Value Of Photography Essay

It can be argued that people provide objects with more value than they might possess in their original state. The specific object I have decided to focus on are/is photographs. I believe that these are commodities that often acquire value through the moments in which they are taken, how they are given and received as gifts, and how they are bought and sold as pieces of art.
Firstly, I will look at the creation of meaning behind a photograph; the moment it is captured. Then will expand throughout my essay, examining how through time, the meanings can adjust or even change, depending on whether they are kept, given or received as a gift. I will explore how the meaning can differ depending on how a photograph is attained; taken yourself or received. Finally, I will compare the sentimental value and the monetary worth of a famous photograph.
Drawing on the concepts of identity, memory, social relationships amongst family and friends and the difference between sentimental and monetary value …show more content…
‘…the potential function of photographs as material objects, in particular, as objects of exchange. Edwards observes that while the image contained in the photograph is key to the act of exchange, it is also worthwhile considering how photographs may be used as objects in a social space, and how and where they are displayed around the home’, (Edwards. E, 1999, p.223). The meaning of the photograph as it is displayed, where and how it is displayed differs depending on the scenario. An image that is put up in the living room implies that the owner wants others to view it; for it to be shown off, they are proud of it. A bedroom photograph implies that it is personal but still wants to be seen and a photograph in an album may indicate that it is either personal or has been put away to not be seen on a regular basis, unlike the other two