How to judge photographers and their works

The ability of a photographer is judged by many aspects. At the general level, is the photographer known and for what? A sole shooter may have the most beautiful works but without a market, the collectible nature of his or her works will only be aesthetic. Contribute on the other hand, and the market can reward the photographer from a fine art standpoint. Weekend warriors ultimately find that adding the commercial side to their career can be the vehicle to open a door to their fine art passions.

Specifics to judging a photographer’s print vary but include: how is the print conceived, printed and released; is or was the quality of the photograph printed “optimally;” when was the photograph printed vs. when was it taken, is the photographer shooting for the artistic vs. the photojournalist nature of the image; how many images were printed and in what physical, image size. These are only a group of the key determinants to how photographers and their works are judged by dealers today. However, the power of a photograph remains the beauty or response that a photograph gives a viewer, collector or for that matter it’s creator, the photographer.


John Loengard - Richard Avedon @ GALLERY M