How much is my photograph worth?
Vintage prints (printed close to when the photo was taken) and signed, editioned prints by known photographers bring the strongest prices.
Across 17,933 photographs sold at auction since 2021 in the ArtSell database, the median price was $2,159. Half sold between $855 and $6,916, and one in ten sold for more than $18,900.
Find comparable sales for your photograph:
How prices are spread
| Under $500 | 14% |
| $500 to $5,000 | 54% |
| $5,000 to $50,000 | 29% |
| $50,000 and up | 3% |
Artists with the most photographs sold
| Artist | Sales since 2021 | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Ansel Adams | 170 | $5,805 |
| Wolfgang Tillmans | 168 | $14,180 |
| Henri Cartier-Bresson | 168 | $7,620 |
| Irving Penn | 167 | $28,380 |
| Helmut Newton | 163 | $12,869 |
| William Eggleston | 158 | $10,160 |
| Elliott Erwitt | 143 | $2,678 |
| Gerhard Richter | 143 | $17,210 |
| Robert Mapplethorpe | 135 | $16,443 |
| Nan Goldin | 122 | $5,715 |
Recent photographs sold
- Matias Faldbakken, “Untitled (Palm and Videotapes)”: $1,148 (Blomqvist, Oct 7, 2026)
- Erwin Wurm, “Outdoor Sculpture (from the series "Cahors")”: $6,795 (im Kinsky, Oct 6, 2026)
- Bill Henson, “Untitled from ‘Kindertotenlieder'”: $3,840 (Leonard Joel, Oct 6, 2026)
- Hanakam & Schuller, “Kokomo 8”: $732 (im Kinsky, Oct 6, 2026)
- Hanakam & Schuller, “Kokomo 7”: $732 (im Kinsky, Oct 6, 2026)
- Olivia Parker, “Remaining myths?”: $78 (Blomqvist, Oct 5, 2026)
- Eddie Martinez, “Perfect Stranger”: $896 (Los Angeles Modern Auctions (LAMA), Sep 29, 2026)
- Nikki Maloof, “Dismemberment”: $512 (Los Angeles Modern Auctions (LAMA), Sep 29, 2026)
- Cindy Sherman, “Untitled #125”: $25,800 (Phillips, Sep 26, 2026)
- Nan Goldin, “Greer on the bed, NYC”: $21,930 (Phillips, Sep 26, 2026)
The highest price recorded since 2021: William Eggleston, “Los Alamos” at $1,875,000 (Phillips, Mar 18, 2025).
What affects the value
- Check the back for a photographer's stamp, signature or edition number.
- Note the print type if known (gelatin silver, chromogenic, platinum).
- Silvering, creases and fading reduce value.
Questions
How much is a photograph worth?
Across 17,933 photographs sold at auction since 2021 in the ArtSell database, the median price was $2,159. Half sold between $855 and $6,916, and one in ten sold for more than $18,900.
What share of photographs sell for under $500?
14% of the recorded photographs sold for under $500, and 3% sold for $50,000 or more.
Which artists' photographs sell most often at auction?
Ansel Adams, Wolfgang Tillmans, Henri Cartier-Bresson, Irving Penn, Helmut Newton have the most recorded photographs sales since 2021.
How do I find out what my photograph is worth?
Search the artist in the ArtSell price database to see comparable results, use the What's my art worth tool, or send photos for a free auction estimate.
Figures are recorded auction results (price including buyer’s premium where published, converted to USD) in the ArtSell database since 2021, updated twice a day. They describe past sales, not a valuation of any particular work.
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