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
Old Calendar
Justin Pumfrey
Photography - 101 x 76 x 0.01 cm Photography - 39.8 x 29.9 x 0 inch
€2,180
Making The Moon
Justin Pumfrey
Photography - 76 x 101 x 0.01 cm Photography - 29.9 x 39.8 x 0 inch
€2,180
High And Wild
Justin Pumfrey
Photography - 101 x 76 x 0.01 cm Photography - 39.8 x 29.9 x 0 inch
€2,180
Quiet Singer
Justin Pumfrey
Photography - 101 x 76 x 0.01 cm Photography - 39.8 x 29.9 x 0 inch
€2,180
Perfect Body
Justin Pumfrey
Photography - 51 x 76 x 0.01 cm Photography - 20.1 x 29.9 x 0 inch
€1,550
You are a story
Justin Pumfrey
Photography - 76 x 51 x 0.01 cm Photography - 29.9 x 20.1 x 0 inch
€1,550
Green Candle
Justin Pumfrey
Photography - 76 x 51 x 0.01 cm Photography - 29.9 x 20.1 x 0 inch
€1,550
Every Song II
Justin Pumfrey
Photography - 76 x 51 x 0.01 cm Photography - 29.9 x 20.1 x 0 inch
€1,550
West Of The Day II
Justin Pumfrey
Photography - 61 x 51 x 0.01 cm Photography - 24 x 20.1 x 0 inch
€1,295
You Are A Story
Justin Pumfrey
Photography - 61 x 51 x 0.01 cm Photography - 24 x 20.1 x 0 inch
€1,295
Softest Place
Justin Pumfrey
Photography - 51 x 61 x 0.01 cm Photography - 20.1 x 24 x 0 inch
€1,295
High And Wild
Justin Pumfrey
Photography - 51 x 41 x 0.01 cm Photography - 20.1 x 16.1 x 0 inch
€930
Faces In The Crowd II
Justin Pumfrey
Photography - 51 x 41 x 0.01 cm Photography - 20.1 x 16.1 x 0 inch
€930
Every song II
Justin Pumfrey
Photography - 51 x 41 x 0.01 cm Photography - 20.1 x 16.1 x 0 inch
€930
Green Candle
Justin Pumfrey
Photography - 61 x 51 x 0.001 cm Photography - 24 x 20.1 x 0 inch
€1,200
Jour d’été sur les quais, 2019-2022
Irène Jonas
Photography - 18 x 27 cm Photography - 7.1 x 10.6 inch
€500
Libraires sur Seine, 2019-2022
Irène Jonas
Photography - 18 x 27 cm Photography - 7.1 x 10.6 inch
€500
Autos Tamponneuse (3)
Irène Jonas
Photography - 13 x 19 x 0.1 cm Photography - 5.1 x 7.5 x 0 inch
€500
Soft With Scars
Justin Pumfrey
Photography - 41 x 30 x 0.01 cm Photography - 16.1 x 11.8 x 0 inch
€465
California poppy
Justin Pumfrey
Photography - 40 x 30 x 0.01 cm Photography - 15.7 x 11.8 x 0 inch
€465
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
€4,694
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
€3,755
Matthew Barney Portrait
Michael James O'Brien
Photography - 61 x 43.2 x 0.3 cm Photography - 24 x 17 x 0.1 inch
€3,755
Matthew Barney Portrait
Michael James O'Brien
Photography - 61 x 43.2 x 0.3 cm Photography - 24 x 17 x 0.1 inch
€3,755
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
€3,755
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
€3,755
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
€3,755
Constance (Girlfriend), NYC
Michael James O'Brien
Photography - 91.4 x 61 x 0.3 cm Photography - 36 x 24 x 0.1 inch
€4,694
Tabboo! Wigstock, NYC
Michael James O'Brien
Photography - 91.4 x 61 x 0.3 cm Photography - 36 x 24 x 0.1 inch
€4,694
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
€4,694
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
€4,694
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
€4,694
Conversation improbable
Irène Jonas
Photography - 19 x 13 x 0.1 cm Photography - 7.5 x 5.1 x 0 inch
€500
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
€14,081
Gypsy - L'Ombre de Toi - Meme, Paris
Julie Peiffer
Photography - 80 x 80 cm Photography - 31.5 x 31.5 inch
€910
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
€1,500
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
€2,900
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
€4,694
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
€4,694
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
€4,694
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
€4,694
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
€4,694
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
€4,694
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
€4,694
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
€4,694
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
€4,694
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
€4,694
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
€4,694
God will take the form I need
Sofia Alazraki
Photography - 110 x 86 x 0.2 cm Photography - 43.3 x 33.9 x 0.1 inch
€2,816
Autos tamponneuses (2)
Irène Jonas
Photography - 13 x 19 x 0.1 cm Photography - 5.1 x 7.5 x 0 inch
€500
