Barrons Article on Photo Collecting

It's always nice to see some positive coverage of photography as a collectible, particularly in the financial press where ostensibly would-be collectors lurk. The accessibility argument as a positive point versus paintings is a new one to me, in my experience the traditional knock on photographs has been that they lack the exclusivity, creative interpretation and abstraction of paintings; and that they are overly accessible ("Anybody can take a photograph!", etc.). Yet I have noticed that some folks eschew the flashier examples of my own work (dramatic cross lighting, dazzling sunsets peaking through dark brooding storm clouds, etc.) in favor of less abstract pieces with a good story to tell, which they find more relatable to their own lives ("I could take a picture like that!" becomes a good thing rather than a pejorative).

http://www.barrons.com/articles/phot...ng-1490407505#

The article was a bit of a joke, citing Peter Lik's $6,500,000 "sale" as the record... :mad:

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Mark Sawyer

The article was a bit of a joke, citing Peter Lik's $6,500,000 "sale" as the record... :mad:

---

It's great for photography collecting to receive publicity such as the Barron's article.

Regarding the Peter Lik 6.5M sale - this was a non verifiable private sale - not one thru an auction house of reasonable reputation. When Peter sells an image at a Sotheby's auction for 6.5 million, I'll feel more confident in the veracity of the claimed sale.

Many, (not necessarily all), of the "high profile", self promoting, gallery types, whether they be artists, photographers, sculptors, etc have sales forces, backers (investors), and monstrous overheads, all of which need to be covered. PR is needed to keep the ship afloat. They are running a business, first and foremost. I say that without passing any judgment.

No harm in appreciating the images, but until such sales are verified and proven to be bonafide, "arms length" transactions, I feel the private sale claims can be regarded with a grain of salt, or silver, if you prefer !

Skipping past the absurdity of Peter Lik's probably non-existent sale, and photography sold only in the photographer's own gallery, one of the biggest and best photo fairs is currently going on in NYC, through this Sunday (April 2nd): the annual AIPAD show (Association of Independent Photography Art Dealers). I went yesterday, and will start a thread of its own on my impressions. Suffice it to say that the show covers photography from daguerrotype through contemporary work, and everything is for sale. The dealers are all there to talk with, and you can get a genuine impression of the photographic art market. If money is burning a hole in your pocket, this is the show to visit! I loved quite a few prints, from a Paul Caponigro image of a barn which was new to me, with a price of a mere $7000, to a Timothy O'Sullivan albumen print from Canyon de Chelley in 1875 for an even more mere $85,000. Here is the show description from today's NY Times: https://www.nytimes.com/2017/03/30/a...e=sectionfront.

move on guys! Lik's sale raises the limits for photography regardless of the photo and authenticity. it breaks a resistance point.

Use it! whether you believe it or not is beside the point.


unfortunately, I need to sign up to read the article. i am not going to do that.