Dark photographic compositions
Highlighting the darkness. It seems almost like an oxymoron, but in photography certain techniques can do just that. Much like darker tones found in painting, dark photographic compositions can echo melancholy, somberness or loneliness – whether that is in a dimly lit nightscape or a densely packed crowd void of light in the urban landscape. Both black and white and color photography can create dark compositions, playing with the hues of browns, black and grays that emerge within photographic processes. By using contrast to highlight a subject, such as an item, gaze, or outline, it might suggest a dark emotion or feeling of loneliness, danger and even intimacy and adventure. In Artsper's own selection of works, Christophe Dabreau notes that he observes his subjects and attempts to “bring to light" a view hidden in shadow. Whilst Cécile Baldewyns' work aims to tell stories and reveal secrets of her desires and sorrow through dark compositions. Though her work has been deemed both sensual and disturbing, isn't the foreboding and dramatic nature of dark tones the perfect setting for it?
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
Autos Tamponneuse (3)
Irène Jonas
Photography - 13 x 19 x 0.1 cm Photography - 5.1 x 7.5 x 0 inch
$602
Soft With Scars
Justin Pumfrey
Photography - 41 x 30 x 0.01 cm Photography - 16.1 x 11.8 x 0 inch
$559
California poppy
Justin Pumfrey
Photography - 40 x 30 x 0.01 cm Photography - 15.7 x 11.8 x 0 inch
$559
Ton souffle m’aura déjà coûté un naufrage
Julie Peiffer
Photography - 60 x 40 x 0.5 cm Photography - 23.6 x 15.7 x 0.2 inch
$1,059
Conversation improbable
Irène Jonas
Photography - 19 x 13 x 0.1 cm Photography - 7.5 x 5.1 x 0 inch
$602
Conscience
Cyrille Charro
Photography - 100 x 100 x 3 cm Photography - 39.4 x 39.4 x 1.2 inch
$1,805
Gaudí 30
Ivanna Alejandra Sanchez Moretti
Photography - 40 x 30 cm Photography - 15.7 x 11.8 inch
$481
Desvelando Gaudí 012
Ivanna Alejandra Sanchez Moretti
Photography - 40 x 30 cm Photography - 15.7 x 11.8 inch
$481
Desvelando Gaudí 013
Ivanna Alejandra Sanchez Moretti
Photography - 40 x 30 cm Photography - 15.7 x 11.8 inch
$481
Moon Shin, Portrait à la cigarette
John Craven né Conte
Photography - 40 x 30 x 0.5 cm Photography - 15.7 x 11.8 x 0.2 inch
$3,489
Jem Jender, Studio, NYC
Michael James O'Brien
Photography - 91.4 x 61 x 0.3 cm Photography - 36 x 24 x 0.1 inch
$5,000
Autos tamponneuses (2)
Irène Jonas
Photography - 13 x 19 x 0.1 cm Photography - 5.1 x 7.5 x 0 inch
$602
Autos tamponneuses (1)
Irène Jonas
Photography - 13 x 19 x 0.1 cm Photography - 5.1 x 7.5 x 0 inch
$602
Ham Lands
Justin Pumfrey
Photography - 151 x 101 x 0.01 cm Photography - 59.4 x 39.8 x 0 inch
$3,363
Honey Moon
Justin Pumfrey
Photography - 151 x 101 x 0.01 cm Photography - 59.4 x 39.8 x 0 inch
$3,363
Salisbury Plain
Justin Pumfrey
Photography - 151 x 101 x 0.01 cm Photography - 59.4 x 39.8 x 0 inch
$3,363
West Of The Day II
Justin Pumfrey
Photography - 151 x 101 x 0.01 cm Photography - 59.4 x 39.8 x 0 inch
$3,363
You are a story
Justin Pumfrey
Photography - 151 x 101 x 0.01 cm Photography - 59.4 x 39.8 x 0 inch
$3,363
Glasto II
Justin Pumfrey
Photography - 151 x 101 x 0.01 cm Photography - 59.4 x 39.8 x 0 inch
$3,363
Sweet Night
Justin Pumfrey
Photography - 151 x 101 x 0.01 cm Photography - 59.4 x 39.8 x 0 inch
$3,363
Stay A While
Justin Pumfrey
Photography - 151 x 101 x 0.01 cm Photography - 59.4 x 39.8 x 0 inch
$3,363
Faces In The Crowd II
Justin Pumfrey
Photography - 151 x 101 x 0.01 cm Photography - 59.4 x 39.8 x 0 inch
$3,363
Satyr, Drawing Restraint 7, Matthew Barney studio, NYC
Michael James O'Brien
Photography - 61 x 43.2 x 0.3 cm Photography - 24 x 17 x 0.1 inch
$4,000
Matthew Barney Portrait
Michael James O'Brien
Photography - 61 x 43.2 x 0.3 cm Photography - 24 x 17 x 0.1 inch
$4,000
Matthew Barney Portrait
Michael James O'Brien
Photography - 61 x 43.2 x 0.3 cm Photography - 24 x 17 x 0.1 inch
$4,000
Matthew Barney, Isle of Man
Michael James O'Brien
Photography - 61 x 43.2 x 0.3 cm Photography - 24 x 17 x 0.1 inch
$4,000
Satyr, Drawing Restraint 7, Matthew Barney studio, NYC
Michael James O'Brien
Photography - 43.2 x 61 x 0.3 cm Photography - 17 x 24 x 0.1 inch
$4,000
Matthew Barney, Cremaster 5
Michael James O'Brien
Photography - 43.2 x 61 x 0.3 cm Photography - 17 x 24 x 0.1 inch
$4,000
Alabama Street. From the series Lost in transition
Ying Chen
Photography - 203.2 x 152.4 x 0.3 cm Photography - 80 x 60 x 0.1 inch
$4,000
Atlanta high museum
Ying Chen
Photography - 203.2 x 152.4 x 0.3 cm Photography - 80 x 60 x 0.1 inch
$4,000
Atlanta skyline
Ying Chen
Photography - 203.2 x 152.4 x 0.3 cm Photography - 80 x 60 x 0.1 inch
$4,000
Peachtree Street
Ying Chen
Photography - 203.2 x 152.4 x 0.3 cm Photography - 80 x 60 x 0.1 inch
$4,000
Plaza and viaduct
Ying Chen
Photography - 203.2 x 152.4 x 0.3 cm Photography - 80 x 60 x 0.1 inch
$4,000
Constance (Girlfriend), NYC
Michael James O'Brien
Photography - 91.4 x 61 x 0.3 cm Photography - 36 x 24 x 0.1 inch
$5,000
Tabboo! Wigstock, NYC
Michael James O'Brien
Photography - 91.4 x 61 x 0.3 cm Photography - 36 x 24 x 0.1 inch
$5,000
Joey Arias Channeling Billie Holiday, NYC
Michael James O'Brien
Photography - 91.4 x 61 x 0.3 cm Photography - 36 x 24 x 0.1 inch
$5,000
TThe Last Sea, Skull, Brandon, Diptych
Michael James O'Brien
Photography - 76.2 x 101.6 x 0.3 cm Photography - 30 x 40 x 0.1 inch
$5,000
In the Evening (Diptych), n.d.
Michael James O'Brien
Photography - 76.2 x 101.6 x 0.3 cm Photography - 30 x 40 x 0.1 inch
$5,000
Gypsy - L'Ombre de Toi - Meme, Paris
Julie Peiffer
Photography - 80 x 80 cm Photography - 31.5 x 31.5 inch
$1,095
L'escalier. 6,09 m crue de la Seine
Julie Peiffer
Photography - 80 x 80 x 0.04 cm Photography - 31.5 x 31.5 x 0 inch
$1,805
Still life with Tulips, Garden Gloves and a Fluted Opalina Vase, Antwerp
Michael James O'Brien
Photography - 203.2 x 152.4 x 0.3 cm Photography - 80 x 60 x 0.1 inch
$15,000
Keeper of the Forest
Héléna Palazzi
Photography - 89 x 71 x 0.1 cm Photography - 35 x 28 x 0 inch
$1,083
Shield Maiden, II
Héléna Palazzi
Photography - 89 x 71 x 0.1 cm Photography - 35 x 28 x 0 inch
$1,083
Shield Maiden, III
Héléna Palazzi
Photography - 89 x 71 x 0.1 cm Photography - 35 x 28 x 0 inch
$1,083
Making The Moon
Justin Pumfrey
Photography - 30 x 41 x 0.01 cm Photography - 11.8 x 16.1 x 0 inch
$559
Still Life with Pink Tulips and an Opalina Vase, Antwerp
Michael James O'Brien
Photography - 91.4 x 61 x 0.3 cm Photography - 36 x 24 x 0.1 inch
$5,000
Still Life with a Yellow Tulip and a Yellow Opalina Vase, Antwerp
Michael James O'Brien
Photography - 91.4 x 61 x 0.3 cm Photography - 36 x 24 x 0.1 inch
$5,000
Still life with a White Tulip and a Green Opalina Vase, Antwerp
Michael James O'Brien
Photography - 91.4 x 61 x 0.3 cm Photography - 36 x 24 x 0.1 inch
$5,000
Still life with Tulips, and a Pale Blue Opalina Vase, Antwerp
Michael James O'Brien
Photography - 91.4 x 61 x 0.3 cm Photography - 36 x 24 x 0.1 inch
$5,000
Still life with Tulips, a Ladder and a Yellow Opalina Vase, Antwerp
Michael James O'Brien
Photography - 91.4 x 61 x 0.3 cm Photography - 36 x 24 x 0.1 inch
$5,000
Still life with a shell and a rope, Paris
Michael James O'Brien
Photography - 91.4 x 61 x 0.3 cm Photography - 36 x 24 x 0.1 inch
$5,000
Still life with a Wooden Hanger, Antwerp
Michael James O'Brien
Photography - 91.4 x 61 x 0.3 cm Photography - 36 x 24 x 0.1 inch
$5,000
Still life with a Broken Vase, n.d.
Michael James O'Brien
Photography - 91.4 x 61 x 0.3 cm Photography - 36 x 24 x 0.1 inch
$5,000
Still Life with a Coral Branch and a Crystal Globe, NYC, 2002
Michael James O'Brien
Photography - 91.4 x 61 x 0.3 cm Photography - 36 x 24 x 0.1 inch
$5,000
One Pink Rose, n.d.
Michael James O'Brien
Photography - 91.4 x 61 x 0.3 cm Photography - 36 x 24 x 0.1 inch
$5,000
O, Hyacinthus (Diptych)
Michael James O'Brien
Photography - 76.2 x 101.6 x 0.3 cm Photography - 30 x 40 x 0.1 inch
$5,000
Chinese Interior #20
Robert van der Hilst
Photography - 49 x 42 cm Photography - 19.3 x 16.5 inch
$2,166 $1,949
Chinese Interior #48
Robert van der Hilst
Photography - 42 x 49 cm Photography - 16.5 x 19.3 inch
$2,166
Chinese Interior #36
Robert van der Hilst
Photography - 42 x 49 cm Photography - 16.5 x 19.3 inch
$2,166 $1,949
Chinese Interior #63
Robert van der Hilst
Photography - 42 x 49 cm Photography - 16.5 x 19.3 inch
$2,166
108, de la série Baltique
Irène Jonas
Photography - 18 x 27 x 0.1 cm Photography - 7.1 x 10.6 x 0 inch
$1,083