Peter Lik

ChristopherCoy · Dec 19, 2015

So I'm watching THIS youtube video, and at the 7:04 mark, the artist makes a comment about an arrogant photographer, and flashes Peter Lik's name.

And a few of the comments echoed the sentiments of the artists statement.

Since I don't know Peter Lik, and have never heard of him, (even though he is apparently a local to me photographer), is Mr. Lik arrogant? What is it about Mr. Lik that makes this photographer call him out in public? And do you agree with this photographer?

Rick A · Dec 19, 2015

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/02/22/b...for-success-sell-prints-print-money.html?_r=0

First couple of sentences pretty much sums the dude up.

AgX · Dec 19, 2015

I did not know either before this thread:
(there was a url link here which no longer exists)

cliveh · Dec 19, 2015

I think you need to post this on a digital forum.

wy2l · Dec 19, 2015

The problem with people who think they know everything...
is they get in the way of those of us who know we know everything!

ChristopherCoy · Dec 19, 2015

Rick A said:
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/02/22/b...for-success-sell-prints-print-money.html?_r=0

First couple of sentences pretty much sums the dude up.

Bleh... I couldn't even finish the article.

What's funny is I dont think Ansel made $440M, and I've at least heard of him.

ChristopherCoy · Dec 19, 2015

cliveh said:
I think you need to post this on a digital forum.

Well, I had no clue who he was, and the photographer who's video I was watching is a film shooter... which is why I just assumed that Lik was as well.

removed account4 · Dec 19, 2015

its nice to see someone who knows how to make a deckled edge
and what "viewing distance" are !
who cares if mr lik made millions and thinks he is great
i am guessing everyone alive who sells stuff for 6.5 million
whether it is a painting, or a photograph or a house
is the same way ...

pdeeh · Dec 19, 2015

Didn't this get beaten to death a few months ago here? Or was that at LFPF?

Either way, this kind of thread never seems to end up very edifying ...

ChristopherCoy · Dec 19, 2015

pdeeh said:
Didn't this get beaten to death a few months ago here? Or was that at LFPF?

Either way, this kind of thread never seems to end up very edifying ...

I was unaware that it was a touchy subject. The mods can lock the thread if needed.

Sirius Glass · Dec 19, 2015

pdeeh said:
Didn't this get beaten to death a few months ago here? Or was that at LFPF?

Either way, this kind of thread never seems to end up very edifying ...

Both fora actually.

Pardon me while I fall asleep. Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz ...

wildbill · Dec 19, 2015

I always do a search before posting a new thread.

Richard Man · Dec 19, 2015

It got into a 20+ pages epic here, IIRC. LFF was restraint and got only about 10+, I think....

No good will come out of this

pbromaghin · Dec 19, 2015

I learned some very creative insults from the last one.

CropDusterMan · Dec 19, 2015

Funny...I wandered into the LIK gallery at Caesars Palace in Vegas today...the company I work for in Vegas
has a bunch of his prints...all I can say is "Meh"...nothing ground breaking. All over-cooked really.

It's all HDR. Sure, he was there and got the shots to combine in PS, but he's not in the league of the real Masters.
Also, I heard he apparently pays other guys to go out and get shots (although I can't confirm that)...regardless,
he is well known in small circles. Aren't we all?

And whoever paid that ridiculous sum for his ghostly print taken in Antelope Canyon needs their head examined.

Sirius Glass · Dec 19, 2015

A fool and his money are soon parted

http://www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/a-fool-and-his-money-are-soon-parted.html

Alan Klein · Dec 19, 2015

I visited one of his galleries in Honolulu. It was a 1st class design; very attractive to see and walk through. The photos were tremendously presented. Many of his clientele have a lot of money. That's why his galleries are in rich cities like Honolulu and Las Vegas that also attract vacationers with money to spend on big pretty, pictures that they want to hang on their walls. Lik is a first class businessman and marketer. If you want to sell your photos rather then complain how amateurs are "destroying" the industry, you would be smart to visit his galleries, talk to his sales people and see how he does it and made $440 million. You might learn a thing or two.

Poisson Du Jour · Dec 20, 2015

<*groan*> Lik again!? Here we have a dead carcass, swinging in the breeze, and nobody around from the Mod Squad to cut it down and replace it with real and meaningul discourse.

jsmithphoto1 · Dec 20, 2015

Alan Klein said:
I visited one of his galleries in Honolulu. It was a 1st class design; very attractive to see and walk through. The photos were tremendously presented. Many of his clientele have a lot of money. That's why his galleries are in rich cities like Honolulu and Las Vegas that also attract vacationers with money to spend on big pretty, pictures that they want to hang on their walls. Lik is a first class businessman and marketer. If you want to sell your photos rather then complain how amateurs are "destroying" the industry, you would be smart to visit his galleries, talk to his sales people and see how he does it and made $440 million. You might learn a thing or two.

That's a very good point! Although, the guy does seem like a douche bag. Im sure if I raked in that kind of money, I would be, too. Naaahhh... I'd just buy Kodak, Fuji, and restart Polaroid REVIVAL! A man can dream...

hoffy · Dec 20, 2015

I'm sorry. I was the one who started the Lik Discussion the last time. All I can do is apologise for my transgression and hope that you guys will forgive me.

As a side note, I had a brief "flick through" watch of the video - very interesting! I think I got a lot of both of them in my brief watch, which I will sit down and study properly later!

pdeeh · Dec 20, 2015

ChristopherCoy said:
I was unaware that it was a touchy subject. The mods can lock the thread if needed.

Oh no need to lock, nor really touchy, it's just that mentioning Lik et al seem to bring out the worst in some folk and the threads end up far from any interesting or useful aesthetic or technical discussion, rather just a parade of prejudices and entrenched positions, sometimes quite hysterically expressed. Hence unedifying.

RobC · Dec 20, 2015

what's everyone bitching about. The guy is clearly a very competant commercial photographer who has superb marketing skills. If people see his work as art then that says more about them than the photographer. I rekon there's a lot of snobbery and jealousy flying around this and the earlier topic on the guy. All credit to him for being sucessful at what he does and not putting himself under the stifling control freakery of the "artworld".

The most interesting part of the nytimes article is the question of resale values which says it all. But that is about what his buyers are willing to pay in one of his outlets as opposed to what the wider art buying market is prepared to pay in an auction house which is more about art world control freakery. i.e. some auctioneer giving their personal appraisal of value which is far removed from the original buyers own valuation. If you say the auctoineer is correct then you are subserviant to art world control freakery.

$4000 is not excessive to sell a print for.

[edit]

and the only reason he is being discussed is becasue of his financial success. If he wasn't sucessful this topic wouldn't exist.

removed account4 · Dec 20, 2015

Alan Klein said:
If you want to sell your photos rather then complain how amateurs are "destroying" the industry, you would be smart to visit his galleries, talk to his sales people and see how he does it and made $440 million. You might learn a thing or two.

LOL !!

you don't have to to one of his galleries to see how amateurs are "destroying" the industry ( photography? )
you just need to come here to APUG and read a thread that rails on LOMO photographers, instagram, flickr, fessbook
people that use HOLGAS, hipsters, jerks who don't print their own photographs, someone who scans film ..
they are all not only wrecking traditional photography, but this website ...

SSDD

shoot6x7 · Dec 20, 2015

Very happy I read this thread. Here are my take always:
- lik is arrogant and so full of himself, but then so are some super successful people
- I'm not jealous of his success
- his photographs don't appeal to me, I'd expect to see them as big posters in Athena in th 80's !
- I photograph to make me happy and impress my wife
- I love the process of photographing and messing around developing and printing
- I will likely never make any money from my film work
- further kudos to some of the posters in the thread whom I already respect and their comments have further confirmed that

Bob Carnie · Dec 20, 2015

plus 1

His mounting techniques are impeccable- for those of us who actually work with super gloss photographs and then have to present them Mr Lik is in a league by himself.

His work is over saturated and not to my taste but then I think we all can learn from his ability to promote his area of photography.
I doubt very much he has other people take his photographs.

QUOTE=Alan Klein;1953826364]I visited one of his galleries in Honolulu. It was a 1st class design; very attractive to see and walk through. The photos were tremendously presented. Many of his clientele have a lot of money. That's why his galleries are in rich cities like Honolulu and Las Vegas that also attract vacationers with money to spend on big pretty, pictures that they want to hang on their walls. Lik is a first class businessman and marketer. If you want to sell your photos rather then complain how amateurs are "destroying" the industry, you would be smart to visit his galleries, talk to his sales people and see how he does it and made $440 million. You might learn a thing or two.[/QUOTE]

Peter Lik

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