I don't mean to be cynical, but $4.3 million for this?

It's a pretty picture and all -- nicely framed, subtle colors, a moody yet hopeful feeling. But $4.3 million? That's what it sold for at auction house Christie's. Wired says there's some rationale behind this kind of money for that kind of photo:

Well, for one thing, it’s not uncommon for a Gursky to sell for millions of dollars. His piece 99 Cnet II Diptychon at right also broke records when it was auctioned off for $3.3 million. Also, Gursky is akin to a painter in the way he creates surreal scenes through stitching, and digital manipulation and only makes very limited prints of each work. People are usually less surprised by these types of prices for works by en vogue painters.

Still, some speculate prices are jumping into light-speed realms because photographers are working hard to become recognized as "artists," and everyone knows "art" is more valuable than, say, "media" or "pictures." That's why Transformers did so much better at the box office than Blade Runner, after all. Photo: Wired. Thanks, Nerve.