The Most Expensive Photographs Ever Sold

Over at Photopreneur, you can look at a list of the top ten most expensive photographs ever sold. Above is ndreas Gursky’s “99 Cent II Diptych,” the first photograph to ever sell for more than $3 million. Sotheby’s sold the piece in early 2007, but not at a photography sale, at a contemporary art sale. Perhaps this means that photographs are subconsciously considered more valuable when they enter the world of high profile art dealers and the like? I’m not sure because I’m not really close to either the professional photography circuit or the contemporary art / auction circuit. That being said, I know a lot of really talented photographers (and follow the work of a few online as well) who can sell a gorgeous Polaroid for $5,000 but are likely overwhelmed by the list at Photopreneur. Is there that big of a difference between the works? Eye of beholder or value of name? Or maybe it’s just the context in which the piece is presented … Sotheby’s contemporary art auctions are obviously pushing a certain vibe that an online portfolio can’t.