For many professional photographers there’s a marked differentiation between their commercial work and their personal work. Free from the restrictions of briefs and budgets, the latter is often more creative and hence potentially more collectible over time. For some, though, there is the scope for their commercial work to be highly creative or even innovative, laying the foundations for future collectability.
But the world of photography collecting remains a fickle one, with the value still mostly in the works of the most famous photographers of the 20th century, and an emphasis on darkroom prints with provenance. It’s true that digital imaging has muddied the waters and collectors remain wary of digital prints, even ones that are certified as limited editions. Yet the potential is there to expand the market, but it requires a delicate balance of desirability, exclusivity and credibility… in other words, the right photographer combined with the right marketing strategy.
This is the challenge that’s been taken up by London-based AP8 Art – part of the AP8 Group that also has a Sydney office – in conjunction with Net-A-Porter, the online fashion and luxury goods retailer. Net-A-Porter wanted to
