Black and White Portraits

The allure of black and white. Color can articulate reality and reflect realism, but taking it away focuses on contrast and the use of monochromatic tone to set an atmosphere that draws the viewer in. This increase in impact has been harnessed by photographers since the first successful black and white images were taken by Joseph Nicephore Niepce in the early 19th century,  leading to further success in 1825 when he managed to produce a black and white image of a window. Naturally colored photographs would not be developed until 1891 when Lipmann Gabriel applied the phenomenon of optical light wave interface. And yet, the black and white photograph continued, particularly in portraiture. Why? Practically, black and white photographs have a longer archival shelf-life but artistically, color isn't needed to capture the emotion, depth, expression and indeed reality through dramatic tone and contrast of the figure in front of the lens. You only need to recant Dorothea Lange's widely circulated Migrant Mother (1936) to see how a single black and white portrait can become a symbol of plight. In our works, artists like Maud Bernos and James Sparshatt favor portraits devoid of color… portraits that draw you the viewer in and leave you to fall into their enduring monochromatic depths.

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Photography, El barbudo, James Sparshatt

El barbudo

James Sparshatt

Photography - 35 x 35 x 1 cm Photography - 13.8 x 13.8 x 0.4 inch

$1,123

Photography, Self portrait #1, Cody Choi

Self portrait #1

Cody Choi

Photography - 75 x 50 x 1.5 cm Photography - 29.5 x 19.7 x 0.6 inch

$4,239

Photography, Weary Grin, Ali Buhamad

Weary Grin

Ali Buhamad

Photography - 50 x 40 x 5 cm Photography - 19.7 x 15.7 x 2 inch

$1,000

Photography, Los Vientos, James Sparshatt

Los Vientos

James Sparshatt

Photography - 150 x 180 x 3 cm Photography - 59.1 x 70.9 x 1.2 inch

$9,821

Photography, 4 girls, Samuel Cueto

4 girls

Samuel Cueto

Photography - 40 x 50 cm Photography - 15.7 x 19.7 inch

$1,068

Photography, Foggy city, Ali Buhamad

Foggy city

Ali Buhamad

Photography - 40 x 50 x 5 cm Photography - 15.7 x 19.7 x 2 inch

$1,186

Photography, Rebalance, Ali Buhamad

Rebalance

Ali Buhamad

Photography - 40 x 30 x 5 cm Photography - 15.7 x 11.8 x 2 inch

$1,186

Photography, Sillage #4, Cody Choi

Sillage #4

Cody Choi

Photography - 101.6 x 76.2 x 0.1 cm Photography - 40 x 30 x 0 inch

$643

Photography, DisSimuLaTiO, Louis Blanc

DisSimuLaTiO

Louis Blanc

Photography - 70 x 70 x 1 cm Photography - 27.6 x 27.6 x 0.4 inch

$2,669

Photography, lusclnuS, Louis Blanc

lusclnuS

Louis Blanc

Photography - 70 x 70 x 1 cm Photography - 27.6 x 27.6 x 0.4 inch

$1,186

Photography, lnvolucruM, Louis Blanc

lnvolucruM

Louis Blanc

Photography - 30 x 30 x 0.1 cm Photography - 11.8 x 11.8 x 0 inch

$1,068

Photography, DeliRiUs, Louis Blanc

DeliRiUs

Louis Blanc

Photography - 30 x 30 x 0.1 cm Photography - 11.8 x 11.8 x 0 inch

$1,661

Photography, facieS, Louis Blanc

facieS

Louis Blanc

Photography - 50 x 50 x 0.1 cm Photography - 19.7 x 19.7 x 0 inch

$1,780

Photography, ContemplatlO, Louis Blanc

ContemplatlO

Louis Blanc

Photography - 50 x 50 x 0.1 cm Photography - 19.7 x 19.7 x 0 inch

$1,186

Photography, facieS, Louis Blanc

facieS

Louis Blanc

Photography - 70 x 70 x 0.1 cm Photography - 27.6 x 27.6 x 0 inch

$2,788

Photography, Around us, Ali Buhamad

Around us

Ali Buhamad

Photography - 40 x 50 x 5 cm Photography - 15.7 x 19.7 x 2 inch

$500

Photography, 1%, Samuel Cueto

1%

Samuel Cueto

Photography - 120 x 80 x 1 cm Photography - 47.2 x 31.5 x 0.4 inch

$9,491

Photography, Queen lady, Samuel Cueto

Queen lady

Samuel Cueto

Photography - 80 x 120 x 1 cm Photography - 31.5 x 47.2 x 0.4 inch

$7,118

Photography, Dragon, Samuel Cueto

Dragon

Samuel Cueto

Photography - 120 x 80 x 1 cm Photography - 47.2 x 31.5 x 0.4 inch

$7,118

Photography, Silence 2, Samuel Cueto

Silence 2

Samuel Cueto

Photography - 120 x 80 x 1 cm Photography - 47.2 x 31.5 x 0.4 inch

$7,118

Photography, Jazz, Harry Hammond

Jazz

Harry Hammond

Photography - 76.2 x 76.2 cm Photography - 30 x 30 inch

$979

Photography, Audrey Hepburn, Bridgeman

Audrey Hepburn

Bridgeman

Photography - 30 x 24 x 0.05 cm Photography - 11.8 x 9.4 x 0 inch

$297

Photography, Kito de Pavant, Maud Bernos

Kito de Pavant

Maud Bernos

Photography - 80 x 80 x 5 cm Photography - 31.5 x 31.5 x 2 inch

$3,559

Photography, Atrabilis, Nova Doria

Atrabilis

Nova Doria

Photography - 30 x 30 x 1 cm Photography - 11.8 x 11.8 x 0.4 inch

$931

Photography, Picasso (1), Gjon Mili

Picasso (1)

Gjon Mili

Photography - 30 x 24 x 0.05 cm Photography - 11.8 x 9.4 x 0 inch

$297

Photography, Picasso, Gjon Mili

Picasso

Gjon Mili

Photography - 27 x 20 x 0.05 cm Photography - 10.6 x 7.9 x 0 inch

$297

Photography, The 3rd day #5, Cody Choi

The 3rd day #5

Cody Choi

Photography - 50.8 x 76.2 x 0.2 cm Photography - 20 x 30 x 0.1 inch

$495

Photography, Dancer: Bobo, Cody Choi

Dancer: Bobo

Cody Choi

Photography - 76.2 x 50.8 x 0.2 cm Photography - 30 x 20 x 0.1 inch

$424

Photography, Datura, Nova Doria

Datura

Nova Doria

Photography - 40 x 30 x 1 cm Photography - 15.7 x 11.8 x 0.4 inch

$1,127

Photography, Circe, Nova Doria

Circe

Nova Doria

Photography - 70 x 70 x 1 cm Photography - 27.6 x 27.6 x 0.4 inch

$1,691

Photography, Perséfone, Nova Doria

Perséfone

Nova Doria

Photography - 30 x 40 x 1 cm Photography - 11.8 x 15.7 x 0.4 inch

$1,127

Photography, Gone, Alexander Benz

Gone

Alexander Benz

Photography - 40 x 40 x 0.1 cm Photography - 15.7 x 15.7 x 0 inch

$546

Photography, Headlight, Alexander Benz

Headlight

Alexander Benz

Photography - 40 x 40 x 0.1 cm Photography - 15.7 x 15.7 x 0 inch

$546

Photography, Deep Breath, Alexander Benz

Deep Breath

Alexander Benz

Photography - 40 x 40 x 0.1 cm Photography - 15.7 x 15.7 x 0 inch

$546

Photography, Last call, Alexander Benz

Last call

Alexander Benz

Photography - 40 x 40 x 0.1 cm Photography - 15.7 x 15.7 x 0 inch

$546

Photography, Look Look, Alexander Benz

Look Look

Alexander Benz

Photography - 40 x 40 x 0.1 cm Photography - 15.7 x 15.7 x 0 inch

$546

Photography, Styled, Alexander Benz

Styled

Alexander Benz

Photography - 40 x 40 x 0.2 cm Photography - 15.7 x 15.7 x 0.1 inch

$546

Photography, Le Havre, Alexander Benz

Le Havre

Alexander Benz

Photography - 40 x 40 x 0.1 cm Photography - 15.7 x 15.7 x 0 inch

$546

Photography, Hanging On, Alexander Benz

Hanging On

Alexander Benz

Photography - 40 x 40 x 0.2 cm Photography - 15.7 x 15.7 x 0.1 inch

$546

Photography, Suspiro, Nova Doria

Suspiro

Nova Doria

Photography - 20 x 20 x 1 cm Photography - 7.9 x 7.9 x 0.4 inch

$676

Photography, InclusuS, Louis Blanc

InclusuS

Louis Blanc

Photography - 30 x 30 x 0.1 cm Photography - 11.8 x 11.8 x 0 inch

$949

Photography, IncubO, Louis Blanc

IncubO

Louis Blanc

Photography - 50 x 50 x 1 cm Photography - 19.7 x 19.7 x 0.4 inch

$890

Photography, RetentiO, Louis Blanc

RetentiO

Louis Blanc

Photography - 50 x 50 x 1 cm Photography - 19.7 x 19.7 x 0.4 inch

$890

Photography, BestiA, Louis Blanc

BestiA

Louis Blanc

Photography - 30 x 30 x 0.1 cm Photography - 11.8 x 11.8 x 0 inch

$1,364

Photography, DisSimuLaTiO, Louis Blanc

DisSimuLaTiO

Louis Blanc

Photography - 30 x 30 x 1 cm Photography - 11.8 x 11.8 x 0.4 inch

$2,254

Photography, AraneosuS, Louis Blanc

AraneosuS

Louis Blanc

Photography - 70 x 70 x 0.1 cm Photography - 27.6 x 27.6 x 0 inch

$2,076

Photography, DisSimuLaTiO, Louis Blanc

DisSimuLaTiO

Louis Blanc

Photography - 50 x 50 x 1 cm Photography - 19.7 x 19.7 x 0.4 inch

$2,373

Photography, TEsTudiNeUS, Louis Blanc

TEsTudiNeUS

Louis Blanc

Photography - 50 x 50 x 0.1 cm Photography - 19.7 x 19.7 x 0 inch

$2,966

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