Operation Scrapbook

An Art Fair is a great place to find up and coming artists. At many, the creator of the art are scrutinized by gallery owners. Here the quality of the work may still vary wildly, but the artist has found at least one person to vouch for them. Other Art Fairs allow for anyone willing to pay for a spot. With the advent of digital technologies nearly anyone can market their photographs. Regardless of the excellence of the work, there are other factors that should be examined or the purchased photograph may fade away in a year or so. The patron is responsible for vetting the work him or herself . Here are some suggestions when looking at photographic prints.

First and foremost; do you like it? Don’t spend too much time figuring out why something is appealing. Maybe the boulder looks like Aunt Annie’s backside; making that connection might ruin the warm fuzzy feeling. Individuals are moved by different things. If it is a big cash outlay, a second visit might be merited 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 asked. Finding out the medium is important. Was the picture shot with a digital or film camera? Here’s the key- if it’s not film, then 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 suffered from image fade. The quality of desktop devices and papers has improved and now images can last from 15 to over 100 years in average use conditions. Does the artist understand about paper and printers?

This points to several important questions. Is it a pigment based print or are the prints dye based? Pigment holds up better in light and is more durable Dye-based prints tend to bleed and run less in damp conditions, though pigments are kind of paper is the picture printed on. Often the ink or pigment is specifically tailored to a certain paper and printer. These are issues the photographer should be well versed in. If he or she isn’t articulate concerning the longevity issue, then think twice before buying.