Black and white
Save your search and find it in your favorites
Save your search to find it quickly
Saved search
Your search is accessible from the favorites tab > My favorite searches
Unsaved search
A problem occurred
Terre Sainte B&W
Jean-Guy Nakars
Photography - 90 x 60 x 0.1 cm Photography - 35.4 x 23.6 x 0 inch
€349
Rome : Monument
Ellie Sass (Sassayiannis)
Photography - 50 x 50 x 0.1 cm Photography - 19.7 x 19.7 x 0 inch
€390
Monch Eiger Jungfrau
Thomas Crauwels
Photography - 90 x 180 x 1 cm Photography - 35.4 x 70.9 x 0.4 inch
€4,726
Sea(birds) XII
Ellie Sass (Sassayiannis)
Photography - 30 x 42 x 0.1 cm Photography - 11.8 x 16.5 x 0 inch
€320
Seabirds XI
Ellie Sass (Sassayiannis)
Photography - 30 x 42 x 0.1 cm Photography - 11.8 x 16.5 x 0 inch
€320
Seabirds VII
Ellie Sass (Sassayiannis)
Photography - 30 x 42 x 0.1 cm Photography - 11.8 x 16.5 x 0 inch
€320
Seabirds II
Ellie Sass (Sassayiannis)
Photography - 30 x 42 x 0.1 cm Photography - 11.8 x 16.5 x 0 inch
€320
Enlightenment
Ellie Sass (Sassayiannis)
Photography - 30 x 42 x 0.1 cm Photography - 11.8 x 16.5 x 0 inch
€320
Darkness
Ellie Sass (Sassayiannis)
Photography - 30 x 42 x 0.1 cm Photography - 11.8 x 16.5 x 0 inch
€320
Dark Secret
Ellie Sass (Sassayiannis)
Photography - 30 x 42 x 0.1 cm Photography - 11.8 x 16.5 x 0 inch
€320
Balance
Ellie Sass (Sassayiannis)
Photography - 30 x 42 x 0.1 cm Photography - 11.8 x 16.5 x 0 inch
€320
Path To Paradise
Ellie Sass (Sassayiannis)
Photography - 30 x 42 x 0.1 cm Photography - 11.8 x 16.5 x 0 inch
€320
Half-Dead Tree
Ellie Sass (Sassayiannis)
Photography - 30 x 42 x 0.1 cm Photography - 11.8 x 16.5 x 0 inch
€320
Earth
Ellie Sass (Sassayiannis)
Photography - 30 x 42 x 0.1 cm Photography - 11.8 x 16.5 x 0 inch
€320
Grapes
Ellie Sass (Sassayiannis)
Photography - 30 x 42 x 0.1 cm Photography - 11.8 x 16.5 x 0 inch
€320
Magical Woods
Ellie Sass (Sassayiannis)
Photography - 30 x 42 x 0.1 cm Photography - 11.8 x 16.5 x 0 inch
€320
96 Printemps /
Didier Cormillot
Photography - 40 x 60 x 0.2 cm Photography - 15.7 x 23.6 x 0.1 inch
€230
ELLE 1996 Coquine /
Didier Cormillot
Photography - 60 x 40 x 0.2 cm Photography - 23.6 x 15.7 x 0.1 inch
€230
In the morning after a night of love
Didier Cormillot
Photography - 60 x 40 x 0.2 cm Photography - 23.6 x 15.7 x 0.1 inch
€230
Elle sensualité /
Didier Cormillot
Photography - 40 x 60 x 0.1 cm Photography - 15.7 x 23.6 x 0 inch
€230
97 Printemps /
Didier Cormillot
Photography - 40 x 60 x 0.2 cm Photography - 15.7 x 23.6 x 0.1 inch
€230
Déja mannequin /
Didier Cormillot
Photography - 60 x 40 x 0.2 cm Photography - 23.6 x 15.7 x 0.1 inch
€230
Soledad : Frida's Sorrows
Ellie Sass (Sassayiannis)
Photography - 70 x 50 x 0.1 cm Photography - 27.6 x 19.7 x 0 inch
€480
Urban Portrait - Antony
Ellie Sass (Sassayiannis)
Photography - 30 x 42 x 0.1 cm Photography - 11.8 x 16.5 x 0 inch
€320
Urban Portrait - Ellie
Ellie Sass (Sassayiannis)
Photography - 30 x 42 x 0.1 cm Photography - 11.8 x 16.5 x 0 inch
€320
Urban Portrait - Michael II
Ellie Sass (Sassayiannis)
Photography - 30 x 42 x 0.1 cm Photography - 11.8 x 16.5 x 0 inch
€320
En attendant la neige / Architecture
Adrianna MJW
Photography - 30 x 30 x 0.1 cm Photography - 11.8 x 11.8 x 0 inch
€450
Parallèle
Jean-Paul Veison Marcelli
Photography - 21 x 30 x 0.3 cm Photography - 8.3 x 11.8 x 0.1 inch
€190
In the Shadows
Drew Doggett
Photography - 91.4 x 61 x 0.3 cm Photography - 36 x 24 x 0.1 inch
€2,397
Higher Ground
Drew Doggett
Photography - 50.8 x 91.4 x 0.3 cm Photography - 20 x 36 x 0.1 inch
€2,397
Mother's Grace
Drew Doggett
Photography - 61 x 91.4 x 0.3 cm Photography - 24 x 36 x 0.1 inch
€2,397
Creature Comfort
Drew Doggett
Photography - 43.8 x 91.4 x 0.3 cm Photography - 17.25 x 36 x 0.1 inch
€2,397
From the Earth
Drew Doggett
Photography - 66 x 91.4 x 0.3 cm Photography - 26 x 36 x 0.1 inch
€2,253
La plage aux rochers
Philippe Grincourt
Photography - 39 x 59 x 0.3 cm Photography - 15.4 x 23.2 x 0.1 inch
€450
Les Goélands
Philippe Grincourt
Photography - 39 x 59 x 0.3 cm Photography - 15.4 x 23.2 x 0.1 inch
€450
Languidou
Philippe Grincourt
Photography - 39 x 59 x 0.3 cm Photography - 15.4 x 23.2 x 0.1 inch
€450
Croix et Calvaire
Philippe Grincourt
Photography - 39 x 59 x 0.3 cm Photography - 15.4 x 23.2 x 0.1 inch
€450
Notre Dame de Callot
Philippe Grincourt
Photography - 39 x 59 x 0.3 cm Photography - 15.4 x 23.2 x 0.1 inch
€450
L'ile Louët et le château du Taureau
Philippe Grincourt
Photography - 39 x 59 x 0.3 cm Photography - 15.4 x 23.2 x 0.1 inch
€450
La Penzé
Philippe Grincourt
Photography - 39 x 59 x 0.3 cm Photography - 15.4 x 23.2 x 0.1 inch
€450
La Plage
Philippe Grincourt
Photography - 39 x 59 x 0.3 cm Photography - 15.4 x 23.2 x 0.1 inch
€450
Phare de Pontusval
Philippe Grincourt
Photography - 39 x 59 x 0.3 cm Photography - 15.4 x 23.2 x 0.1 inch
€450
L'ile aux vaches
Philippe Grincourt
Photography - 39 x 59 x 0.3 cm Photography - 15.4 x 23.2 x 0.1 inch
€450
Les Amiets
Philippe Grincourt
Photography - 39 x 59 x 0.3 cm Photography - 15.4 x 23.2 x 0.1 inch
€450
Beg ar Groas
Philippe Grincourt
Photography - 39 x 59 x 0.3 cm Photography - 15.4 x 23.2 x 0.1 inch
€450
Menhir Men Marz
Philippe Grincourt
Photography - 39 x 59 x 0.3 cm Photography - 15.4 x 23.2 x 0.1 inch
€450
La bigoudène
Philippe Grincourt
Photography - 39 x 59 x 0.3 cm Photography - 15.4 x 23.2 x 0.1 inch
€450
La vague
Philippe Grincourt
Photography - 39 x 59 x 0.3 cm Photography - 15.4 x 23.2 x 0.1 inch
€450
Noel 2023 /
Didier Cormillot
Photography - 40 x 60 x 0.2 cm Photography - 15.7 x 23.6 x 0.1 inch
€270
Port blanc en hiver sous la neige /
Didier Cormillot
Photography - 40 x 60 x 0.2 cm Photography - 15.7 x 23.6 x 0.1 inch
€270
Rome : Faith
Ellie Sass (Sassayiannis)
Photography - 70 x 50 x 0.1 cm Photography - 27.6 x 19.7 x 0 inch
€480
Rome : Life
Ellie Sass (Sassayiannis)
Photography - 70 x 50 x 0.1 cm Photography - 27.6 x 19.7 x 0 inch
€480
Rome : Statue
Ellie Sass (Sassayiannis)
Photography - 70 x 50 x 0.1 cm Photography - 27.6 x 19.7 x 0 inch
€480
Rome : On The Road
Ellie Sass (Sassayiannis)
Photography - 70 x 50 x 0.1 cm Photography - 27.6 x 19.7 x 0 inch
€480
Rome : Old Abandonned Building
Ellie Sass (Sassayiannis)
Photography - 50 x 70 x 0.1 cm Photography - 19.7 x 27.6 x 0 inch
€480
La ville Les Orgues de Flandre /
Didier Cormillot
Photography - 40 x 60 x 0.2 cm Photography - 15.7 x 23.6 x 0.1 inch
€230
Chain Link Fence II
Ellie Sass (Sassayiannis)
Photography - 42 x 30 x 0.1 cm Photography - 16.5 x 11.8 x 0 inch
€320
Street Art IV
Ellie Sass (Sassayiannis)
Photography - 30 x 42 x 0.1 cm Photography - 11.8 x 16.5 x 0 inch
€320
Street Art - Hand
Ellie Sass (Sassayiannis)
Photography - 42 x 30 x 0.1 cm Photography - 16.5 x 11.8 x 0 inch
€320
Chain Link Fence
Ellie Sass (Sassayiannis)
Photography - 30 x 42 x 0.1 cm Photography - 11.8 x 16.5 x 0 inch
€320
Urban Graffiti Wall II
Ellie Sass (Sassayiannis)
Photography - 30 x 42 x 0.1 cm Photography - 11.8 x 16.5 x 0 inch
€320
Elle - La Belle et la Bête /
Didier Cormillot
Photography - 60 x 80 cm Photography - 23.6 x 31.5 inch
€230
Lazy man with dog
Sven Svensøn
Photography - 40 x 60 x 0.1 cm Photography - 15.7 x 23.6 x 0 inch
€390
Dijon, the gargoyle
Fabien Olart
Photography - 40 x 60 x 0.1 cm Photography - 15.7 x 23.6 x 0 inch
€450
Paris, boat on Seine river
Fabien Olart
Photography - 40 x 60 x 0.1 cm Photography - 15.7 x 23.6 x 0 inch
€450
Black and white
Before the arrival of photography – with the exception of some etchings and lithographs – all the images we consumed were in colour. Quite simply, because no one would ever have thought to do anything else – why paint in black and white when colour was so readily available?
Yet despite this, today many photographers still choose to work in black and white – such as Pauline Théon, Kadir Von Lohuizen or Joh Lowenstein – even though their photos are taken in colour by the camera itself. Is the black and white trend a fleeting effect of fashion, or a symbolic return to the roots of the photography movement? Black and white photography has something that colour photos, despite recent innovations and the extraordinary quality of images today, cannot quite access. The use of black and white lends significant force to the composition: the contrasts, the shadows and the figures all stand out more strongly. People simply feel differently when faced with a colour photo versus a black and white image.
Colour is a distraction of sorts, a disturbance: colour is a nuisance.
And yet, some photographers still prefer colour to black and white, whilst others merge touches of colour with otherwise monochrome compositions. But in the end, all agree that both styles impose a totally different way of looking at a photo: from researching the shot to post production work, when artists develop or retouch the image. The use of colour is therefore something of a process in its own right, relating to two different ways of viewing the world and showing it others. The question, then, is what is being told, and why is it being in the way that it is?
The symbolic value of putting black and white together is a good starting point for reflecting on the fascination that they generate even today. There could not be a more fascinating, more striking ambivalence than when black, the 'colour' of darkness and burnt coal, considered a non-colour, is placed alongside white – representing light, and the result of all the colours merged together.
The problem faced by photographers today is that black and white still carry strong connotations of the past, of an era before the popularisation of colour and its massive cultural recovery amongst the press and photo journalists. In fact, it is rare now that contemporary subjects are photographed in colour, but we still associate black and white images with a retro feel.
So what does contemporary art have to say about it all? Discover Artsper's selection of black and white works: on the border of past and present, of the real and the imaginary… let us guide you!