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
USA. Nevada and California. The Misfits, a film by John HUSTON. 1960 IV
Eve Arnold
Photography - 30.5 x 40.6 x 5.1 cm Photography - 12 x 16 x 2 inch
€2,243
GB. Church Of England
Eve Arnold
Photography - 30.5 x 40.6 x 5.1 cm Photography - 12 x 16 x 2 inch
€2,243
May the sky be my testimony
Ana Zegheanu
Photography - 20 x 20 x 0.02 cm Photography - 7.9 x 7.9 x 0 inch
€160
Two Glasses of Champagne Silhouette
Tyler Shields
Photography - 76.2 x 76.2 cm Photography - 30 x 30 inch
€4,773
Koudjour - 763602
Simeon Posen
Photography - 50.8 x 61 x 5.1 cm Photography - 20 x 24 x 2 inch
€3,198
Koudjour - 763603
Simeon Posen
Photography - 50.8 x 61 x 5.1 cm Photography - 20 x 24 x 2 inch
€3,198
Natanz Mosque - 765403
Simeon Posen
Photography - 50.8 x 61 x 5.1 cm Photography - 20 x 24 x 2 inch
€3,198
Persepolis - 765902
Simeon Posen
Photography - 50.8 x 61 x 5.1 cm Photography - 20 x 24 x 2 inch
€3,198
Persepolis - 765903
Simeon Posen
Photography - 50.8 x 61 x 5.1 cm Photography - 20 x 24 x 2 inch
€3,198
Village in Snow - 7651203
Simeon Posen
Photography - 50.8 x 61 x 5.1 cm Photography - 20 x 24 x 2 inch
€3,198
Alberta 152001
Simeon Posen
Photography - 63.5 x 101.6 x 5.1 cm Photography - 25 x 40 x 2 inch
€3,436
Karaj Chalus Highway - 763202
Simeon Posen
Photography - 50.8 x 61 x 5.1 cm Photography - 20 x 24 x 2 inch
€3,198
Koudjour - 763601
Simeon Posen
Photography - 50.8 x 61 x 5.1 cm Photography - 20 x 24 x 2 inch
€3,198
Shah Mosque Isfahan - 764903
Simeon Posen
Photography - 50.8 x 61 x 5.1 cm Photography - 20 x 24 x 2 inch
€3,198
Shah Mosque Isfahan - 764908
Simeon Posen
Photography - 50.8 x 61 x 5.1 cm Photography - 20 x 24 x 2 inch
€3,198
Shah Mosque Isfahan - 764910
Simeon Posen
Photography - 50.8 x 61 x 5.1 cm Photography - 20 x 24 x 2 inch
€3,198
Tomb of Cyrus - 7651101
Simeon Posen
Photography - 50.8 x 61 x 5.1 cm Photography - 20 x 24 x 2 inch
€3,198
Village in Snow - 7651204
Simeon Posen
Photography - 50.8 x 61 x 5.1 cm Photography - 20 x 24 x 2 inch
€3,198
Persepolis - 765910
Simeon Posen
Photography - 50.8 x 61 x 5.1 cm Photography - 20 x 24 x 2 inch
€3,198
Persepolis - 765911
Simeon Posen
Photography - 50.8 x 61 x 5.1 cm Photography - 20 x 24 x 2 inch
€3,198
Persepolis - 765913
Simeon Posen
Photography - 50.8 x 61 x 5.1 cm Photography - 20 x 24 x 2 inch
€3,198
Persepolis - 765914
Simeon Posen
Photography - 50.8 x 61 x 5.1 cm Photography - 20 x 24 x 2 inch
€3,198
Persepolis - 765915
Simeon Posen
Photography - 50.8 x 61 x 5.1 cm Photography - 20 x 24 x 2 inch
€3,198
765101 - Iran Collection
Simeon Posen
Photography - 50.8 x 61 x 5.1 cm Photography - 20 x 24 x 2 inch
€3,198
765104 - Iran Collection
Simeon Posen
Photography - 50.8 x 61 x 5.1 cm Photography - 20 x 24 x 2 inch
€3,198
Chehel Sitoun - 764701
Simeon Posen
Photography - 50.8 x 61 x 5.1 cm Photography - 20 x 24 x 2 inch
€3,198
Friday Mosque Isfahan - 7641109
Simeon Posen
Photography - 50.8 x 61 x 5.1 cm Photography - 20 x 24 x 2 inch
€3,198
Friday Mosque Isfahan - 764111
Simeon Posen
Photography - 50.8 x 61 x 5.1 cm Photography - 20 x 24 x 2 inch
€3,198
Isfahan Bazaar - 7644802
Simeon Posen
Photography - 50.8 x 61 x 5.1 cm Photography - 20 x 24 x 2 inch
€3,198
Isfahan Bazaar - 764807
Simeon Posen
Photography - 50.8 x 61 x 5.1 cm Photography - 20 x 24 x 2 inch
€3,198
Isfahan Friday Mosque - 7641104
Simeon Posen
Photography - 50.8 x 61 x 5.1 cm Photography - 20 x 24 x 2 inch
€3,198
Persepolis - 765909
Simeon Posen
Photography - 50.8 x 61 x 5.1 cm Photography - 20 x 24 x 2 inch
€3,198
7651003 - Iran Collection
Simeon Posen
Photography - 50.8 x 61 x 5.1 cm Photography - 20 x 24 x 2 inch
€3,198
7651001 - Iran Collection
Simeon Posen
Photography - 50.8 x 61 x 5.1 cm Photography - 20 x 24 x 2 inch
€3,198
Persepolis - 765904
Simeon Posen
Photography - 50.8 x 61 x 5.1 cm Photography - 20 x 24 x 2 inch
€3,198
Tokyo
Raynald Najosky
Photography - 40 x 60 x 1 cm Photography - 15.7 x 23.6 x 0.4 inch
€1,600 €1,440
Femme au temple
Raynald Najosky
Photography - 56 x 40 x 1 cm Photography - 22 x 15.7 x 0.4 inch
€1,100
Sumo 9
Raynald Najosky
Photography - 40 x 60 x 1 cm Photography - 15.7 x 23.6 x 0.4 inch
€1,600 €1,440
Series "Pipes" No. 08
Kat Zhivetin
Photography - 29.7 x 42 x 0.1 cm Photography - 11.7 x 16.5 x 0 inch
€659
Series "Pipes" No. 07
Kat Zhivetin
Photography - 29.7 x 42 x 0.1 cm Photography - 11.7 x 16.5 x 0 inch
€659
Series "Pipes" No. 06
Kat Zhivetin
Photography - 29.7 x 42 x 0.1 cm Photography - 11.7 x 16.5 x 0 inch
€659
Series "Pipes" No. 05
Kat Zhivetin
Photography - 29.7 x 42 x 0.1 cm Photography - 11.7 x 16.5 x 0 inch
€659
Dancer In The Dark (XXL)
Tyler Shields
Photography - 160 x 213.4 cm Photography - 63 x 84 inch
€47,726
Dancer In The Dark (L)
Tyler Shields
Photography - 101.6 x 152.4 cm Photography - 40 x 60 inch
€14,318
The Road to Kazbegi
Emil Farber
Photography - 39.2 x 26 x 0.1 cm Photography - 15.4 x 10.2 x 0 inch
€400
Life is Full of Possibilities
Marney-Rose Edge
Fine Art Drawings - 107 x 122 x 6 cm Fine Art Drawings - 42.1 x 48 x 2.4 inch
€1,600 €1,440
Who will fly you there
Grzegorz Sikorski
Photography - 80 x 80 x 0.1 cm Photography - 31.5 x 31.5 x 0 inch
€250
Boxer Bruce
Sebastian Riemer
Photography - 125 x 100 x 3 cm Photography - 49.2 x 39.4 x 1.2 inch
€7,000
Femme à l'enfant (Namibie)
Alastair Mc Naughton
Photography - 28.5 x 20 cm Photography - 11.2 x 7.9 inch
€100
Kimono II
Raynald Najosky
Photography - 40 x 30 x 1 cm Photography - 15.7 x 11.8 x 0.4 inch
€700 €630
Kimono I
Raynald Najosky
Photography - 50 x 40 x 1 cm Photography - 19.7 x 15.7 x 0.4 inch
€700 €630
Botanical Studies - The B-Sides - No. 14
Matthias Conrad
Photography - 75 x 50 x 0.1 cm Photography - 29.5 x 19.7 x 0 inch
€1,750
Botanical Studies - The B-Sides - No. 13
Matthias Conrad
Photography - 75 x 50 x 0.1 cm Photography - 29.5 x 19.7 x 0 inch
€1,750
Botanical Studies - The B-Sides - No. 12
Matthias Conrad
Photography - 75 x 50 x 0.1 cm Photography - 29.5 x 19.7 x 0 inch
€1,750
Botanical Studies - The B-Sides - No. 11
Matthias Conrad
Photography - 75 x 50 x 0.1 cm Photography - 29.5 x 19.7 x 0 inch
€1,750
Botanical Studies - The B-Sides - No. 10
Matthias Conrad
Photography - 75 x 50 x 0.1 cm Photography - 29.5 x 19.7 x 0 inch
€1,750
Botanical Studies - The B-Sides - No. 09
Matthias Conrad
Photography - 75 x 50 x 0.1 cm Photography - 29.5 x 19.7 x 0 inch
€1,750
Botanical Studies - The B-Sides - No. 08
Matthias Conrad
Photography - 75 x 50 x 0.1 cm Photography - 29.5 x 19.7 x 0 inch
€1,750
Botanical Studies - The B-Sides - No. 05
Matthias Conrad
Photography - 75 x 50 x 0.1 cm Photography - 29.5 x 19.7 x 0 inch
€1,750
Botanical Studies - The B-Sides - No. 04
Matthias Conrad
Photography - 75 x 50 x 0.1 cm Photography - 29.5 x 19.7 x 0 inch
€1,750
Botanical Studies - The B-Sides - No. 03
Matthias Conrad
Photography - 75 x 50 x 0.1 cm Photography - 29.5 x 19.7 x 0 inch
€1,750
Botanical Studies - The B-Sides - No. 02
Matthias Conrad
Photography - 75 x 50 x 0.1 cm Photography - 29.5 x 19.7 x 0 inch
€1,750
Lotus Ornament Large Format
Shepard Fairey (Obey)
Print - 105 x 77 x 0.1 cm Print - 41.3 x 30.3 x 0 inch
€2,300
Umbrella Silhouette II (S)
Tyler Shields
Photography - 57.2 x 76.2 cm Photography - 22.5 x 30 inch
€4,773
Umbrella Silhouette II (XS)
Tyler Shields
Photography - 38.1 x 50.8 cm Photography - 15 x 20 inch
€2,386
Lipstick Cigarette II (XS)
Tyler Shields
Photography - 38.1 x 50.8 cm Photography - 15 x 20 inch
€2,386
Bird cage
Sebastian Riemer
Photography - 105 x 130 x 3 cm Photography - 41.3 x 51.2 x 1.2 inch
€7,000
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!