Since its inception in the 19th century, photography has continued to capture the minds and imaginations of viewers around the world, and it has continually proven to be a potent medium for artists seeking to engage with the world around them. Whether shot in color or black and white, documentary or abstract, every photographer’s distinctive style brings new possibilities to the medium.

Live for bidding through February 14, 2024, Artnet Auctions is presenting the Select Photographs auction, featuring the work of such renowned practitioners as Diane Arbus, Peter Beard, and Florian Maier-Aichen. Below, our specialists take a deep dive into a few of the sale’s unmissable lots.

Tina Barney, Father and Sons (1996)

Tina Barney, Father and Sons (1996). Est. $8,000–$12,000.

Tina Barney was born into a wealthy New York family, a fact which informs her oeuvre; her colorful, large-scale prints depict narrative tableaux of privileged friends and family. Barney’s photographs often pose more questions than answers. In Father and Sons, for instance, each figure is arranged very deliberately within a sumptuous setting, giving the image a hint of drama and enigma.

As the artist writes, “When people say that there is a distance, a stiffness in my photographs, that the people look like they do not connect, my answer is that this is the best we can do. This inability to show physical affection is in our heritage.”

Barney’s works are held in the collections of The Museum of Modern Art in New York, the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, and the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, among others.

Florian Maier-Aichen, Untitled (2013)

Florian Maier-Aichen, Untitled (2013). Est. $15,000–$20,000.

This large-scale work by Florian Maier-Aichen was created using a technique similar to cel animation—a process that was used to make Disney films in the 1930s—in which painted, transparent sheets are layered before being photographed. The resulting image tests the boundaries between painting and photography, embracing chaotic handmade gestures and experimental processes, with a nod to digital manipulation.

Also known for his breathtaking landscapes employing early photographic methods such as the tri-color process, Maier-Aichen’s works celebrate traditional photography while maintaining a subtle, yet identifiable, element of digital manipulation.

The German artist has become a staple within the contemporary photography and digital art scene, with works exhibited at the Hammer Museum, Los Angeles, the Carnegie Museum of Art, Pittsburgh, the Denver Art Museum, Denver, the Walker Art Center, Minneapolis, the Whitney Museum of American Art, New York and the Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles.

Peter Beard, Hunting Cheetahs on the Taru Desert, Kenya, June 1960 (1960)

Peter Beard, Hunting Cheetahs on the Taru Desert, Kenya, June 1960 (1960). Est. $15,000–$20,000.

With its handprint, inscription, and fantastic portrayal of cheetahs, this unique work bears all the hallmarks of the late American photographer Peter Beard. The American artist was—and remains today—best known for his images of African wildlife that are arranged as unique photo collages.

After moving to Africa in the 1960s, Beard began to catalog the demise of elephants and rhinoceroses in Kenya’s Tsavo National Park—an endeavor that would inform the rest of his career. In his words: “The wilderness is gone,” the artist had said, “and with it much more than we can appreciate or predict. We’ll suffer for it.” Just as his works exist in between photography, collage, painting and drawing, Beard’s work also embraces aspects of both documentation and activism.

Beard was a fascinating figure—having broken his pelvis in five places from an elephant attack, amongst many other stories—who collaborated widely with other artists such as Andy Warhol and Francis Bacon.

Sheila Metzner, Mouille Shapes (1992)

Sheila Metzner, Mouille Shapes (1992). Est. $10,000–$15,000.

Sheila Metzner is currently the star of a solo exhibition at the J. Paul Getty Museum in Los Angeles, which closes on February 18, 2024. The internationally acclaimed American photographer is best known for her sensitive fashion and still life shots.

The still life Mouille Shapes, offered in our current auction, is from Metzner’s series “Metal Objects in Time and Space,” for which she photographed metal hardware by the famous lighting designer, Serge Mouille (1922–1988).

Metzner is known for her use of the Fresson technique—a labor-intensive and fragile process that gives the work a distinct hazy and soft quality that makes it appear more like a drawing than a photograph.

It was after having her work featured in The Museum of Modern Art’s exhibition, “Mirrors and Windows: American Photography since 1960,” that Metzner gained the attention of important galleries and commercial clients including Valentino, Fendi, and Bergdorf Goodman. Today, her work can be found in the permanent collections of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Museum of Modern Art, the Brooklyn Museum, the Museum of Fine Art, Houston; and the Art Institute of Chicago; among others.

Diane Arbus, Boy With Straw Hat (1967)

Boy With Straw Hat (1967). Est. $15,000–$20,000.” width=”970″ height=”1024″ srcset=”https://www.mecreates.com/story/news/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/download-1-970×1024.jpeg 970w, https://news.artnet.com/app/news-upload/2024/02/download-1-284×300.jpeg 284w, https://news.artnet.com/app/news-upload/2024/02/download-1-47×50.jpeg 47w, https://news.artnet.com/app/news-upload/2024/02/download-1.jpeg 1024w” sizes=”(max-width: 970px) 100vw, 970px”>

Diane Arbus, Boy With Straw Hat (1967). Est. $15,000–$20,000.

Diane Arbus is undeniably one of the most influential portrait photographers, whose work can be seen in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., and the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, among other major institutions.

This work, Boy With Straw Hat, was made in 1967 amid major protests about America’s aggression in Vietnam. The boy’s youthful innocence is contrasted with his formal suit and pro-violence badges—one reading “BOMB HANOI!”—to create a blunt yet impactful image that poses questions about patriotism, war, and youth.

Arbus took this particular image with a large-scale camera that is more associated with studio photography rather than street photography. This made for a less spontaneous and more posed, slow process—resulting in the photograph’s stiff quality, amplified by the boy’s neat attire.

Hiroshi Sugimoto, Gulf of Bothnia (1996)

Hiroshi Sugimoto, Gulf of Bothnia (1996). Est. $25,000–$35,000.

This eerie yet calm work is from Hiroshi Sugimoto’s “Seascapes” series, which he has returned to, again and again, for over four decades. Captured from atop rural clifftops looking over the ocean, the artist isolates the sea and sky within these large-scale, meditative images. Whether the Black Sea, the Mediterranean—or, in this particular case, the Gulf of Bothnia—this series has taken the artist all over the world.

By capturing only the fundamental elements of water and air, Sugimoto views these works as connecting himself and viewers with the origins of life—these featureless views are unchanging and enduring. In his words, “The beginnings of life are shrouded in myth” he wrote, “… Every time I view the sea, I feel a calming sense of security, as if visiting my ancestral home.”

Sugimoto’s work was recently the subject of a large-scale retrospective at London’s Hayward Gallery (October 2023–January 2024). His works can be found in major public collections across the world, including Centre Pompidou, Paris, the Museum of Modern Art, the National Gallery, London, and the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Explore these lots and more in the Select Photographs sale, now open for bidding through February 14, 2024.

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There are many reasons why a photograph can go wrong. But to be a photographic flop takes a special skill that most failures don’t even know they have. If you don’t want to be a second-rate photographer, here is how to avoid it.

Don’t Be a Diluted Annie or Ansel, Be Both at Once

There are some great photographers out there creating astounding work. Just look at the galleries here at Fstoppers and you will see some skilled photography. Consequently, there is a huge pull to take photos in the style of one of those photographers. Don’t do it! You won’t ever be better than them, and when others look at your pictures, they will see yet another wannabe failure. You will be nothing more than yet another insipid, watered-down copycat, never as good as the original.

I am also going to give the opposite advice. Do it! However, only do so to learn from those great photographers. Read their autobiographies and interviews, study their portfolios, and hear what others have to say about them. Then, mash up all the different ideas and techniques from different photographers into something new.

This is what creativity is all about. It’s not about copying, or discovering something entirely new, but taking things that already exist and blending them in new and inventive ways. Look at every great art movement or every music trend from the past. Each has grown from what came before.

Everything Is New Under the Sun

But I can hear you shouting, “With the more-than-a-trillion photos shot this year, most things must have been tried already by someone, mustn’t they? It’s nigh on impossible to find a subject or technique that somebody else hasn’t already tried, isn’t it?” No, that’s wrong.

I’ve been living in this little town in the Northeast of England for nearly twenty years. I’ve lost count of the number of times I’ve shot a seascape at sunrise. No two pictures are the same. There are uniquely shaped clouds overhead, and maybe none at all. The sky’s colors change constantly, and with it, the sea’s too. Sometimes the water is rough with pounding waves, and sometimes it’s calm with barely a ripple. Occasionally, the wind is blowing against the waves, brushing spray from their tops. The tidal state is also different from one day to the next and, what is more, on each morning the sun rises in a slightly different direction. Solitary seabirds skim the wave tops, while others might soar high overhead.

On top of all that, there are all the choices I can make regarding focal length, exposure, and camera positioning.

It doesn’t matter what you shoot, there are infinite variables that make your photo unique.

Even Lawrence Olivier Rehearsed

Laurence Olivier, arguably one of the greatest to have lived, rehearsed everything to the finest detail and would hone and change each performance to improve it. Every great artist rehearses. They practice time and again and are rarely happy with what they have achieved so far.

Treat every time you go out with your camera as a rehearsal for next time. As I said in the last section, I can’t remember how many times I’ve been out to photograph the sunrise over the sea. But I do know this, if I look back at the shots I took nineteen years ago, they were not as good as those I shot ten years back. And as for those pictures from ten years ago, the ones I take now are better. If I am still here in ten years, I hope those will be better yet again.

When What You Do Becomes a Trend, It’s Time to Move On

If you do find something new, or shoot something successfully, it’s likely to start a trend of other people wanting to do the same as you.

A long time ago, I started to photograph the moon rising behind the island off the coast from where I live. I would usually be the only person on the beach. Now, every full moonrise, the shoreline is packed with photographers. More recently, I have been shooting sea and shorebirds at slow shutter speeds; it was a technique I discovered by accident and then improved on.

I was probably not the first person to do that, but it was not a common approach to capturing birds in flight. Since publishing my photos online and in an exhibition, I’ve noticed a growing number of people doing the same. I’ll shoot a few more, but I’ll find something else to shoot soon; it’s time to move on.

How You React to Being Copied

I could have one of two reactions to others doing what I’ve been doing. Firstly, I could get in a bad mood and let ill feelings about these copycats fester within me, or I could celebrate the fact that others are building upon what I have done and help them to succeed. I choose the latter. Firstly, imitation is said to be the highest form of flattery. Then, secondly, I find it rewarding that I have helped photographers to achieve taking good photos. Perhaps they will build upon what I have done and branch out into something new. Fantastic!

Avoid Being a Grouch Photographer

The idea “Do as you would be done by,” is an old philosophy that’s proposed by many cultures. Sadly, in the world today, it seems to be not only ignored by many of those in power, but the very opposite behavior is adopted by them instead. The people who are supposed to set a good example to the rest of us tell lies, abuse others, and line their own pockets to the detriment of others. Consequently, these actions are considered acceptable, so they are then repeated. History has constantly shown, however, that leaders who live in a moral vacuum usually come to a sticky end, and those who behave similarly, likewise. Of course, the one thing we learn from history is that we never learn from history.

Your attitude to other photographers is very much reflected by the success you have. Becoming a successful photographer is a long game. If you spend your time criticizing and demeaning others, you’ll fail. Why? Success needs the support of others, and if individuals treat others badly, they’ll get no help in return.

What About Those Who Are Grouchy to Me?

There will always be unintelligent idiots who make stupid and unkind remarks. That’s because they lack the wherewithal to work hard and become talented at photography; they think their way to success is to try to pull other people down. Of course, they don’t succeed. Those who make snide remarks about others’ creativity are not very bright, and it’s easy to highlight their stupidity and put them down. You don’t have to suffer these fools. You can either ignore them or point out to the world their nastiness and the ridiculousness of their comments.

Are you always encouraging others to succeed, or are you the type of person who writes snarky comments on internet forums or picks holes in others’ work? If you are in the former group, then it’s a clear sign that you are on the road to success as a photographer.

Every Mishap Is an Opportunity

I’ve traveled a lot through Europe, Africa, and Asia. One of the great things about photography is that nice people come to talk. Usually, it’s just when I am about to snap the sun poking its head above the horizon or a bird is exhibiting some extraordinary behavior and I miss the shot. I don’t mind, though. The world keeps on turning, and the sun will rise again tomorrow.

When I was in Helsinki in January, I was lining up my camera to photograph the Lutheran Cathedral. It was devoid of people, which was unusual. However, a group of excited women suddenly walked into the shot to take selfies. They spotted me with my camera and apologized. I said it was okay, and they asked me to take photos of their group with their phones. I chatted with them for a while. They had come from Indonesia and were heading up to Rovaniemi, hopefully to see the Northern Lights. I had just returned from the North, and it had been exceedingly cold. So we talked about that and gave them some hints on how to capture the aurora.

I enjoyed that interaction. Anyone who knows me will know that when I see I often stop and volunteer to take photos of couples and groups, so nobody is missing from their picture; I value these five-minute friendships, which are more important than the photograph.

By the time I had taken their photos with their phones and chatted with them, the scene was no longer deserted. Another group of people had gathered, which made it a far more interesting photo than just the cathedral.

Success or failure in photography very much depends on your attitude. Accept that when things don’t go to plan, you can still accomplish something else, and it will probably be better.

In answer to my title’s question, you are not a second-rate photographer, you just don’t know it. Keep on taking photos, enjoy experimenting and practicing, and encourage others. Then success will roll in.

Photoshop Evangelist Julianne Kost published a book called Window Seat: The Art of Digital Photography and Creative Thinking back in 2006. It’s one of my favorite books to go back and reread. This article and iPhone photography are an homage to the lessons learned from her during my flights to and from Professional Photographers of America at ImagingUSA.

iPhone 15 Pro

New phone meant no excuse not to do iPhone photography during my flights. I’m only just beginning to use the phone as a photo tool. The technology keeps advancing at an incredible pace. Now that I’ve accepted the idea, I’m beginning to embrace the fact that I have e solid enough capture device in a small form at my fingertips. As the quote I have often heard attributed to Chase Jarvis, “The best camera is the one you have with you.”

Clouds

Obviously, to capture the images you’ll need to be in the window seat. Being able to observe the clouds from above is a treat to me. This view is one of which I never tire. The sky is more blue as there is no pollution to lessen it. Forms change with the amount of wind and disturbance below but often feel calm and serene. Due to the speed of the aircraft, you often only have moments to capture a specific formation that has caught your eye. Keeping watch for the ever-changing panoramic passing in your view helps move time forward as well.

Land when the clouds part

It’s not always the beauty of clouds as your subject. The landscape from 36,000 feet or closer as you take off and land can be an interesting subject as well. You really have to ready and anticipate when your get closer to the ground as that magnifies the changes. I get lots of ‘Oh darn! Missed it!’ moments during those times.

Make images

I guess the real purpose of this article is to remind you as a photographer that making images, no matter the tool used, is paramount to seeing and learning to record more of our world. Make images. Share them and don’t forget to visually take in as much as you can.And, Julianne, thank you for this inspiration and all the support you bring photographers through your teaching! Always appreciated.

Yours in Creative Photography, Bob