What’s missing from many photographer’s portfolios and publishing list is something for the fine-art market. This special area speaks for itself and only the very best will get their work shown by top galleries. However, before you lose hope, you should know that due to the lack of photographers in this genre, galleries are hungry and always on the lookout for new images that could become the next big hit!
It’s a very lucrative market that photographers should not dismiss quickly. You don’t have to be a big name to get your work exhibited in a gallery, but your images must be of excellent and superior quality.
What is it that makes an image fine art? In simple terms; an image that is less commercial and more artistic. But, wait, you say… only artists create fine art, right?
A hindrance to many photographers is the misconception of not being considered “artists.” In truth, all photographers are artists to one degree or another, genre not withstanding. While all images (i.e., glamour, fashion, etc.) evoke a response, art images also infer symbolism and the personal expression of the photographer, requiring a higher degree of analysis and evaluation by the viewer as to the artist’s intent and emotive ability, and then come to an interpretation of the work to determine its subjective meaning.
One single image can sell as much the average photographer makes in a year. Normally, a beginner in the fine-art industry sells their pieces for anywhere from $3,500 to $8,000, assuming they have a reputable gallery behind the work.
We, as Shoot The Centerfold photographers, have had luck on our side and have sold works in each Art | Basel exhibit for past five years. When a gallery starts building exhibits, the owners become twice as interested in all kinds on new images that can later be sold to further markets during the exhibits. Besides gallery owners, there are the fine-art dealers who work as arbiters for private collectors that may be inclined buy both known and unknown photography work based on the dealers’ advice and suggestions.
Coincidentally, congratulations go to STC’s own Ales Bravnicar, who just recently sold one of his fine-art images to a collector. We consider this as a pre-sale prior to the actual opening of the Art | Basel exhibit (and a surprise check for Ales, which will most likely go towards funding his holiday plans).
Art|Basel is the most prestigious art show in the Americas. More than 260 leading galleries from North America, Europe, Latin America, Asia and Africa will take part this December, displaying works by more than 2,000 artists of the 20th and 21st centuries.
The exhibiting galleries are among the world’s most respected art dealers, offering exceptional pieces by both renowned artists and cutting-edge newcomers. Special exhibition sections feature young galleries, performance art, public art projects and video art. The show will be a vital source for art lovers, allowing them to both discover new developments in contemporary art and experience rare museum-caliber artworks.
Shoot The Centerfold is meeting with gallery owners prior to the Art | Basel exhibition, so if you think you have artistic images that could possibly be the gallery’s next big find, feel free to share it! Send small, low-res sample images (150dpi or less, no thumbnails) no later than Friday, Nov. 22, 2013 to info@ShootTheCenterfold.com with a brief caption and bio, and let the luck of Mona Lisa’s smile be on your side!
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