What The Heck is a Triptych?

Sometimes you hear a term and say "what is that?". Well, according to Wikipedia (link), a triptych (pronounced trip-tik) is a work of art that is divided into three sections. I've always thought it sounds like something you'd get from AAA describing your route from point A to point B. I'm pretty sure, although they sound the same, Triple A didn't have works of art in mind when they named their routing booklets. If the "artwork" has more than three panels it would be known as a polytych. I discussed using a "polytych" (although I didn't use it's formal name) early on this blog (link). I went through how having a small set of images hung on the wall could be a reminder of an occasion or trip or just about anything worth being reminded of. That's one way to use a triptych/polytych. Another is as Wikipedia explains it and use it as a "work of art". You have to remember that art is in the eye of the beholder, so if today's image looks like art to you, fine. If not, it's just an example of what might be.

Rather than going for several images building a feeling, today's is a different way to show one continous image broken up as though you're looking through a window. It makes for an interesting way to have the viewer become a voyeur, seeing a scene through your eyes rather than an open expanse. It holds you in and acts as a control to limit your attention to the piece of the scene being presented. You get to search out details in every panel. You can see how each panel can make it's own image.
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It's actually kind of amazing how well these things sell. With the gallery tag on the bottom it's not going to sell for large amounts, but it's not unusual to get $40.00 to $50.00 per print. Seeing as these are "gallery prints" and not signed and numbered limited edition prints there is no cap on the quantity that can be printed. Although the profit per print is small, the number of sales is greatly expanded. If your objective is to make a sustainable income based on your photography you have to look at any possible avenue to get your work out to the public. If you have the idea that you can only do "fine art" prints and make a living, you're name better be Vincent Versace, or John Paul Caponigro or Fay Sirkis. If you're not on that level of notice, don't limit yourself (until you get there, of course).