Buying photographic prints

[Jubb Jubb]

Has anyone here ever bought an expensive photographic print?

I am thinking of purchasing one from a well known photographer and wanted to gauge thoughts, experiences etc.

Thanks in advance.

 

[gns]

Probably can't give you much advice, but I've bought a few. Not recently, though. Some were purchased retail (from galleries), others directly from the artist. Never purchased anything at auction. Have you checked out online auctions like ArtNet?
http://www.artnet.com/auctions/?gclid=CLK8sZ-ftbcCFaF_QgodA3MAcg

Here is another site that might be helpful...
http://dlkcollection.blogspot.com/

What are you looking to buy?

Good luck.

 

[ColSebastianMoran]

Bought a couple, well framed, but not really expensive. They have provided continuing enjoyment. Only buy something you really like.

 

[Shac]

I've bought some prints, but what's your definition of "expensive"?

 

[Jubb Jubb]

my definition is "a lot of money".

 

[koven]

No but ive sold some.

Id love to be in a position to purchase some expensive art work though. What is the picture? Who is the photographer? And do you expect it to go up in value?

 

[KM-25]

After watching master printer John Sexton print in a workshop recently, I just had to have one so I paid for an 11x14 of one of my favorite images by him. Lets just say he charges double what I do for an 11x14 silver print and rightly so.

I look forward to more purchases like this in the future...

 

[Black]

Bought four prints from Beka Harris of Mission House Studios when I visited the Isle of Harris. Currently getting them framed and mounted.

Before this, I wouldn't have thought of purchasing another photographers work, but all our family fell in love with Harris, so there was immediately some connection to Beka's fantastic contrasty work.

 

[Sejanus.Aelianus]

I've never been able to fathom why anyone would pay much money for someone else's photograph. Photography, it seems to me, is a mass reproduction tool, like lithography. The advantage of photography over lithography is that once you've made a really good print, you just make a copy neg and then print identical copies as often as you wish. With digital, it's even simpler.

😕

 

[Jubb Jubb]

It's a print by photographer Alex Webb. They are editioned, so aren't reproduced frequently.

 

[Black]

Re: Buying (and selling) limited edition prints: http://www.dougchinnery.com/2013/04/limited-edition-prints-should-i-sell-them-should-i-buy-them/

A bit of a long read, but worth the time.

 

[Sejanus.Aelianus]

Hmmm. It rather reminds me of stories about people selling the Brooklyn Bridge.

Still, it's your money and none of my business.

😀

 

[Lflex]

I need to know if you are thinking "investment"?

 

[Jubb Jubb]

only a quarter investment, more because i love the work

 

[Lflex]

OK – let me just outline my background- I have 10 years experience in the “art industry” – from a commercial gallery and a contemporary art museum.
My reason for asking is that I would strongly advise against using "investment" as justification of a purchase.
The art world is non-transparent and full of pretend to say it mildly. There is one art-investment rule: The inexperienced will loose money!

I’d recommend the following rule of thumb: never pay more than what you would pay for average annual summer vacation. Eg. You are a family of 3 using 6000 USD total on average. Your max is then 2000 USD.
Think of the art work as purely for your enjoyment, and evaluate if the enjoyment (now and over time) is worth giving up this year’s summer vacation. If the answer is yes, then there is no reason not to buy, but please don’t pollute your considerations with the idea of “investment”.

 

[StevenJohn]

I keep in mind that there always can be more prints made, but I don't let that paralyze my decision. The last piece of art I bought was about the price of my television. I get more enjoyment out of looking at the art.

 

[KM-25]

I've never been able to fathom why anyone would pay much money for someone else's photograph. Photography, it seems to me, is a mass reproduction tool, like lithography. The advantage of photography over lithography is that once you've made a really good print, you just make a copy neg and then print identical copies as often as you wish. With digital, it's even simpler.

😕

You are joking right? I don't know a single fine art printer worth his developer that would pull that maneuver and I am talking real hand made prints here, not "press button for print" digi-crap. I limit my editions at 45 per size and image and no matter how utterly meticulous I am in my note taking, no two prints come out exactly the same, the essence of hand made sir.

You don't understand because you don't value photography and that is fine but there are some very talented people out there who make amazing final prints. I *might* have bought one of John's prints from seeing it in one of his books but seeing it in person just blew me away so I gladly put a deposit down on it, he prints to order, not keeping a stack of same-same mass production prints like you seem to imply.

 

[Sejanus.Aelianus]

You mention "some very talented people out there who make amazing final prints." Could you tell me who decides that someone is "talented" and who is "amazed" by the prints?

Also, why would it be wrong to make a print you feel is just what you want, rephotograph it and make a few hundred or even a thousand copies from the new negative? I used to know several people who did exactly that, for industrial and commercial purposes. Come to think of it, so did I, when I worked in a commercial studio.

 

[Jubb Jubb]

Thank you, I'm flattered.

Also, why would it be wrong to make a print you feel is just what you want, rephotograph it and make a few hundred or even a thousand copies from the new negative? I used to know several people who did exactly that, for industrial and commercial purposes. Come to think of it, so did I, when I worked in a commercial studio.

I'm pretty sure that's called stealing and infringing on an artists copyright.
Would you like your work to be photographed and reproduced?

 

[sepiareverb]

I recently purchased a print from a 'known' photographer who is an acquaintance. I saw the image at her last exhibit and was immediately struck by it - I made many associations within and connections outside of the image. Knew right then I had to get it. Took a while, but it is now on my wall and I look at it every day and it continues to improve my days.

I have quite a few works up from photographers I know and some from those I don't, but they are all things that brighten my mood whenever I pause in front of them.