Services

Advising clients on collecting photography - my philosophy.

I am passionate about photography and love sharing my knowledge and enthusiasm with my clients; I believe that buying art should be a truly pleasurable and enriching experience.

The first step towards buying art is to take your time and look. So I never rush my clients. Instead I am happy to spend as long as necessary to really understand their collecting ambitions, their personal tastes and interests.

Once I have a better sense of what my clients are after, I’ll accompany them to the best galleries, dealers, exhibitions, and studios, seeking to make the experience enjoyable and informative, and also taking away any intimidation that many people feel when purchasing art.

I will always counsel my clients against buying work that I feel has no long-lasting merit. My intention is to help my clients collect work that will increase in value over time. However I also believe that the single most important factor when buying art is that my clients love it; investment value should come second. 

The exceptions are purchases that are being made purely for financial investment and in these cases my clients and I are working to a very different model which includes understanding the current market trends, predicting future trends, and identifying future masters. 

Collecting Photography - The Process

Acquiring work

I specialise in contemporary and twentieth-century photography. I help my clients collect all kinds of photographs, from very high value museum-quality prints to images by young graduates and emerging artists. I pride myself on being informed about the latest developments in the photography world and have a Twitter feed that focuses on photography. 

For clients who are coming fresh to the collecting photography world, the process begins with conversations and visits to look at artwork together. We might visit commercial galleries, art fairs or artists’ studios in order to see a wide range of work before deciding exactly which areas are of particular interest. I will then assemble a variety of images for my clients to look at, initially by email, before arranging visits to see chosen prints at close hand. I can also offer new collectors short courses in the history of photography which can help them to explore the photography world and find their areas of interest. 

For clients who are already collectors of photography, I have excellent relationships with all of the major photography galleries and dealers in the UK and many in Europe and the US. Equally I have direct contact with a number of well-known artists and am able to introduce my clients directly. Finally, my clients can rely upon my absolute discretion in every aspect of our relationship. 

Enjoying your Collection

I curate installations for private collections and also help my clients to hang their art to its greatest advantage. I am always happy to advise on framing and will arrange for technicians, hangers and installers as needed. I have curated numerous exhibitions throughout my career; both of paintings and photographs. For a detailed list of exhibitions please click here. 

It is important for collectors to have records for both insurance and investment purposes and I have wide-ranging experience at producing catalogues and valuations for both institutions and private individuals. These can range from simple spreadsheets to personalised bound books, which can be a great asset to any collector. 

Refreshing your Collection

Art collections are often fluid; early purchases become unwanted or space becomes an issue. I can advise my clients on how best to dispose of their work, whether by private sale or at auction, and I have excellent relationships with the main auction houses.