News Snaps: Fair, States, Economy

Oh, the bad news around the globe continues, but before we mention any of that, check out this fun on-going project: The 50 States Project.

If you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em seems to be working for some pro photographers that have decided to jump into the microstock image world. While we here at Viewville were inspired to create our namesake venture because of trends like microstock and falling prices for photo work, we cannot deny the trend and likelihood that this is the way the industry is moving.

Meanwhile, the decline at museums continues with the Getty Trust slashing budgets, layoffs at The Metropolitan Art Museum, and the Walker Art Center’s budget cuts. We hope this particular trend stops quick. After all, what better place to go when times are tough than a building full of inspiration?

Still, photography is remaining, and even growing, as a desired part of personal and public collections. Some galleries in NYC are even going to Cuba to show off a special exhibition. And the European Art Fair had a lot more photography this year:

Hans P. Kraus Jr., a New York photography dealer, was an addition. His booth featured seminal works like William Henry Fox Talbot’s “Ladder” 1844, one of his best known images, for $750,000, and Edward Steichen’s photograph of the back of a nude woman, “The Little Round Mirror,” from 1902 for $1.8 million. “We’ve been waiting to get into this fair for five years,” Mr. Kraus said. “So we brought a cross section of things starting with Talbot and going through to the beginning of modern photography with Stieglitz and Steichen.”

So, what can we do to beautify your surroundings with photography today?