How to Collect Photography via Allure

Interview with James Danziger, founder of Danziger Projects, a Manhatten-based photography gallery

Expose yourself

Take the time to visit museums, galleries, and auction houses. Gallery owners often have the time, knowledge, and inclination to talk to a potential client about the work they're showing.

Ask the right questions

If you're interested in a photographer's work, ask about print runs, books published, and which museums own the artist's work. In the no-so-distant past--the 1970's--traditional photographers might do large or even unlimited editions. Henri Cartier-Bresson and Ansel Adams sold thousands of prints of their best-known images, but because of the quality of their work, it never saturated the market. Art photographers such as Cindy Sherman and Richard Prince, and other contemporary photographers, typically sell their work in much smaller editions.

Trust your instincts

Allow yourself to discover what really appeals to you. Whenever we do a show, the crowd favorite is usually the best photograph. Don't be afraid to be adventurous. Beginning collectors often fall into the trap of assembling a greatest-hits collection--acquiring only iconic images. Look for photography in which the artists somehow furthered the medium. Some young photographers to watch are Idris Khan, Beate Gutschow, Tanyth Berkeley, and An-My Le.

Pick a genre

As you build a collection, stick to a broad theme rather than a specific one or none at all. Fashion photography, for example, is definitely a booming area, but don't limit yourself to shots of models on beaches. Building up a range of fashion photographs from the midtwentieth century to the present might be smarter. Works from countries outside of America and Europe are also worth exploring, as are contemporary color pictures. There used to be a prejudice against color photography, but now it's as hot as black-and-white.