The Long Fade: Factors To Weigh When Buying Photographic Art
An Art Fair is a good spot to discover new talent At many, the artists are scrutinized by gallery owners. Here the value of the art may still fluctuate dramatically, but the artist has found at least one person to vouch for them. Other Art Fairs may be open to anyone willing to purchase of booth. With the advent of digital photography and desk top printing nearly anyone can market their photographs. Regardless of the quality of the photograph, there are other issues of quality that should be reviewed or the purchased photograph may fade away in a year or so. The buyer need be aware. Here are some suggestions when looking at photographs.
First and foremost; Does it appeal to you? Don’t invest too much time analyzing why something is appealing. Maybe the boulder is the spitting image of Aunt Annie’s backside; making that connection might ruin the warm fuzzy feeling. Art is personal. If it is a big cash outlay, a second visit might be needed to make sure it wasn’t just the enchilada and margarita doing its magic.
Once moved by a work there are several questions that should be discussed. discovering the medium is important. Was the photograph taken? Here’s the key- find out if it’s digital. There are many different types of printers and many different types of paper that can be used for digital prints. Up until recently most papers had a major issue with image fade. The quality of desktop devices and papers has improved and now images can last from 15 to over 100 years typically displayed. Does the artist understand about paper and printers?
This points to several important questions. Are the prints pigment based or are the prints dye based? Pigment holds up better in light and is more resilient. Dye-based prints don’t run or bleed as much improving.
What kind of paper is the photograph printed on. Often the ink or pigment is specifically tailored to a certain paper and printer. These are factors the photographer should be well versed in. If he or she isn’t articulate concerning the longevity issue, then think twice before buying.
