Sometimes photographers amaze us with their art, the ability to uniquely reflect the world around us and make us look at it from a different angle. And sometimes they do something completely disgusting or so ordinary that it is impossible to understand why the work is recognized as a masterpiece. Somehow, these photographs were sold for millions of dollars.
(Total 10 photos)
Andreas Gursky is a well-known German photo artist, on his account there are many photographs that were subsequently sold for fabulous money. In 1999, he took the photo "Rhine II", which shows the Rhine River between two dams under a majestic overcast sky. In total, Gursky created six images of the Rhine, and "Rhine II" is the largest photograph in the series.
The most amazing thing about the photo is that it was made with the help of Photoshop: initially the background was “spoiled” by the power plant, port facilities and a passerby walking a dog - Gursky removed all this, leaving only the Rhine itself and the dams.
Gursky commented on his actions: "Ironically, this view of the Rhine could not be obtained locally, rework was necessary to provide an accurate image of the modern river."
After finishing, the photographer printed a photo of 185.4 × 363.5 cm, mounted it on acrylic glass and placed it in a frame. The picture was sold at Christie's in New York for $4,338,500 in 2011 by the Monika Spruit Gallery in Cologne, and the photograph was subsequently resold to an unknown collector.
American photo artist Cindy Sherman works in the technique of staged photographs. Her work is widely recognized in the art world, and she is ranked seventh on ArtReview's 100 Most Influential People in the Art World 2011. Sherman herself calls herself a performance artist and categorically refuses to recognize herself as a photographer.
One of her most famous and expensive works is photo #96, taken in 1981: the picture shows a girl, freckled, with red hair and in bright orange clothes, lying on her back and looking into the distance. According to Sherman, the photo carries a deep meaning - a teenage girl, both seductive and innocent, holds a piece of newspaper with dating ads in her hand, which means that the still fragile female essence is looking for a way to break out.
The photograph was purchased at a Christie's auction in 2011 by an unknown collector.
3. For Her Majesty, a collage of photographs (1973)
British artists Gilbert Prosh and George Passmore work in the genre of performance photography. World fame brought them work, where they acted as living sculptures.
Their collage of photographs, taken back in 1973, was sold for big money at an auction in 2008: black and white photographs depict men in expensive suits combined with interior items. The buyer is unknown.
4. Dead Warriors Speak (1992)
Canadian photographer Jeff Wall is known for his large-format photographs: the artist's "calling card" is the technique he developed for printing images on a transparent basis.
His most famous work, Dead Warriors Speak, was inspired by the war in Afghanistan. Despite the realism, this is a staged photograph: all the people in the picture are guest actors. When working on it, Wall used makeup and costumes, and the picture itself was taken in a photo studio and later processed on a computer.
The finished image, 229×417 cm in size, was printed on a transparent base and placed in a plastic box.
5. Untitled (Cowboy) (2001–2002)
Richard Prince is considered one of the most celebrated American artists of his generation. The main themes of his works are stylization of the period of the so-called "American antiquity" and the modern world of consumption. Three photographs brought him worldwide fame, including "Cowboy".
The photo was created specifically for the Marlboro advertising campaign: the cowboy in the picture, according to the artist, appears not as a typical standard of American courage, sung in westerns, but as some kind of illusory sex symbol, the unattainable ideal of a real man.
The painting was sold in 2007 at Christie's auction.
The aforementioned "Rhine II" shot is not Gursky's only million-plus photograph: his two-photo "99 cents II" print was sold for less, but still earned the creator several million more dollars.
The photos show a supermarket displaying consumer goods. In general, the two shots are strikingly similar and differ only in angles. Of course, Gursky resorted to computer processing to remove unnecessary details from the pictures - customers, low-hanging lamps and wires.
The photo was acquired in 2007 by Ukrainian businessman Viktor Pinchuk. The high cost of the pictures is due, first of all, to the name of the author, who by the time of the sale had already gained great fame.
Another picture of Gursky depicts the night landscape of Los Angeles - the city from a bird's eye view looks like a field of distant artificial lights. Photography symbolizes the modern world and the place of man in it. As conceived by the artist, a person is the main character of this photo: everyone lives in a vast world of universal globalization, where they take the place of only one of the millions of the same inhabitants.
Impressionist artist Edward Steichen worked in the first half of the 20th century: he created a famous series of portraits of Hollywood celebrities, and later took up documentary filmmaking, for which he received several Oscars.
His most famous photograph is Lake in the Moonlight, an autochrome photograph: originally a black and white photograph, the Lake was given color by Steichen's use of light-sensitive jelly. Before him, no one had used such technology, so the picture can be considered the world's first color photograph.
In 2006, Lake in the Moonlight was sold at Sotheby's for a huge amount of money. The price can be considered reasonable - the picture is more than a century old, and it is an excellent preserved illustration of the history of photography.
Another example of Cindy Sherman's creativity is untitled photo #153. It depicts a dead woman with bluish-gray hair, glazed eyes staring at the sky, her mouth half open, and a bruise is visible on her cheek. The photo leaves behind an eerie feeling, but it was nevertheless sold at auction for a seven-figure sum.
Billy the Kid was an American criminal charged with the murder of 21 people. The governor of one of the states of the Wild West appointed a large reward for his capture, and Kid was killed by Sheriff Pat Garrett, who then wrote a biography of the thug.
The uniqueness of this photo is that it is the only image of Billy the Kid, there are no other photos. It was sold in 2011 at the 22nd annual Brian Lebel's Old West Show & Auction in Denver. Collector William Koch bought it for more than $2 million, although the organizers did not initially expect to receive more than $400,000 for the picture.
Authorship is attributed to Kid's friend Dan Dedrick, but it is no longer possible to determine exactly who took the picture. The photo was taken by ambrotype using a metal plate, and the image on it is mirrored.
In order to inspire you to work harder and more productively, today we will show you the 10 most expensive photographs ever sold to make you even more interested in your work. These expensive photographs once again prove that photography is not just an art form, it is a very expensive art form. The photographs shown are worth much more than many pictorial illustrations, sculptures or antiques.
Not all photos in the selection were made by outstanding photographers, there are some that are interesting in the history of their origin or those who took this photo. You should not condemn or criticize these shots, because if there were people who paid such money for them, then they knew what and why they were paying.
The most expensive photographs in the world. Moonrise, Hernandez, New Mexico ($610,000)
Moonrise, Hernandez, New Mexico is the cheapest photo on this list. Photo taken by Ansel Adams (included in the number) in November 1941. After the first publication of the image, it became incredibly popular. Over the course of his career, Adams made about thirty copies of the photograph, the original photograph being auctioned for just under $610,000. Today, this photograph is undoubtedly a masterpiece in the world of photography.
The most expensive photographs in the world. Nautilus ($1.1 million)
Nautilus is a famous photograph taken in 1927 by photographer Edward Weston. The picture shows a nautilus shell photographed against a black background. Even today, this seemingly simple photograph is considered a masterpiece, and in its time, its appearance was a turning point in the world of photography.
The most expensive photographs in the world. Tobolsk Kremlin ($1.7 million)
A photograph of the Tobolsk Kremlin can hardly be called a serious object of art, its value is not in what it is, and what is depicted on it, but in who made it. This image was taken by Russian President Dmitry Medvedev. The photo was sold for $1.7 million at auction, almost $600,000 more than the amount paid for a shot taken by Vladimir Putin.
The most expensive photographs in the world. Billy the Kid ($2.3 million)
This is a unique photograph of the famous young criminal of the American West. To date, this photograph is one of the most expensive photographs ever sold. The criminal Bill Kid himself, still under the age of twenty-one, shot about twenty men, thereby becoming one of the most dangerous and terrible criminals in Western America. Rumor has it that this photo does not depict Billy the Kid himself, since some sources claim that Billy was left-handed, and the man in the picture is right-handed.
The most expensive photographs in the world. Untitled 153 ($2.7 million)
This untitled photo was taken by German photographer Andreas Gursky in 1985. The photo shows a girl lying in the grass, looking not at the frame, but a little to the side. The picture is considered a masterpiece, and this explains why the photo was sold at auction for such a huge amount of money.
The Pond is a 1904 photograph by Edward Steichen in New York State. The picture shows the forest, which is located across the road from the pond, the moon is barely visible in the branches of the trees. The pond is an incredibly famous photograph in the world, the reason for its fame is not only that it is one of the first color photographs, but also that it is the first widely publicized photograph in the world. There are three versions of this photo. One was sold in 2006 for $2.9 million, and at the time, it was the most expensive photograph ever sold.
The most expensive photographs in the world. Dead Troops Speak ($3.7M)
This is a staged photograph by Jeff Wall, taken in 1992. Wall chose to portray the ambush of a Russian patrol during the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan in 1988. Thus, he created a group of "dead soldiers", arranging them in such a way that it would seem that they are talking. The photo's unique creative idea was valued at $3.7 million, which was the price the image was sold at auction.
The most expensive photographs in the world. 99 cents. Diptych ($3.8 million)
99 cents. A diptych is two photographs taken in 1999 by photographer Andreas Gursky. The picture shows a 99 Cent store. The size of the photo is approximately 2 by 3 meters. Each of the photographs was sold for fabulous money. The cost of one of them was $2.25 million, and the other $2.48 million. In 2007, the diptych was sold at auction for $3.8 million.
The most expensive photographs in the world. Untitled 96 ($3.9 million)
Untitled 96 is a photo she took in 1981 of the famous photographer. The news that the picture was sold for $3.9 million made headlines in 2011. At the time, it was the most expensive photograph ever sold.
The most expensive photographs in the world. Rhine II – $4.3 million
Rhine II is the most expensive photograph ever sold. The image was created by already familiar photographer Andreas Gursky in 1999 in Germany on the Rhine River and sold in 2011 for $4.3 million. The interest of the photograph lies in the fact that initially the picture showed a lot of people and buildings, which Gursky removed with the help of all kinds of photo manipulations. Thus, the photographer wanted to depict a natural view of the Rhine river. This has sparked some controversy, with critics arguing that the world's most expensive photograph must actually be the original photograph, not the result of editing.
Some photographs can be compared in price to the cost of the most famous works of the great masters of the Renaissance. What is their value? How are they different from the millions of other stock photos we see every day? What makes art connoisseurs buy exclusive footage for fabulously expensive sums? The answers lie, apparently, in the works of photographers themselves. We present to your attention the 15 most expensive photographs of the world.
Peter Lik - Phantom ($6.5 million)
This photo was taken in 1999 by Australian photographer Peter Lik. An unknown collector purchased it for $6.5 million. This is the most expensive photo in the world. Peter Lik took it in Antelope Canyon, Arizona. “The goal of all my photographs is to capture the power of nature and convey it in such a way that someone is inspired by this passion and feels their involvement in the picture. And some of the textures and contours found in nature become more beautiful in black and white photography,” says the photographer.
Andreas Gursky - Rhine II ($4.33 million)
This photo was taken by German photographer Andreas Gursky. Photo taken in 1999, called "Rhine-II". The price of the work is impressive: 4.33 million dollars. Gursky's collection has several photographs sold for millions of dollars. The photo shows the German river Rhine between the dams in rainy weather. This picture is one of the works of the "Rhine" series. In 2011, at Christie's auction, the photo was sold under the hammer to an unknown collector.
Cindy Sherman - "No. 96" ($3.89 million)
The picture of the American photographer Cindy Sherman is made by a special technique - these are the so-called staged photographs. The work of a photo artist is considered the most expensive and famous. The photo was taken in 1981. It was purchased for $3.89 million. Cindy Sherman calls herself a performance artist and puts a special meaning into each of her works. In this shot, the photographer tried to capture the realization of immature femininity through the innocent image of a young girl. The picture was sold in 2011 at Christie's.
Jeff Wall - Dead Warriors Speak ($3.66 million)
This shot is a masterful ambush of soldiers in Afghanistan in 1986, although it looks realistic. Photo taken by Jeff Wall in 1992. It was sold at auction for $3.66 million. Dozens of professional actors posed for the picture. The photo taken in the studio was later processed in a photo editor.
Richard Prince - "Cowboy" ($3.4 million)
This photo, titled "Cowboy", was taken in 2001-2002 by Richard Prince for a Marlboro commercial. In 2007, the picture was sold at Christie's for a hefty $3.4 million.
Andreas Gursky - "99 Cents" ($3.34 million)
Andreas Gursky's diptych "99 cents -II" was filmed in 2001, it captures the moment of the working day in the "99 cents" store. The popularity and cost of a photo is justified by the style of photography, perfectionism in product layout, and the spirit of consumption. The "99 cents-II" snapshot was bought by a collector for $3.34 million.
Edward Steichen: Moonlight Pond ($3 million)
Photographer Edward Steichen's 1904 work does not contain any secret deep meaning or eccentricity. The uniqueness of the picture is determined by the fact that "Moonlight Pond" is the first color photograph taken at night. Today its price is almost 3 million dollars.
Cindy Sherman: "No. 153" ($2.7 million)
Photographer Cindy Sherman took this photo in 1985. An impressive work by a "performance artist" was sold in 2010 for $2.7 million. According to the photographer, her main fear is the fear of dying a terrible death. Shooting such shots, she tries to reconcile herself with him, to prepare for the unthinkable. “There is no need to be scared and look away, this is not real, this is a production, a fairy tale,” says Cindy.
Andreas Gursky: Chicago Board of Trade III ($2.35 million)
The popular photo of Andreas Gursky, sold for $2.35 million, was taken between 1999 and 2009. This exceptional 185 x 240 cm image captures a weekday at the Chicago Board of Trade. If you enlarge the photo, you can see the staff, computers, clothes in the smallest detail. The photo was purchased for more than two million dollars in 2013.
Fort Sumner, New Mexico: "Billy the Kid" ($2.3 million)
Photograph of Billy the Kid (Fort Sumner) from New Mexico was allegedly taken in 1879-1880 using the tintype method. The author of the photo is unknown. The unique photograph was sold to an American collector for $2.3 million.
Dmitry Medvedev: "Tobolsk Kremlin" ($1.7 million)
A photo taken in 2009 by ex-President of Russia Dmitry Medvedev from a bird's eye view during a tour sold under the hammer at the Christmas Alphabet auction for $1.7 million. The uniqueness of the picture is due to the authorship of the photo.
Edward Weston: "Naked Exposure" ($1.6 million)
Edward Weston's "Naked Irradiation" is an erotic photograph taken in 1925. The photo shows the naked body of Tina Modotti, the beloved woman and the photographer's assistant. In 2008, the Sotheby's auction paid $1.6 million for this work.
Alfred Stiglitz: Georgia O'Keeffe ($1.47 million)
This 1919 photograph by Alfred Stieglitz captures the inspired hands of artist Georgia O'Keeffe. The photo of the same name was sold in 2006 at the well-known New York auction Sotheby's for $1.47 million.
Alfred Stiglitz: "Georgia O'Keeffe (Nude)" ($1.36 million)
Another expensive photo of Alfred Stiglitz - "Georgia O'Keeffe (Nude)" was sold for $ 1.36 million in February 2006, also at Sotheby's in New York.
The high cost of the artist's work is explained by the fact that Alfred Stieglitz was a man who practically himself made a huge contribution to the world of US photography in the 20th century. The photographer fought for the recognition of photography as one of the art forms.
Richard Avedon: Dovima and the Elephants ($1.15 million)
"His portraits defined the image of American style, beauty and culture for the second half of the 20th century," they wrote about Richard Avedon. This 1955 photograph shows top model Dorothy Virginia Margaret Juba, better known as Dovima. Auction Christie's in 2010 found a buyer who bought the picture for 1.15 million dollars.
The most solemn and important day in the life of any person is a wedding. In order for you to have a visual memory of the event many years after the wedding, you need to organize a photo session. Hiring an expensive wedding photographer means securing good shots that will look expensive, professional, exclusive and of high quality. Unfortunately, expensive photo services hit the budget hard. It is important to soberly evaluate the prices that a photographer sets for a wedding.
Distinctive features of expensive photographers.
The most important advantage of an expensive photographer is the ability to turn an ordinary thing into a work of art. An expensive wedding photographer clearly sees the world through the camera lens and knows how to capture the right composition. Such people get unconventional pictures, which can often be found in fashion magazines. Photos look expensive, high quality and exclusive.
The most expensive wedding photographer never works alone. Most often, such professionals have a large team of masters behind them, including:
- illuminator;
- photography assistant;
- visagiste;
- hair stylist;
- videographer.
The services of each team member can be ordered separately.
What services does an expensive wedding photographer provide?
The most expensive wedding photographers perform both standard photo services and exclusive ones. The most important difference from the standard price lists of photographers of the middle price category is the cost of the services provided. Below are the prices for expensive photo services, by which you can add up a rough idea of the price of services. The exact cost will be affected by the region and the “price tag” of the selected photographer.
Shooting cost:
- hourly wedding shooting (minimum 3 hours) - 7000-15000 rubles per hour;
- photography 10-12 hours - 35,000-60,000 rubles;
- full wedding day photography - 65,000-100,000 rubles.
Photo editing cost:
- Processing of 100-200 photos (cropping, color correction, white balance adjustment, sharpness adjustment) - 10,000-14,000 rubles.
- Processing of 600-900 photos (cropping, color correction, white balance adjustment, sharpness adjustment) - 25,000-30,000 rubles.
- Detailed processing of 10-20 photos (correction of skin defects, general retouching of the image) - 15,000-25,000 rubles.
- Detailed processing of 1 photo (correction of skin defects, general retouching of the image) - 2500 - 4000 rubles;
Photo prices:
- photo book - 10,000-15,000 rubles;
- photo album - 13,000-18,000 rubles;
- printing photos in A4 format (minimum 10 pieces) - 200-300 rubles per piece;
- Mini-book - 5000-8000 rubles;
- Slideshow - 3000-6000 rubles.
Prices for additional services:
- preliminary meeting with the photographer to discuss the details of the shooting - 3000 rubles / hour;
- posing lessons - 4000 rubles per hour;
- creating a decor for a photo shoot - 2000-15000 rubles.
Do not doubt that an expensive wedding photographer will professionally approach the work. To order an expensive photographer for a wedding, you should leave a request on our Yudu website.
culture
Photo titled "Phantom" taken by an Australian photographer Peter Leek ohm (Peter Lik), was sold for a record $6.5 million, becoming the most expensive photograph of all time.
The work was sold to a private collector, who also bought two more works by Lick "Illusion" (Illusion) and "Eternal whims" (Eternal Moods) for 2.4 million and 1.1 million dollars, respectively.
"Targetallmy photography is to capture the power of nature and convey it in a way that makes a person feel passionate and connected with photography", Leek said.
The previous record was held by a photograph "Rhein II" (Rhein II) by German photographer Andreas Gursky, which was sold in 2011 for $4.3 million. The photograph depicts the Rhine River where all extraneous details, including buildings and people, have been digitally removed.
Most Expensive Photos
1. Peter Lik "One" (2010) $1,000,000
2. Andreas Gursky "Kuwait Stock Exchange II" (2008) $1,014,354
3. Thomas Struth "Pantheon, Rome" (1990/1992) $1,049,000
4. Edward Weston "Nautilus" (1927) $1,105,000
5. Richard Avedon "Dovima and the Elephants" (1955) $1,151,976
6. Richard Prince, untitled (Cowboy) (1989) $1,248,000
7. Alfred Stiglitz "Georgia O'Keeffe nude" (1919) $1,360,000
8. Alfred Stiglitz "Georgia O'Keeffe (hands)" (1919) $1,470,000
9. Edward Weston "Nude" (1925) $1,600,000
10. Dmitry Medvedev "Tobolsk Kremlin" (2009) $1,750,000
12. Andreas Gursky "Chicago Mercantile Exchange" (1997) $2,355,597
13. Cindy Sherman, untitled #153 (1985) $2,700,000
