist did. Just remember that the typical image will sell best.

The winter is coming. Photo by Elena

Photography is a two-stage process: Shooting of the negative, then making the print. A print may not have been printed by the photographer, but by his or her assistant, which will reduce its value. You can get a Berenice Abbot vintage for $9,000; you can also get a later print for $3,000. If you have the money, get the original artifact instead of a late knockoff.

Watch the number of prints in a limited edition. Prices rise as the prints are sold. It is important to know how many have been made and whether the artist has reserved the right to make more later on. A photographer may offer an edition of 25 large prints and 25 less expensive smaller prints. If the artist, as is common, also reserves the right to make 25 additional prints, the gallery should sell each print as one of a limited edition of 75 prints.

Print quality is important. Collecting photographs is like collecting etchings – surface quality is very important. Nonetheless, technique is undervalued in the current market. The hottest works are blurry images and torn photographs inspired by modernist photographers like Man Ray and Laszlo Moholy Nagy. Works by their less popular contemporaries can be had for more moderate prices.

Know your materials. The paper most photographs are printed on is extremely susceptible to chemicals and ultraviolet light. Some processes like color printing on Ektacolor are especially prone to fading. You can buy glass with a special UV filter, but your best bet is simply to make sure that your pictures are hung away from direct sunlight.

How much is that photo in the window?

An Edward Steichen portrait of George F. Watts sold in 1989 for a record-breaking $110,000, but many outstanding can be had for under $10,000. Here, culled from auction and gallery reports, is a sampler of less expensive works by popular photographers.

Under $1,500:

W.E.Smith: 13×19 unposed shot of doctors, circa 1950 – $550.

William Wegman: 11×14 portrait front ongoing dog series – $1,200.

Weegee: 7×9 unposed jazz club scene circa 1950 – $1,210.

Under $5,000:

Gary Winogrand: 16×11 publicity still of Marilyn Monroe – $2,420.

Harry Callahan: 8×10 gelatin silver print from 1952 titled “Eleonor Chicago” – $ 3,000.

Robert Jackson: 8×10 shooting of Lee Harvey Oswald. (Won Pulitzer Prize) – $ 3,520.

Under $10,000:

John Divola: 60×48 smoke against abstract backdrop – $5,500.

Robert Frank: 11×14 gelatin silver printo of Interstate 91 – $7,500.

Cindy Sherman: 7×10 self-portrait taken with a mirror – $8,250.

A Winter Tree. Photo by Elena

Photos through the ages

Want to learn more? We recommend our favorite resources: The History of Photography Beaumont Newhall. The Museum of Modern Art with Little, Brown and Co. Emphasizes big names and social impact.

A World History of Photography. Naomi Rosenblum, Abbeville. An overview of photo history – popular in college classes for its clarity and depth.

Looking at photographs. John Szarkowski. The Museum of Modern Art with Little, Brown and Co. Compiled by the photo curator of New York’s Museum of Modern Art from their collection.

Magazine Photography in New York. The publication of the Association of International Photography Art Dealers that lists shows and upcoming auctions in New York City, as well as around the country.

Photography Art: Fashion, Style & Beauty

The present text aims at a short, lively discussion of beauty. Fashion, style and glamour need no introduction. After all, looking one’s best may even help in making friends, securing successful outcomes at interviews and gaining credibility, according to social psychologists.

Fashion icons vary with time. In 2011, perhaps the most extravagant fashion statements were made by pop and rap stars, respectively, Lady Gaga and Nicky Minaj. Nonetheless, singers Katy Perry and Rihanna, rumoured best friends, have likewise harboured interesting outfits and an array of changing hair colours.

Historically, Audrey Hepburn is associated with class and elegance, a contemporary title bestowed on Australian born Nicole Kidman, whereas Coco Chanel left behind a cosmetics and fashion retail empire. Some say that while it is understandable why someone would prefer to wear designer jeans or business suits, choosing brand make-up is less so. Nonetheless, both quality and name seem important.

The importance of fashion or la mode (fashion in French) are often portrayed in the media, as in the series and following films Sex and the City starring Sarah Jessica Parker, Kim Cattrall and others. Along these lines, prestigious brands encompass Prada, Cartier, Pierre Cardin, Louis Vuitton, Versace, Gucci, Dolce & Gabbana and Emporio Armani, to name a few. Clearly, apparel retail is a huge industry, a demanding and fast changing world, with, as again depicted in films, magazines and TV shows, at times drastic consequences.

As foreshadowed above, prominent designers include Coco Chanel, Ives Saint Laurent, Alexander McQueen, Stella McCartney, Donna Karan, Calvin Klein, Salvatore Ferragamo and others. The fashion capitals are customarily considered as Milan, London, New York and Paris, most international supermodels are most likely to have visited all, or at least some, of these locations. The entry looks at some beautiful creations made possible by talent and perseverance, qualities given from above to the lucky among us.