PC-007: The High Cost of Prints - a podcast by Will Moneymaker

If you’ve ever been to mid-range or high-end galleries, then you’ll know exactly what I’m talking about. The cost of a photographic print is sometimes astronomical, unaffordable to all but the wealthiest people. Sometimes costs will be $1,000 or $3,000 or more, and even at the lower end of the range, costs around $500 can make it so that you may buy a piece once in a very, very great while, if at all.

Sometimes the costs are tied to the name of the photographer, with famous photographers often getting much higher prices for their work. Other times, the costs are simply what the artist and gallery feel the work is worth, or what is needed to pay the high costs of producing and marketing it. The images aren’t necessarily artistically better than less expensive pieces of art, although there are instances of groundbreaking artistic vision.

So, with the cost of prints so astronomically high, how can you enjoy them at an affordable price tag? My answer is to go out in search of local artists. Number one, local artists certainly need the support of their communities in order to keep producing their work. Two, you’ll find local art that is often just as beautiful and thought-provoking as the expensive stuff, but priced more reasonably. Here are a few places to check:

Look for local artist’s cooperatives. These are businesses co-owned by all of the artists involved, so they have a vested interest in bringing art to their communities that sells. Go to art shows. This is where you’ll find a lot of up-and-coming photographers looking to make their way in the world through print sales.

Small-time galleries will often have great photographs at much more reasonable prices than high-end galleries who spend much more money on advertising and overhead.
Check out the images at locally owned coffee shops and restaurants. Often, artists will ask the business owners if they can hang their prints up on the walls, and in cases like this, the prints are usually for sale.

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