One of the most significant technological advancements in the Art & Antique auction sector has been digital photography. Improvements in digital camera sensors, combined with the ability to transmit large, high-resolution images electronically, have transformed the industry.
These advancements have directly contributed to a surge in auction lots sold “sight unseen.” The ability to upload high-resolution photographs to online catalogs and email them to potential buyers has driven auction prices to levels that would have been unimaginable a decade ago. However, most auction houses—even top firms in New York and London—have yet to fully leverage these technological improvements to the extent that we have. It is not uncommon for us to see the top-selling lot of an auction exceed $100,000, purchased by a buyer who never inspected the item in person.
Modern cameras, now capable of 60-megapixel resolution or greater with lightning-fast processing speeds, allow objects to be photographed in greater detail than could be achieved with a magnification loupe. Direct tethering of these high-performance cameras to computers in a strobe-lit environment enables real-time editing without the need to download images from a SIM card.
The result is professional, publication-quality images that can be uploaded in high-resolution raw format for any application at rapid speeds.
Managing the large raw photo file sizes was another technical hurdle, but we have successfully implemented file management strategies that allow raw images to be uploaded to the cloud while simultaneously generating smaller JPEG files for email and online catalogs.
Additional photo-processing tools, such as “photo-stacking,” enable images to be captured at different depths of field and then combined into composite photos. This technique allows small objects, such as jewelry, to be photographed in unprecedented detail, ensuring that every point of the object is in sharp focus.
Advancements in digital cameras have also enhanced videography, making it possible to create high-resolution, 360-degree rotation videos of objects.
Yet, despite all these photographic advancements, very few auction houses are taking full advantage of the available and affordable technology.
Compounding the issue of poor-quality images in auction catalogs is the limited number of photographs provided for each item.
We offer auction catalogs averaging more images per lot than any other auction house in the world. Our photography studio, equipped with strobe lighting, enables consistent shutter speeds and lighting conditions, allowing objects to be photographed quickly from multiple angles. As a result, the cost of taking additional photographs is minimal. Time and again, we have found that auction lots featuring a greater number of high-resolution images achieve higher realized prices and experience lower customer return rates.
The next major advancement in this field is the incorporation of AI in photo editing. Photography software is evolving rapidly, integrating AI-powered tools such as photo masking, which significantly reduces the time required to edit images and ensures the highest-quality presentation for buyers. In our sales, every image of an item is now edited, not just the primary photograph. AI is also accelerating the editing process for multiple items within a lot and automating the creation of size comparison graphics.