BLACK AND WHITE PHOTOGRAPHY STORE

Photo by Matt Weber

But Why Sell Fine Art on the Web?
After doing a couple of gallery shows where prints sold in the $700 - $1500 range, I realized that I wanted to reach a wider audience. I also wanted to offer a larger selection of prints at many sizes.

A typical gallery show might show 15 pieces, if that. The gallery takes at least 40% of the sale, and they aren’t interested in selling pieces in the hundred dollar range. Not their fault, they have a large overhead, especially in New York.

On the web I can offer hundreds of prints at reasonable prices (I don’t need to pay a gallery) and as you can see at many sizes. I can also, and this is very important, print on demand. You order and I print. I don’t keep stock of images at all possible sizes. I also don’t need the ego boost of the gallery. I’m very happy to see my prints make it to a wide variety of living room and corporate walls. The downside, from the customers point of view is that they don’t see the print until it arrives. That’s the trade-off. But I offer a complete hassle-free return policy, and since 1999 I have sold hundreds of prints and had a couple of returns.

Even those returns were because a picture didn’t fit into the decor the way the customer expected and they were happy to do an exchange of prints. I will make every effort to have a happy customer. I have customers that return every year (usually around the holidays) for more prints. They make very special gifts.

New photographers always want to know: How Did I Get Into Photography?

It’s a long story. I have worked as a screenplay writer, taxi-cab driver, bus-boy, can-carrier in a movie lab, custom color lab printer, programmer, and lighting director on feature films (the entire list of jobs is too depressing to list).

After working in the film world for ten years, and spending another decade as a programmer in the corporate world - I was propelled one day - or compelled - to try and make a living at photography.

Part of what propelled me back into photography (after my programming stint) was the realization that a properly mounted and framed photograph was a finished product; and that there was a good chance that I would get more satisfaction from this bit of art then weeks or years of managing programmers or compromising on movie scripts.

The photograph existed whether anyone liked it or not. Whether anyone bought it. Whether anyone saw it. No matter. It existed. It was complete. Photographs don’t need a committee of producers or vice-presidents to give them the okay. In the beginning, I was very happy to simply show my work to friends, and not try to make a business of it.

Meanwhile I kept getting promoted in the programming world - but wasn’t getting any satisfaction from it (to put it mildly). So I began my little experiment with selling photography.

Where did it all start?

I had my first darkroom when I was fifteen. I think that I was introduced to photography at a community center in the Bronx, but I’m not sure. I am now middle-aged. About 20 years ago I began to work seriously at photography.

I have only done black and white photography, trying to capture those little ordinary moments of city life that are extraordinary without either denigrating or glorifying people. I still shoot carefully composed shots on a tripod once in a while.

There are some large format and medium format photographs on the site, taken at a time when I was still developing my craft, studying the Zone System technique, and learning how to print. I went through a year with digital cameras but returned to film.

Where did you study black and white photography?

I didn’t attend any photography school or work under the tutorship of any established photographers. What I know has been learned through trial and error. I did spend two years at NYU Graduate School of Film and Television where I learned a great deal about lighting techniques from a fine Hungarian cameraman, Other than that, I am self taught.

I don’t believe that you need to go to school to learn photography. It is more important to have something interesting to say about life, or if not interesting funny. When people ask me about where to study photography, I tell them to study literature or music instead.

Who or what inspires you?

I believe in the 90% perspiration, 10% inspiration motto. Or as one of the Westons said, ‘most of photography is drudgery’. There are, brief flashes of inspiration. When I began doing a lot of street photography, I was inspired by ‘A Vanished World’ by Roman Vishniac, and practically anything by Andre Kertesz. I really don’t know much about the contemporary photographic world. As I walk around the city, inspiration is not a problem, it is everywhere. The only problem I have is turning it off.

What Equipment and film do you use?

Photographers often want to know this. I have taken great pictures with a $90 Canonet (had one of the sharpest lenses I ever owned) and lousy pictures with more expensive equipment. After many years I’ve come to the conclusion that, yes the equipment is important, but it’s only a tool.

The images on this site have been taken with everything: film 4 x 5 cameras, medium format equipment, 35mm cameras, and recently with DSLRs.

Current camera: Canon 40D with 30mm Sigma f1.4 lens and a few other prime lenses. By the time you read this - I expect I’ll be shooting with something else.

I use Adobe Lightroom for most of the processing.

Printers

I currently print with the Epson 4800 and Epson 7800 on Epson Exhibition F Gloss Paper

Thanks - And I would like to thank all the visitors to this site who have written to me to say how these straight-forward black and white photos have moved them. The response has been overwhelming, and appreciated.

If you want to read more about techniques and photography musings, the daily photo blog has many posts about specific techniques I’ve used as well as what I’m currently working on.

And yes, this is my sole means of support which is an amazing thing for a fine art photographer to say.

Sincerely,

Dave Beckerman