Digital BW, The Print

Here's a new/old thread. Mark, Steve, et. al. Hope you will chime in. There
have been a lot of comments about rocks and trees, mountains and streams
and, while these may be trite and more than tired, there are some beautiful
prints out there. Personally, they're not my bag, but who am I to judge?
Judging by what sells there are a lot of people out there who disagree with
me. 

On the personal side, I make some images (in fact most of them) just because
I like them or because they mean something to me or because I find some
beauty in them or because I compelled to make them. I'm working on a series
of beds in inns, for instance. I doubt they'd have any commercial value but
they mean something to me. I also make commercial images, portraits mostly,
because I love to shoot people and it's my principal photographic income. (I
own, for lack of a better description, a cross between an agency and a
design firm, www.ideate.com, and I'm lucky that something I love so much
also pays the bills.) I'm now starting to make images to sell as fine art
and I'm spending a lot of time thinking about (and looking around at) what
sells and what doesn't. I don't really want to do the rocks and trees
business because I don't find it meaningful or interesting. But I do want to
shoot stuff for fine art SALE. Nudes? Too many already and most of them are
mediocre anyway although the subject has potential. What else besides the
traditional landscapes and historical imagery sells?

Color (forgive the word) or b&w?

I'm unwrapping the 7500 today. Where to from here? Not for my personal work
because that directs itself, but for my fine-art-for-sale work. It's a
difficult question because it's both a matter of art and commerce.

Thanks all for your thoughts...


Rick Colson

I'll give you a couple names that are hot, hot sellers and some ideas.
In the Floral Market,
Ron VanDongen, (very hot, 3 books 1,000 and up I believe.
David Fokos, very hot right now,  8x10 shooter Kind of like an 8x10 Michael 
kenna, Large prints are awesome. Black and white lightjets. Some rocks, ;0)
Christopher Harris, not widely known, pinhole shooter, color, 1200.00 and up. 
Shows usually sell out or close to it.
In the nude category, male nude are selling! The upscale gay crowd loves fine 
art naked men (smaller prints) are doing well. Greg Gorman sold a couple here 
recently very large almost full life size over 2,000 ea. Iris prints from 
nash editions.
Those are just a couple contemporary names that are doing well that I have 
seen. Do Internet searches on them and you'll find there work.
Steve Meyers
http://www.xray-art.com
In a message dated 11/19/2002 8:04:45 AM Pacific Standard Time, 
colson@... writes:

> Here's a new/old thread. Mark, Steve, et. al. Hope you will chime in. There
> have been a lot of comments about rocks and trees, mountains and streams
> and, while these may be trite and more than tired, there are some beautiful
> prints out there. Personally, they're not my bag, but who am I to judge?
> Judging by what sells there are a lot of people out there who disagree with
> me. 
> 
> On the personal side, I make some images (in fact most of them) just 
> because
> I like them or because they mean something to me or because I find some
> beauty in them or because I compelled to make them. I'm working on a series
> of beds in inns, for instance. I doubt they'd have any commercial value but
> they mean something to me. I also make commercial images, portraits mostly,
> because I love to shoot people and it's my principal photographic income. 
> (I
> own, for lack of a better description, a cross between an agency and a
> design firm, www.ideate.com, and I'm lucky that something I love so much
> also pays the bills.) I'm now starting to make images to sell as fine art
> and I'm spending a lot of time thinking about (and looking around at) what
> sells and what doesn't. I don't really want to do the rocks and trees
> business because I don't find it meaningful or interesting. But I do want 
> to
> shoot stuff for fine art SALE. Nudes? Too many already and most of them are
> mediocre anyway although the subject has potential. What else besides the
> traditional landscapes and historical imagery sells?
> 
> Color (forgive the word) or b&w?
> 
> I'm unwrapping the 7500 today. Where to from here? Not for my personal work
> because that directs itself, but for my fine-art-for-sale work. It's a
> difficult question because it's both a matter of art and commerce.
> 
> Thanks all for your thoughts...
> 



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