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Urban Photography

In order to define urban photography, it is first important to understand street photography. Street photography typically refers to documentary-like portrait photos of passers-by taken in an urban setting on the spur of the moment. The genre is often associated with the Golden Age of photography which lasted from 1890 to 1970. The great masters of this period include Cartier-Bresson (whose treasured Leica has become an iconic street photography camera), Weegee (known for his images of crime scenes), Robert Doisneau (and his famous 'The Kiss by the Hôtel de Ville), William Klein (one of the genre's pioneers known for his focus on children), Vivian Maier, Eugene Atget and many other key names.

As street photography has become a genre of its own, there seems to be a key difference between 'new' and 'traditional' street photography. The subject in street photography has gradually shifted from the street itself to the men and women who occupy the urban space. This photographic technique has allowed some of the great photographers to capture the depth and intensity of certain facial expressions and give their images a strong sense of emotion. Nonetheless, this perspective overlooks certain aspects of the original school of urban photography. Faces and staging have eclipsed urban buildings and their architecture.

Street photography has come to reflect post-modern capitalist society and mass-consumerism where entertainment and immediacy are highly sought after. Although this is not necessarily a negative thing, this cannot be denied and this is what distinguishes it from urban photography.

In a similar way to traditional street photography, urban photography not only tries to freeze people in time but also places. Urban photography captures and enhances buildings and their architecture by playing around with lighting and framing in a way that only professional photographers know how. When we consider that 50% of the world's population now live in cities we can see how each image is instilled with the artist's own opinion of the urban world.

In short, urban photography cannot simply be reduced to street photography; it immortalises urban life with a much broader perspective. It captures everything urban-related; the skyscrapers of Manhattan's skyline are just one example. Passers-by are not necessarily the photograph's main focus; objects are the genre's favourite subject. Much more than just a mere spectator, urban photography is also critical of its society. Artsper has an exclusive selection of works from artists with a shrewd outlook on contemporary society and who want to share their new perspectives on the world around them. Discover the splendid analogue photos of Paris in the 1930s by Roger Schall or Manhattan photography as well as London photographies and get lost in the depth of Gwenaël Bollinger's incredible shots!

Collector’s Guide: Collecting Fine Art Photographs

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Patrick Lajoie, Early bird, Photography

Patrick Lajoie

Early bird, 2018
36 x 36 x 1.5 inch
Photography

$2,200

David Drebin, Dreams of Central Park, Photography

David Drebin

Dreams of Central Park, 2020
35 x 87 x 2 inch
Photography

$27,600

Franck Guedj, Global warming 1.0, Photography

Franck Guedj

Global warming 1.0, 2019
43.3 x 65 x 0.4 inch
Photography

$9,409

Niklas Soestmeyer, Berlin Nights #1, Photography

Niklas Soestmeyer

Berlin Nights #1, 2021
11.8 x 17.7 x 0 inch
Photography

$656

Jules Viera, 60 Lat Phrao, Photography

Jules Viera

60 Lat Phrao, 2019
9.8 x 21.7 x 1.4 inch
Photography

$627

Our recommendations Julie Peiffer, La Femme Rousse, Photography

Julie Peiffer

La Femme Rousse, 2015
39.4 x 39.4 inch
Photography

$2,635

Christian Bruneau, Punition, Photography

Christian Bruneau

Punition, 2015
23.6 x 35.4 x 1.2 inch
Photography

$452

Cécile Baldewyns, Fairy, Photography

Cécile Baldewyns

Fairy, 2014
15.7 x 23.6 inch
Photography

$878

Julien Dubois, HK Woker, Photography

Julien Dubois

HK Woker, 2016
39.4 x 27.6 x 0.4 inch
Photography

$1,505

Alberto Sánchez, Hide the Jewels 2, Photography

Alberto Sánchez

Hide the Jewels 2, 2021
72.8 x 55.1 x 0.1 inch
Photography

$5,307 $5,896

Icy & Sot, The New American Flag, Photography

Icy & Sot

The New American Flag, 2019
29.9 x 44.9 inch
Photography

$4,015

Vanessa Vercel, Eiffel oiseaux, Photography

Vanessa Vercel

Eiffel oiseaux, 2020
27.6 x 41.3 x 0.8 inch
Photography

$1,631

Our recommendations Serge Mendjisky, Statue de la Liberté HC, Photography

Serge Mendjisky

Statue de la Liberté HC, 2008
59.1 x 26 x 2 inch
Photography

$15,055

Sonac, Le Lama en Urbex, Photography

Sonac

Le Lama en Urbex, 2018
23.6 x 23.6 inch
Photography

$1,380

Christophe Battifero, Under the Bridge, Photography

Christophe Battifero

Under the Bridge, 2020
15.7 x 11.8 x 0.4 inch
Photography

$527

Jean-Loup Gautreau, Agnès Varda - Les plages d'Agnès, Photography

Jean-Loup Gautreau

Agnès Varda - Les plages d'Agnès, 2008
11.8 x 15.7 inch
Photography

$376

Présence Panchounette, PP est de Bordeaux comme DADA de Zurich, Photography

Présence Panchounette

PP est de Bordeaux comme DADA de Zurich, 1976
19.3 x 23.2 x 0.8 inch
Photography

15,000 - $ 25,000

Mario Schifano, Mario Schifano, Photography

Mario Schifano

Mario Schifano, 1970
27.6 x 39.4 x 0 inch
Photography

$1,066

Djamel Djebbour, Havane I, Photography

Djamel Djebbour

Havane I, 2015
31.5 x 47.2 x 1.2 inch
Photography

$7,527

LaO PaZ, Perdida en la ciudad, Photography

LaO PaZ

Perdida en la ciudad, 2011
15.7 x 23.6 x 2 inch
Photography

$878

Nadine Track, Central Park, Photography

Nadine Track

Central Park, 2015
48 x 75.2 inch
Photography

$11,291

Stéphane Daireaux, Xynthia 37, Photography

Stéphane Daireaux

Xynthia 37, 2010
6.7 x 12.6 inch
Photography

$502

Leticia Felgueroso, Trafalgar, Photography

Leticia Felgueroso

Trafalgar, 2013
39.4 x 39.4 inch
Photography

$2,277

Guillaume Herbaut, Tchernobyl, Photography

Guillaume Herbaut

Tchernobyl, 2009
23.6 x 29.5 x 0 inch
Photography

$3,701

Alexia Tailleur, Paris II, Photography

Alexia Tailleur

Paris II, 2018
43.3 x 21.7 inch
Photography

$2,635

Fabien Novarino, Urban Girl, Photography

Fabien Novarino

Urban Girl, 2020
39.4 x 39.4 x 0.8 inch
Photography

$1,455

Jiang Zhi, Rainbow series (no 1-6) plus video, Photography

Jiang Zhi

Rainbow series (no 1-6) plus video, 2006
31.5 x 47.2 x 0 inch
Photography

$100,365

CharlElie Couture, Manhattan Photo-Grafs, Photography

CharlElie Couture

Manhattan Photo-Grafs, 2009
23.6 x 23.6 x 1.2 inch
Photography

$1,505

Edi Hirose, Expansión 5928, Photography

Edi Hirose

Expansión 5928, 2013
53.5 x 43.3 inch
Photography

$8,782

France-Noëlle Pellecer, La vie est belle, Photography

France-Noëlle Pellecer

La vie est belle, 2014
23.6 x 31.5 x 0.8 inch
Photography

$1,756

Pep Ventosa, Rio de la Madoneta, Venice, Photography

Pep Ventosa

Rio de la Madoneta, Venice, 2018
36 x 24 x 1 inch
Photography

$1,200

Gottfried Salzmann, Paris Panthéon, Photography

Gottfried Salzmann

Paris Panthéon, 2006
15 x 20.1 inch
Photography

$4,830

Our recommendations Li Wei, On the surface of the earth, Photography

Li Wei

On the surface of the earth, 2004
39.4 x 39.4 inch
Photography

$10,037

Gwenaël Bollinger, Red corner, Photography

Gwenaël Bollinger

Red corner, 2012
23.6 x 15.7 x 0.4 inch
Photography

$677

Antoine Guibert, Electric Bangkok, Photography

Antoine Guibert

Electric Bangkok, 2018
19.7 x 29.5 x 0.8 inch
Photography

$375

Papa Mesk, Paris 13 ème Olympiades Vibes N°3, Photography

Papa Mesk

Paris 13 ème Olympiades Vibes N°3, 2018
31.5 x 17.7 x 0.4 inch
Photography

$1,004

Jean-Michel Berts, Tour Eiffel brume, Photography

Jean-Michel Berts

Tour Eiffel brume, 2012
59.1 x 43.3 x 0.8 inch
Photography

$7,653

Pedro Correa, Heaven Burning, Photography

Pedro Correa

Heaven Burning, 2014
47.2 x 31.5 x 0.8 inch
Photography

$4,968

Luca Izzo, Berlin N°1, Photography

Luca Izzo

Berlin N°1, 2019
47.2 x 31.5 x 0.3 inch
Photography

$1,970

Burt Glinn, Swing, The Sagrada Familia, Barcelona, Photography

Burt Glinn

Swing, The Sagrada Familia, Barcelona, 1959
22 x 17 inch
Photography

$3,800

Cédric Bouteiller, Guess - NYC - 2012, Photography

Cédric Bouteiller

Guess - NYC - 2012, 2012
35.4 x 51.2 x 0.8 inch
Photography

$6,900

Our recommendations Mohamed Bourouissa, Ramon, Photography

Mohamed Bourouissa

Ramon, 2009
24 x 30.7 x 0.4 inch
Photography

$602

Our recommendations Roger Schall, Les Princes, Paris, 1930, Photography

Roger Schall

Les Princes, Paris, 1930, 2015
19.7 x 15.7 inch
Photography

$878

Fabrizio Alzati, Yakitori, Photography

Fabrizio Alzati

Yakitori, 2017
7.9 x 10.6 inch
Photography

$439

Glenn Varez, Brest airport, Photography

Glenn Varez

Brest airport, 2020
7.9 x 7.9 inch
Photography

$63

Anne-Marie Toporkoff, Les ponts de la Seine, Photography

Anne-Marie Toporkoff

Les ponts de la Seine, 1985
12.2 x 7.3 inch
Photography

$991

Bernard Reignier, Ombre et lumière, Photography

Bernard Reignier

Ombre et lumière, 2019
33.5 x 13.8 x 0.4 inch
Photography

$723

Clara Cena, Au-delà de nous-même 6, Photography

Clara Cena

Au-delà de nous-même 6, 2019
11.8 x 17.7 x 0 inch
Photography

$753

Linda Chapman, Outside In II, Photography

Linda Chapman

Outside In II, 2019
33.1 x 23.2 x 0 inch
Photography

$847

Anaïs Legeay, Lines 1, Photography

Anaïs Legeay

Lines 1, 2014
11.8 x 15.7 x 1.2 inch
Photography

$124

Didier Fournet, NYC Brooklyn Bridge 10, Photography

Didier Fournet

NYC Brooklyn Bridge 10, 2018
51.2 x 37 x 2 inch
Photography

$6,147

Eduard Boev, Fireworks of colours, Photography

Eduard Boev

Fireworks of colours, 2020
24 x 30 x 1 inch
Photography

$1,500

Our recommendations Daffke Hollstein, P090809-01, Photography

Daffke Hollstein

P090809-01, 2009
20.5 x 16.5 x 0.4 inch
Photography

$753

Our recommendations Aimee Hillman, Sidney, Photography

Aimee Hillman

Sidney, 2019
42 x 32 x 0.5 inch
Photography

$2,915

Mehran Naghshbandi, Echoes of Light, Photography

Mehran Naghshbandi

Echoes of Light, 2017
15.7 x 23.6 inch
Photography

$1,255

Thierry Clech, Japon - Tokyo - 1, Photography

Thierry Clech

Japon - Tokyo - 1, 2016
15.7 x 19.7 x 0.4 inch
Photography

$2,007

Barry Cawston, Golden windows, Photography

Barry Cawston

Golden windows, 2014
26.4 x 78.7 inch
Photography

$4,391

Fabrizio La Torre, Poesia Invernale, Fontana di Trevi, 1956, Photography

Fabrizio La Torre

Poesia Invernale, Fontana di Trevi, 1956, 1956
23.6 x 16.5 x 0.2 inch
Photography

$1,760 $2,070

Paul J Bucknall, Tram Street, Photography

Paul J Bucknall

Tram Street, 2019
12 x 10 x 0.01 inch
Photography

$474

Murat Germen, Facsimile - Istanbul, Kuzguncuk #8, Photography

Murat Germen

Facsimile - Istanbul, Kuzguncuk #8, 2012
31.5 x 98.4 x 0.4 inch
Photography

$7,652

Alejandra Carles-Tolra, The Shadows Of The Birds, Mission Hill, Photography

Alejandra Carles-Tolra

The Shadows Of The Birds, Mission Hill, 2012
19.7 x 19.7 inch
Photography

$815

Ormond Gigli, Girls in the Windows, Photography

Ormond Gigli

Girls in the Windows, 1960
22 x 22 inch
Photography

$28,000

Our recommendations Lisa Tomasetti, New York, Photography

Lisa Tomasetti

New York, 2012
22.8 x 27.6 x 0.4 inch
Photography

$4,391

Xavier Blondeau, Présence obscure, Sans titre # 6, Photography

Xavier Blondeau

Présence obscure, Sans titre # 6, 2011
19.7 x 39.4 x 0.8 inch
Photography

$2,258

60 Artworks on 1839

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