the value of a photograph?

greenpea

Saw this post on Chase Jarvis's blog today, interesting story.

This article made me think of my recent visit to the San Francisco MOMA where a photography exhibit was underway. There were some truly amazing pictures at the exhibit that made me stop stare and just say "WOW", but there were a lot of images that I just didn't get. I completely didn't understand the photo was considered examples of fine art meant to be hung on the walls of this great museum.

Clearly I am not a trained art critic or artist, but when it comes to fine art photography, I have to wonder why one image is is worth a large some of money and sits in a gallery while another image is left to obscurity sitting as a 4 x 6 print in a shoe box somewhere, or perhaps only to be breifly viewed a tiny LCD screen before it is deleted off of a memory card never to be seen again.


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Angelo

ahh the age-old question: what makes art art?

the video reminds me of something from my art appreciation class: ordinary people were shown photographs of "art" and asked to identify which pieces were created by a well-known artist.

the subject matter of the photographs were six painters' drop cloths and one canvas by Jackson Pollock.

most questioned could not tell the difference.

but the JP sold for more than $!M

.

greenpea

After seeing the exhibit at the SFMOMA, my wife suggested that the reason any given photograph ends up on a museum wall is because there was a good PR person working for the photographer. My suggestion was that the photographer was able to give an appropriate high brow explanation of their photography to the right people: This series of blurry photos of mud puddles clearly shows that "all phenomena are real in some sense, unreal in some sense, meaningless in some sense, real and meaningless in some sense, unreal and meaningless in some sense, and real and unreal and meaningless in some sense." quote by Robert Anton Wilson from this site of meaningless quotes).
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ian408

Andrew, I think your wife is on to something.

Art Scott

Angelo wrote:

ahh the age-old question: what makes art art?

OOOOOOoooooooH You don't want to go there!!! Not with me you don't..............roflrofl

PupWeb

Greenpea your wife is right.
Art becomes famous or museum worthy by peoples perception turning into their reality.

This happens when an artist is backed by a well connected agent, publicist or gallery owner. A publicist can get you famous fast by getting you in the news. They will create hype around your work. You can do it yourself but it is may be difficult depending on your talent. Think circus....PT Barnum was the guru at creating greatness out of normality and out of freaks of nature.

"I am indebted to the press of the United States for almost every dollar which I possess..." -- P.T. Barnum, 1891

You have to be able to write about your work in a way people understand that is unique and interesting. You have to find or create a news worthy subject out of you or something you do. I almost had that chance 3 years ago when I say a rare animal that was thought to be extricated in rural North Carolina. I did not get a photo but if I did... 15 minutes of fame.

Another way to fame is to write a book, as photographers publish a photo journal of your work around a certain theme .You still have to promote the book but with a book you have a news worthy article.

Do something different! It can be a fast way to fame.

Anne Geddes - The whole reason she got into photography was because she thought the way babies and young children were portrayed was unnatural. It reflected the old-school mentality that said you photograph a baby on a sheepskin rug in its Sunday best.

Ansel Adams - His zone system of tonal range made his photos famous and wrote several photography books explaining this complex exposure method. People read his books and they want his prints.

Platon- Successful use of macro photography on portraiture.

David Broadwell - well..... I'm still working on this

greenpea

PupWeb wrote:

Art becomes famous or museum worthy by peoples perception turning into their reality.

This happens when an artist is backed by a well connected agent, publicist or gallery owner. A publicist can get you famous fast by getting you in the news. They will create hype around your work. You can do it yourself but it is may be difficult depending on your talent. Think circus....PT Barnum was the guru at creating greatness out of normality and out of freaks of nature.

Thanks PubWeb, I think you've just essentially backed up my wife's claim that it's the PR person behind the photographer.

Granted, I'm still hoping for someone giving me some great explanation of that intangible quality that differentiates great museum quality photographic art from the photographs of everyone else.
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