Arguably the most accessible medium, photography is beautiful and easy to both understand and respond to, making it a great entry point for new collectors. Keep reading for our noteworthy tips for first time as well as seasoned photography collectors. It is a fast growing, ever popular medium. We have never known a world without photography and as a result, there is a growing audience for photo-based work, which no longer appeals only to highly specialized collectors. Coutts Bank ranked photography as the most valuable and fastest-growing collectible segment, while the fine art and classic cars sectors went down. Furthermore, photography can diversify an existing collection of paintings and prints. “So much has been written about my work with reference to painting. That my works look like paintings. In a way that’s right. But in another way it’s completely not right, because I insist I am a photographer, and if there is a quality in my work, it is because I am a photographer, it is not because it’s something that reminds you of something else.” –Andreas Gursky

Andreas Gursky, The Rhine II, 73x143” (last sold for $4,300,000)

Photography is immediate. You are able to hone in on what you like based on your immediate reaction to it. While the photographer faces a challenge not felt by other artists—the physical constraints of the real world—when they are able to depict something we may miss IRL the effect is breathtaking. Early photographers took their inspiration from painting and contemporary photography still pays homage to many of the same themes and subjects as both the medium’s pioneers.

Lauren Marttila, Storm’s A Comin’ | 24x36" | $448 (available exclusively on RedDot)

Photography requires a smaller financial investment than many other mediums. That being said, the variety of influence and inspiration found in contemporary photography is limitless. Some RedDot photographers try to capture the beauty in simplicity, while others want to portray details that might go overlooked at first glance. Scroll down to see what they say about their choice of medium... “Film makes ordinary moments worth capturing. Its depth and tangibility draw viewers into the scene.” --AJ Feld

AJ Feld, Wimbledon 2016 | $350-$950 (available exclusively on RedDot)

“My images are about the juxtaposition of full, romantic florals paired with deconstructed petals, pits and stamen, exploding across the canvas for a provocative and chaotic yet stylized aesthetic.” --Kate Farley & Redfield

Kate Farley & Redfield, “No. 51” | $100-500 (available exclusively on RedDot)

As with any medium, buy what you love. There is no financial risk in buying a piece you want to live with, as the aesthetic value won’t waiver. And by investing time and love, as well as money, in early-career photographers, you’re investing in the future of the medium. Some quick tips:

• The fewer prints in the edition, the higher their worth
• Larger sized prints will generally cost more
• Not all prints will have been made at the same time
• You should always buy museum standard archival prints (note: all prints sold on RedDot are archival prints and they will all come signed and numbered)
• Be sure to frame your photograph with UV glass to preserve the quality of the image. Photographs are much more fragile than other mediums, and preservation is crucial

Click here to see the entire catalogue of RedDot photography!