Shot In The Dark

With an amalgamation of texture, composition and technology into art; this photographer finally crossed the milestone of creating the most expensive fine art photo ever.

Australian photographer, Peter Lik sold his photograph—Phantom, for a record-breaking price of $6.1 million, marking it as the most expensive snap in the world. Renowned for his black and white photography skills along with a craze for landscapes, Peter has captured America’s southwest region meticulously, making himself the recipient of numerous awards in the process.

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The picture is shot in a subterranean cavern in Arizona’s Antelope Canyon, with the landscape lending the image an entrancing and eerie quality. The cloudy beams of light gleaming through the canyon from above paint a phantom-like figure, and the sand covered ground, along with the arched cave walls, help depict nature in its guileless beauty.

People might feel that the price is over the top, considering that it is just a photograph. However, art moves people in strange and strong ways, and when comes to purpose, Peter always tries to capture the power of nature in a way that inspires and connects the audience to the image. With a value of millions of dollars and an aspirational buyer, it is safe to say that he has achieved that goal in a very personal and aesthetic manner.

What: Phantom by Peter Lik, the world’s most expensive photograph Worth: $6.1 million

From the January 2020 issue of L’Officiel India.