Bold photography can help a room's design tell a story

Rather than being an add-on, interior design professionals often use artworks as inspiration, with fine art photography being no exception.

Fine art photography appeals as it has a wide range of styles and genres, as well as great storytelling abilities. It’s often more affordable than other forms of art, and there’s a rich offering of exciting work by contemporary artists who are experimenting with new techniques in the current market, experts said.

“There are more people out there selling work than there have ever been thanks to new tech,” said Neal Grundy, a Brighton, U.K.-based fine art photographer, who specializes in freeze motion photography. “The competition has grown significantly. It used to be about expensive cameras. Now, it’s more about unique ideas and creativity.”

When it comes to pricing, the ubiquity of images in the age of Instagram and smartphones has had a negative impact on fine art photography prices, but experts believe that the market will thrive again, according to a recent report from New York-based Artnews magazine. So, where do you begin looking for fine art photography and how do you design your home around it? We asked the experts.

How to Buy

There are myriad spots to source fine art photography and prices are hugely varied and cater to most budgets. However, making choices can be overwhelming for novice collectors.

Helen Armon-Jones, of the Art Buyer, a Surrey, U.K.-based gallery and art consultancy, said, to begin with, “consider whether you’re looking for contemporary, living photographer’s work, or whether you’re keen to invest in a notable photographer’s work on the secondary market, for example, at auction or through an art dealer.”

The price range can vary enormously, depending on the notoriety of the photographic artist and, for example, the edition size, Armon-Jones said. Most photographers will create a limited edition of a single print so that each print retains its value. Typically, the lower the number in an edition, the higher the cost.

For contemporary artists, Armon-Jones recommended exploring fairs like the London Art Fair, which runs in January, for its “wonderful selection” of photography from multiple galleries and dealers; Proud Galleries in London’s Charing Cross, a go-to spot for photography fans with its rich selection of 20th-century pop culture-centered works, including portraits of famous bands and musicians; and the Michael Hoppen Gallery, which specializes in photography and showcases new and interesting artists alongside masters from the 19th, 20th and 21st century. She also recommended Black Box Projects, which specializes in contemporary photography and contemporary art using photographic materials.

Claire McCaslin-Brown, director of the London-based McCaslin-Brown art advisory, recommended Photo London, an annual fair held in May at London’s Somerset House, which brings together 125 exhibitors from 56 countries; Paris Photo, an annual fair held in Paris; and Photofairs, a new contemporary art fair in New York dedicated to photo-based artworks.

ArtStar, a New York-based online platform, offers limited-edition fine art prints, curated around a particular style: bold colors, ice cream tones, and a vintage aesthetic. Wall vs Me is an online platform with exciting photography that can be printed onto both canvas and Fuji Crystal Archive paper and includes framing options. Lumas offers hand-signed limited editions, including high-priced unique pieces at galleries and less valuable high-circulation prints from museum stores in different size options. Partnership Editions is an online art selling platform which has a small range of limited-edition photographic prints that mainly focus on nature and travel themes.

Bold Examples

When choosing photography that packs a punch, McCaslin-Brown advised new collectors to,

“start with a certain aesthetic quality that they feel drawn to or like, or a subject that they’re particularly interested in". - Claire McCaslin-Brown

Also consider the look and feel of your living space, Armon-Jones said.

“The breadth of subject matter in photography can make it hard to narrow down, but consider the feel first, for example, classic/traditional, warm, eclectic, minimalist. Let this be your guide. For a minimalist feel, look to a monochrome palette or single focus study, for example of either a person, architecture or botanical, ” — Armon-Jones.

She suggested taking a look at the British-Jamaican photographer and artist Vanley Burke, who captured Black culture in Britain in the latter half of the 20th century in black-and-white photography. She also pointed to Gina Soden as one to watch; Soden’s works frame beautiful ruined interior spaces and speak about the passing of time in the present moment. Denmark native Adam Jeppesen is an artist and traveler best known for his images of remote and rugged landscapes where he celebrates the imperfections his long and arduous journeys left on his negatives and produces Cyanotype works. Kevin Dutton produces fine art botanical photography at affordable prices. Works by these artists are available through the Art Buyer.

McCaslin-Brown recommended some more well-known names such as the American artist Cindy Sherman, who is renowned for her conceptual self-portraits that challenge traditional notions of identity and gender. Some of her works are for sale with 1stDibs. The notable German artist Andreas Gursky, who studied at the Düsseldorf School of Photography, “makes large-scale photographs of vast urban landscapes, crowded spaces and landscape with incredible detail and precision.” Candida Höfer is another notable Düsseldorf alum; she captures grand public interiors including libraries and theatres. Some of their works are for sale with Artsy.

"My photographs are "not abstract". Ultimately, they are always identifiable. Photography in general simply cannot disengage from the object". - Andreas Gursky

Designing Around It

Louisa Grey, founder and creative director of the London-based interior design studio House of Grey, said she uses bold photography to “change the energy in a room, … to raise the vibrations.” For this reason, she usually opts for placement in social and entertaining spaces, such as the living room, rather than quieter rooms, such as bedrooms.

If you have a piece of fine art photography you want to highlight, “we would suggest drawing inspiration from it for the rest of the room. We would bring in subtle, textural elements such as clay or lime wash paints, etc., to complement the piece and add depth to the design scheme,” Grey said.

When arranging photographic art on walls, symmetry is not the only route.

“In past projects, we’ve placed artwork off-center in comparison to the sofa to give the art the space it needs to breathe and add a focus to the room. We prefer grouping a few pieces together on walls that are otherwise empty,” Grey advised.

Tola Ojuolape, designer and founder of London-based Tola Ojuolape Studio, said the key to displaying bold fine art in a room is to ensure its displayed in a way that’s central to activities in the space, so it can be noticed.

“I often believe, as a design guide, everything looks better off symmetry. Placing art in groups of three, five and seven helps ensure the artwork frames the space as the eye reads odd numbers better,” — Tola Ojuolape

Ojuolape said to think about selecting the correct scale of artwork to ensure it fits the parameters of the room comfortably. “As artwork is often used as a focal point, one would ensure other elements in the room are placed secondary to complement or contrast the artwork. This can range from a series of artworks arranged across a room or an oversized piece to frame the entire wall space,” she added.

And lighting? Grey is a fan of light dimming options, adding that her preference is to use two to three dimmers in every room so “clients can select the areas they wish to highlight each time they enter a room. Architectural lighting can be a great source to support feature artwork, too.”

Don’t forget about the frames. “Picture frames can be sourced to complement the overall design scheme depending on the concept for the interior space. This would be guided by design style, palette and interior color, Ojuolape said. “They can be utilized to make the artwork more eye-catching and distinguished. Color can be a great tool to use to accentuate picture frames for a standout effect.”

Grey said to consider anti-reflective glass for the framing of photographic paper that is less impacted by UV light and a simple frame that allows the art to speak for itself.

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This article was published in "Mansion Global" in November 2023.

Bold Photography Can Help a Room’s Design Tell a Story - Mansion Global