Buying Photography

[Rob C]

Hi folks

Reading many of the Lu-La posts gives an impression of a relatively lively marketplace exisiting amongst its posters.

My thought/question is this: if you are already an accomplished photographer yourself, would you buy original photographic prints, silver or digitally produced, from a photographer or gallery? This question is perhaps aimed more at people who HAVE done so than at the probably huge majority who MIGHT, which is far from being the same thing.

It would be interesting to understand exactly why such purchases have been made - love for the image, respect for the photographer, perceived monetary value/appreciation?

Ciao - Rob C

[Eric Myrvaagnes]

For me it has generally been (1) love for the image, often combined with (2) respect for the photographer. I never thought about perceived monetary value or appreciation, but I did consider whether or not I could afford the photos (mostly acquired some forty years ago.)

Ansel Adams, Edward Weston, Minor White, Paul Caponigro and Clarence John Laughlin were all photographers I respected and whose work I love. I have many other photographs by realtive unknowns.

Now I am aware that these have good monetary value, but I didn't care when I bought them (my first Ansel Adams prints -- 8x10 contact prints, mounted, numbered, and signed by Ansel -- cost all of $6 U.S.)    

-Eric

[Graham Welland]

Yes and Yes. I have works by Christopher Burkett, William Neill and Galen Rowell that I find inspirational. Paying for art, books and intelligent TV/radio content is an easy choice.

[Christerart]

Yes, I bought my first 4 framed and signed prints by Ruth Bernhard, , Milton Greene - big image of Marilyn Monroe - the Black Sitting and some interiors by Eva Rubinstein way back in 1975 - those were the days - or were they?..=*^)

[alainbriot]

I have a collection of original prints by a number of photographers --Weston, Adams, Charles Cramer, Al Weber, Phillip Hyde, and many more.   I collect them because of my passion for beautiful prints, for their inspirational value, because they provide me with a point of reference for my own work, and simply because I love works of art created with the highest standards of quality and craftmanship.  There is no substitute for an original print.  Everything else is, well, a reproduction :-)