Black and white
Save your search and find it in your favorites
Saved search
Your search is accessible from the favorites tab > My favorite searches
Unsaved search
A problem occurred
BB King On Stage - in Spotlights, Boston Garden
Glen Craig
Photography - 50.8 x 40.6 x 5.1 cm Photography - 20 x 16 x 2 inch
$1,500
BB King Performing - Just a Little Bit of Love on Music Scene, ABC Studios, Los Angeles
Glen Craig
Photography - 40.6 x 50.8 x 5.1 cm Photography - 16 x 20 x 2 inch
$1,500
BB King, The Thrill is Gone Recording Session - Rehearsing at the Piano, at The Hit Factory, NYC
Glen Craig
Photography - 40.6 x 50.8 x 5.1 cm Photography - 16 x 20 x 2 inch
$1,500
B.B. King, Los Angeles, CA
Glen Craig
Photography - 40.6 x 50.8 x 5.1 cm Photography - 16 x 20 x 2 inch
$1,500
B.B. King, Rolling Stones Tour
Glen Craig
Photography - 50.8 x 40.6 x 5.1 cm Photography - 20 x 16 x 2 inch
$1,500
BB King Rehearsing Backstage - with Cigarette I, Madison Square Garden
Glen Craig
Photography - 40.6 x 50.8 x 5.1 cm Photography - 16 x 20 x 2 inch
$1,500
BB King On Stage - Eyes Closed, LA Forum
Glen Craig
Photography - 40.6 x 50.8 x 5.1 cm Photography - 16 x 20 x 2 inch
$1,750
Tina Turner On Stage Dancing, LA Forum
Glen Craig
Photography - 40.6 x 50.8 x 5.1 cm Photography - 16 x 20 x 2 inch
$1,750
Tina Turner, Los Angeles, CA
Glen Craig
Photography - 50.8 x 40.6 x 5.1 cm Photography - 20 x 16 x 2 inch
$1,500
Iggy Pop, Ann Arbor, MI, 1968 II
Glen Craig
Photography - 50.8 x 40.6 x 5.1 cm Photography - 20 x 16 x 2 inch
$1,500
Ron Asheton and Iggy Pop - Ungano's Club, first NYC gig 1970
Glen Craig
Photography - 40.6 x 50.8 x 5.1 cm Photography - 16 x 20 x 2 inch
$1,500
The Stooges, NYC, 1969
Glen Craig
Photography - 40.6 x 50.8 x 5.1 cm Photography - 16 x 20 x 2 inch
$1,500
The Stooges - First Recording Session, Hit Factory Recording Studio, NYC, 1970
Glen Craig
Photography - 40.6 x 50.8 x 5.1 cm Photography - 16 x 20 x 2 inch
$1,500
Iggy Pop, The Stooges, The Hit Factory, NYC, 1969
Glen Craig
Photography - 40.6 x 50.8 x 5.1 cm Photography - 16 x 20 x 2 inch
$1,500
Iggy Pop - NYC 1969
Glen Craig
Photography - 40.6 x 50.8 x 5.1 cm Photography - 16 x 20 x 2 inch
$1,500
The Stooges, NYC, 1969
Glen Craig
Photography - 40.6 x 50.8 x 5.1 cm Photography - 16 x 20 x 2 inch
$1,500
Tina Turner Singing with Ikettes, Tonight Show with Johnny Carson, November 23, 1970
Glen Craig
Photography - 40.6 x 50.8 x 5.1 cm Photography - 16 x 20 x 2 inch
$1,500
Tina and Ike Turner Backstage, Tonight Show with Johnny Carson, November 23, 1970
Glen Craig
Photography - 40.6 x 50.8 x 5.1 cm Photography - 16 x 20 x 2 inch
$1,500
Tina Turner On Stage Clapping, LA Forum, 1969
Glen Craig
Photography - 50.8 x 40.6 x 5.1 cm Photography - 20 x 16 x 2 inch
$1,500
Tina Turner On Stage Singing, LA Forum, 1969
Glen Craig
Photography - 40.6 x 50.8 x 5.1 cm Photography - 16 x 20 x 2 inch
$1,500
Iggy Pop, Ann Arbor, MI, 1968
Glen Craig
Photography - 40.6 x 50.8 x 5.1 cm Photography - 16 x 20 x 2 inch
$1,500
Miles Davis - at the Talk Stoop on 312 W. 77th St. NYC, his home 1970
Glen Craig
Photography - 50.8 x 40.6 x 5.1 cm Photography - 20 x 16 x 2 inch
$1,500
Miles Davis Standing in his Robe at Gleason's Gym, NYC, 1970
Glen Craig
Photography - 50.8 x 40.6 x 5.1 cm Photography - 20 x 16 x 2 inch
$1,500
Miles Davis, Fillmore East, NYC, June 18, 1970
Glen Craig
Photography - 40.6 x 50.8 x 5.1 cm Photography - 16 x 20 x 2 inch
$1,500
Miles Davis, Fillmore East, NYC, June 17, 1970
Glen Craig
Photography - 40.6 x 50.8 x 5.1 cm Photography - 16 x 20 x 2 inch
$1,500
Iggy Pop in the Studio, Ann Arbor, MI, 1969
Glen Craig
Photography - 40.6 x 50.8 x 5.1 cm Photography - 16 x 20 x 2 inch
$1,500
Mick Jagger, Rolling Stones American Tour, Los Angeles, 1969
Glen Craig
Photography - 76.2 x 101.6 x 5.1 cm Photography - 30 x 40 x 2 inch
$1,750
Mick Jagger and Keith Richards, The Rolling Stones, San Francisco, CA, 1969
Glen Craig
Photography - 40.6 x 50.8 x 5.1 cm Photography - 16 x 20 x 2 inch
$1,500
Miles Davis, Fillmore East, NYC, June 17, 1970 II
Glen Craig
Photography - 40.6 x 50.8 x 5.1 cm Photography - 16 x 20 x 2 inch
$1,750
Ron Asheton and Dave Alexander - First Stooges Recording Session, Hit Factory Studio, NYC, 1970
Glen Craig
Photography - 40.6 x 50.8 x 5.1 cm Photography - 16 x 20 x 2 inch
$1,500
Tina Turner, NYC, 1970 IV
Glen Craig
Photography - 40.6 x 50.8 x 5.1 cm Photography - 16 x 20 x 2 inch
$1,500
Ike and Tina Turner with Johnny Carson, 1970
Glen Craig
Photography - 40.6 x 50.8 x 5.1 cm Photography - 16 x 20 x 2 inch
$1,500
B.B. King, Madison Square Garden, NYC, 1969
Glen Craig
Photography - 40.6 x 50.8 x 5.1 cm Photography - 16 x 20 x 2 inch
$1,500
B.B. King, The Hit Factory, NYC, 1969
Glen Craig
Photography - 40.6 x 50.8 x 5.1 cm Photography - 16 x 20 x 2 inch
$1,500
Iggy Pop, The Stooges, The Hit Factory, NYC, 1969
Glen Craig
Photography - 50.8 x 40.6 x 5.1 cm Photography - 20 x 16 x 2 inch
$1,500
Miles Davis, NYC, 1970 VII
Glen Craig
Photography - 40.6 x 50.8 x 5.1 cm Photography - 16 x 20 x 2 inch
$1,500
Miles Davis, NYC, 1970 VI
Glen Craig
Photography - 40.6 x 50.8 x 5.1 cm Photography - 16 x 20 x 2 inch
$1,500
Miles Davis, NYC, 1970 V
Glen Craig
Photography - 40.6 x 50.8 x 5.1 cm Photography - 16 x 20 x 2 inch
$1,500
Keith Richards, "Rockin' Richards," Chicago, 1969
Glen Craig
Photography - 40.6 x 50.8 x 5.1 cm Photography - 16 x 20 x 2 inch
$1,500
Jimi Hendrix, Boston, MA, 1970
Glen Craig
Photography - 50.8 x 40.6 x 5.1 cm Photography - 20 x 16 x 2 inch
$1,500
Jimi Hendrix and Leslie West of Mountain, "Private Hours Jam," NYC, 1970
Glen Craig
Photography - 40.6 x 50.8 x 5.1 cm Photography - 16 x 20 x 2 inch
$1,500
Jimi Hendrix, Madison Square Garden, NYC, 1970
Glen Craig
Photography - 40.6 x 50.8 x 5.1 cm Photography - 16 x 20 x 2 inch
$1,500
Elton John & Stevie Wonder, 1975
Bob Gruen
Photography - 50.8 x 61 x 5.1 cm Photography - 20 x 24 x 2 inch
$2,500
John Lennon and Elton John, Record Plant, NYC 1974
Bob Gruen
Photography - 50.8 x 61 x 5.1 cm Photography - 20 x 24 x 2 inch
$2,500
La vieja guajira
James Sparshatt
Photography - 35 x 35 x 1 cm Photography - 13.8 x 13.8 x 0.4 inch
$778
Capucine 1957 Slim Aarons Limited Edition Estate Stamped Print
Slim Aarons
Photography - 76.2 x 50.8 cm Photography - 30 x 20 inch
$3,014
Gretchen Van de Kamp Ward In Gustave Tassell
Slim Aarons
Photography - 101 x 101 x 0.01 cm Photography - 39.8 x 39.8 x 0 inch
$4,019
Florence Pritchett Smith
Slim Aarons
Photography - 51 x 41 x 0.01 cm Photography - 20.1 x 16.1 x 0 inch
$2,556
Spirit of Forest
Yasuo Kiyonaga
Photography - 130 x 97 x 10 cm Photography - 51.2 x 38.2 x 3.9 inch
$4,130
Winter wind
Mihaela Ivanova
Photography - 50 x 50 x 0.2 cm Photography - 19.7 x 19.7 x 0.1 inch
$759
Fickle Memory 02
Yasuo Kiyonaga
Photography - 100 x 70 x 3 cm Photography - 39.4 x 27.6 x 1.2 inch
$893
Winter wind II
Mihaela Ivanova
Photography - 50 x 50 x 0.2 cm Photography - 19.7 x 19.7 x 0.1 inch
$759
Flat iron
Jean-Michel Berts
Photography - 205 x 95 x 2 cm Photography - 80.7 x 37.4 x 0.8 inch
$7,758
Music
Kalliope Amorphous
Photography - 50.8 x 40.6 x 0.1 cm Photography - 20 x 16 x 0.05 inch
$2,200
The Body Electric
Kalliope Amorphous
Photography - 50.8 x 40.6 x 0.1 cm Photography - 20 x 16 x 0.05 inch
$2,200
Persephone
Kalliope Amorphous
Photography - 50.8 x 40.6 x 0.1 cm Photography - 20 x 16 x 0.05 inch
$2,200
Air jordan - Big meeting
OverSide
Photography - 50 x 70 x 0.5 cm Photography - 19.7 x 27.6 x 0.2 inch
$391
Rue Mouffetard - Triptych
Uwe Ommer
Photography - 45 x 100 x 0.3 cm Photography - 17.71 x 39.37 x 0.1 inch
$1,650
Paris confinement
Bruno Fournier
Photography - 40 x 30 x 1 cm Photography - 15.7 x 11.8 x 0.4 inch
$1,060
Beauty in the Beast
Amrita Bilimoria
Photography - 101.6 x 152.4 x 0.5 cm Photography - 40 x 60 x 0.2 inch
$5,500
Paris confinement Musée d'Orsay
Bruno Fournier
Photography - 17 x 31 x 1 cm Photography - 6.7 x 12.2 x 0.4 inch
$949
Paris confinement Pont des Arts
Bruno Fournier
Photography - 30 x 40 x 1 cm Photography - 11.8 x 15.7 x 0.4 inch
$1,060
Paris confinement 21
Bruno Fournier
Photography - 30 x 40 x 1 cm Photography - 11.8 x 15.7 x 0.4 inch
$1,060
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!