Photography: Print or ???

Recently I combined my love of music with my love of art: I purchased a photograph taken by Graham Nash of Joni Mitchell, titled "Joni Listening to Music." The photograph is signed (but not numbered) and was printed using an Epson P9000 printer with archival pigment inks. The original photograph was taken in 1969. This "print" was dated 2023. So, is it a print or a poster? Well, that depends on who you talk to!

In fine art photography, "print" often refers to a photograph created with specific attention to quality and artistic presentation, using archival materials and techniques.  OK, so many photographers use "digital" methods to create such an image, with attention to archival pigments, paper and more. Others would argue that a true "photograph" would not use digital means. That discernment comes down to the artist. 

With that said, is this an original work of art? It is signed by the artist in pencil and not numbered. This means it's an open edition: it can be reproduced again and again and again by the artist (who retains the copyrights). Photographs, especially those created as original prints in limited editions, are considered original works of art, similar to paintings or sculptures. So is this a real photograph? One thing all works of art have in common: provenance! It is copyrighted by the artist and produced by the artist (not a third party). There's much more to photography than the snippet above! Want to learn more about your photographs? Contact me! Meanwhile, enjoy this beautiful little photo of musical history....