Do You Buy :Photographs?

[rj__]

I just bought my first photographic print. I've seen a lot of posts

on this forum about how to sell photographs, the most recent being

yesterday, but I haven't seen any about buying them. Do you buy

prints? If so, what kinds of prints do you buy/what do you look for?

[z_z1]

Rory and really great magazine centered around the purchasing of B&W prints is called B&W Magazine. The articles are great and the pictures outstanding. Some of the best stuff is the paid for advertising of the various photogs wanting to be discovered.

[rj__]

Eric, I have the current issue in front of me. Let me tell you what I think. There's a piece on a guy named Sebastiao Salgado that that includes a couple of photographs that I think are awfully good. I am not impressed with anything else in the current issue. Well, with one exception. At the end, in the section reserved for photographers who want to take out small ads to promote their work, there's an ad from a guy named Ian Bradshaw who wants to sell signed, limited edition prints of a photo that he took at Twickenham in 1974. The photograph that he wants to sell is hilarious (what the Leica crowd likes to call a "decisive moment") and, except for one or two of Salgado's photo's, the best thing in the current issue.

[domenico_foschi]

Do you know how much the magazine charges for those ads ?

[rj__]

1/4 page US$200

1/2 page US$400

To reserve: (805) 474-6633

[ken_schroeder]

I think we are overlooking the most obvious way of buying prints. I have seen some very nice images posted on this site. Contacting the photographer couldn't be easier. Why not just e-mail and write I find your image moving and would like to purchase a print?

[brian_c._miller]

I've bought photogravures from Lenswork magazine, but other than that, no. I think that I'm ahead in the art game by going out and making my own stuff. Otherwise I might have spent an equivalent amount of money on other people's stuff.

[michael_sherck]

While I'm more of a photographer than a collector, I do like to look at other peoples' pictures. I prefer to buy them directly from the photographer (either from their web site or because someone I know has one of their prints and I liked it.) A less satisfactory means is via e-bay. I usually buy contemporary prints from new or relatively unknown photographers ('cause I can't afford anything else: every dollar I spend on someone else's photo is a dollar less I have to spend on mine.)

 

I don't think I've encountered intended deception on e-bay but sometimes what you get isn't what you thought it was. Prints on RC paper are common and I don't like RC. Inkjet prints are becoming even more common and I'm not interested in them, either, and not all sellers are completely up front about just what the heck they are selling. In one case I thought I had asked all the right questions but when the print came it was a dark, muddled mass, very different from the light, bright image in the E-bay auction, and it was printed on RC paper. I corresponded with the photographer and he was willing to take it back, or even re-print it, but he wasn't happy about it (I guess I was questioning his 'artistic vision' or something!) and I decided to keep it as a lesson to myself -- a cheap, $10 lesson.

 

In other auctions I've gotten great deals on beautiful, thoroughly satisfying prints. I guess that life is just a continuing process of unlearning old falsehoods and learning new ones (I forget whom I lifted that from.)

 

Mike

[bruce watson]

I have bought a number of photographs over the years. Some of the photographers are famous, some not. I don't really care, I didn't buy any of them as investments. I bought them because I like them enough to hang them on the wall and look at them every day. I bought them because I find them beautiful.

 

If you have no idea what is on the market, the easiest way to find out is to attend one of the AIPAD shows:

 

http://www.photoshow.com/

 

This is an international gathering of photographic art dealers. Usually the first day of the show is restricted to AIPAD members, and the last couple of days are open to the public.

 

Go for two reasons. First, you can see what the dealers bring (that is, what they like the best), and if you find a print you like, you can buy it on the spot. Second, it lets you see the best the dealers have - this should let you find a few dealers who "see" the same way that you do.

 

The other way to buy, obviously, is directly from the photographers. This works fine while they are alive and active, else you have to buy prints from other collectors, and that, of course, is AIPAD's strength.

 

The best reason to go to an AIPAD show is to answer your question "what kinds of prints do you buy/what do you look for?" What kind of prints I like is irrelevent to you. You have to decide what you like, and the best way to do that is to look at lots of prints and see what catches your eye.

 

If you go to an AIPAD show, get there early and wear comfortable shoes. If you want to be taken seriously, dress well. Be prepared to spend the entire day. Enjoy. If nothing else, you'll get to see a huge number of wonderful prints over a huge spectrum of photography.

[jorge_gasteazoro4]

Hmm...I guess it all depends in what you are looking for. A Salgado print is not going to be cheap, they way I have gone about it is to go to the gallery and see their "new" photographers, the unknown guys you have not heard of, and if you like the print buy it, you never know he might become famous if he does not at least you have a print you like,that is the most important thing about buying art, buy what you like not what people talk about. I got me one Michael Kenna print for $325 this way (now sold for $1200), and have 2 Burkholders this way also...Although in the case of Dan, I knew him outside of photographic circumstances and it was sort of an "encouragement" purchase. Little did I know he would become well know, but then I am not surprised as he has excellent taste.

[rw_hawkins]

<p>Sorry if this is a little off topic, but Ken's comment reminded me of an idea I have

had

for a while. It would be a web ring of photographers selling their prints. I link to

your URL where you have your prints for sale and you link to mine. This would be a great

way for photographers to try and sell their work without the overhead of a gallery. If

you know of such a group already I would like to find out more</P>

Now back to the subject, I would buy a photo I liked but only if 1) I could afford it

and 2) Only if it was in a genre different than the one I pursue. I am not sure why I

follow #2 maybe because I would hate to have a picture on my wall mistaken for one of

mine, and then have to explain "No mine is the ugly one next to it!"</P>

[jnorman2]

i buy 19th century albumen prints of topographic and architectural subjects, by photographers such as sebah, bonfils, baldus, watkins, beato, etc. i do not buy any contemporary works.

[michael_alpert1]

Rory,

 

You might take a look at the periodical "Photography in New York International. They have a web-site: http://www.photography-guide.com/

 

The periodical is quite small and meant as a guide to reputable dealers and museums nationwide. I think you will find it very useful.

[william_blunt]

A great way to purchase photos is on ebay if you know the seller. I can highly recommend Russ Levin in Monterey, CA. Russ has sold a number of my prints and has auctions up all the time. Some of the photos are "high end" such as Brett Weston, Ansel Adams etc. but there are others that go for really low bids for what they are. Check out the back cover of B&W for info.

Of course purchasing photos straight from the photographer is best way IMHO

William Blunt

[kevin_kolosky]

Rory

 

I buy them. I have purchased many right here on photo.net by writing the person and asking if they sell what they charge. And I buy from those whose photos I admire. My latest purchase was a absolutely stunning 16 x 20 of the North rim of the grand canyon done by none other than Per Volquartz who is the guy that has those free large format workshops. You can see it on his web page which I think is www.volquartz/pervolquartz.com. Have also purchased on ebay and from very good friends whom I have met here on photo.net.

 

Kevin

[lisa_lau]

I have always bought work from smaller photo galleries in London but in particular I have started to look at buying from sources outside of this space. I am not sure about the work on eBay but I recently bought a print from buynewart who are based in London but ship and tour internationally.

 

http://www.buynewart.com

 

The work is by a mixture of established and up and coming photographers though most have good exhibition histories when you look. I bought a smaller print to try it out which was of amazing quality and a signed limited edition. After the first one arrived OK I contacted them direct by calling and they managed to do a larger print at 100cm x 80cm on aluminium which trust me for landscape work is an incredible format if you want to fill some space with some atmosphere. They don't offer this online just yet but will be doing in June.

 

I also love this one by Christina Seely from San Fransisco of London:

http://www.buynewart.com/buy_art/buy_landscape_photography/310/christina_seely-220.aspx?categoryid=5

 

What I really liked was the fact I could go to their touring shows which they are planning round Europe (next one in Milan in June). They always invite you for the openings which are round Europe and they say will be coming to the states later in the year. At the recent opening in London at the Great Eastern Hotel in Liverpool Street it was 10% off on the night and you could actually meet the artists and chat about the work which made the experience of buying even more interesting.

 

They charge between ﾣ100-ﾣ500 for prints so I guess most people can find something to their budget.

 

I hope this helps other collectors.<div></div>