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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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Aleix Plademunt, Cult #08 Las Vegas, Photography

Aleix Plademunt

Cult #08 Las Vegas, 2009
49.2 x 55.1 x 0.1 inch
Photography

$6,629

J. Marquette Romeu, The Street of Day and Night, Photography

J. Marquette Romeu

The Street of Day and Night, 2021
15.7 x 19.7 x 0 inch
Photography

$422

Eduard Boev, Digital era, Photography

Eduard Boev

Digital era, 2020
24 x 36 x 2 inch
Photography

$1,400

Stephane Charpentier, 481-01, Photography

Stephane Charpentier

481-01, 2012
7.9 x 11.8 x 0.2 inch
Photography

$3,134

Aurélie Sarramon, Sans titre 3, Photography

Aurélie Sarramon

Sans titre 3, 2016
35.4 x 23.6 inch
Photography

$434

Christian Bruneau, Punition, Photography

Christian Bruneau

Punition, 2015
23.6 x 35.4 x 1.2 inch
Photography

$434

Fabien Novarino, Manhattan Traffic, Photography

Fabien Novarino

Manhattan Traffic, 2020
31.5 x 47.2 x 0.8 inch
Photography

$1,422

Julien Dubois, HK Woker, Photography

Julien Dubois

HK Woker, 2016
39.4 x 27.6 x 0.4 inch
Photography

$1,302 $1,446

Mario Schifano, Mario Schifano, Photography

Mario Schifano

Mario Schifano, 1970
27.6 x 39.4 x 0 inch
Photography

$1,025

Icy & Sot, The New American Flag, Photography

Icy & Sot

The New American Flag, 2019
29.9 x 44.9 inch
Photography

$3,857

Leticia Felgueroso, Trafalgar, Photography

Leticia Felgueroso

Trafalgar, 2013
39.4 x 39.4 inch
Photography

$2,188

Sonac, Le Lama en Urbex, Photography

Sonac

Le Lama en Urbex, 2018
23.6 x 23.6 inch
Photography

$1,326

Philippe Frisée, Sans titre, Photography

Philippe Frisée

Sans titre, 2017
15.7 x 19.7 x 0.4 inch
Photography

$904

Vanessa Vercel, Arc de triomphe, Photography

Vanessa Vercel

Arc de triomphe, 2020
27.6 x 41.3 x 0.8 inch
Photography

$1,567

José Nicolas, Jalousie 1, bidonville, Haïti, Port au Prince, Photography

José Nicolas

Jalousie 1, bidonville, Haïti, Port au Prince, 2014
19.7 x 27.6 inch
Photography

$2,049

Christophe Battifero, Under the Bridge, Photography

Christophe Battifero

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

$506

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

$14,464

Stéphane Daireaux, Voog 29, Photography

Stéphane Daireaux

Voog 29, 2018
7.1 x 15.7 inch
Photography

$482

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

$1,687

Thomas Hoeffgen, Lagos la dingue, Photography

Thomas Hoeffgen

Lagos la dingue, 2009
15.7 x 40.6 x 0 inch
Photography

$2,411

LaO PaZ, Perdida en la ciudad, Photography

LaO PaZ

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

$844

Djamel Djebbour, Havane I, Photography

Djamel Djebbour

Havane I, 2015
31.5 x 47.2 x 1.2 inch
Photography

$7,232

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

$96,424

Edi Hirose, Expansión 5928, Photography

Edi Hirose

Expansión 5928, 2013
53.5 x 43.3 inch
Photography

$8,437

Guillaume Herbaut, Tchernobyl, Photography

Guillaume Herbaut

Tchernobyl, 2009
23.6 x 29.5 x 0 inch
Photography

$3,556

Alexia Tailleur, Paris II, Photography

Alexia Tailleur

Paris II, 2018
43.3 x 21.7 inch
Photography

$2,531

Gottfried Salzmann, Paris Panthéon, Photography

Gottfried Salzmann

Paris Panthéon, 2006
15 x 20.1 inch
Photography

$4,640

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

10,000 - $ 15,000

Nadine Track, Central Park, Photography

Nadine Track

Central Park, 2015
48 x 75.2 inch
Photography

$10,848

CharlElie Couture, Manhattan Photo-Grafs, Photography

CharlElie Couture

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

$1,446

Our recommendations Roger Schall, Le Moulin Rouge, Paris, 1930, Photography

Roger Schall

Le Moulin Rouge, Paris, 1930, 2015
19.7 x 15.7 inch
Photography

$964

Luca Izzo, Berlin N°1, Photography

Luca Izzo

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

$1,892

Yann Merran, This is so Illegal, Photography

Yann Merran

This is so Illegal, 2010
23.6 x 35.4 x 0.8 inch
Photography

$844

Francesca Pompei, The passenger, Photography

Francesca Pompei

The passenger, 2017
27.6 x 41.3 x 0.8 inch
Photography

$1,446

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

$9,642

Pablo Guillamon, London City-1, Photography

Pablo Guillamon

London City-1, 2020
31.5 x 23.6 x 0.8 inch
Photography

$362

Mehran Naghshbandi, Echoes of Light, Photography

Mehran Naghshbandi

Echoes of Light, 2017
15.7 x 23.6 inch
Photography

$1,205

Gwenaël Bollinger, L'envol, Photography

Gwenaël Bollinger

L'envol, 2013
19.7 x 19.7 x 0.4 inch
Photography

$651

Brno Del Zou, Quartier St Michel - Bordeaux, Photography

Brno Del Zou

Quartier St Michel - Bordeaux, 2017
23.6 x 49.2 x 0.2 inch
Photography

$964

William Stewart, Venice #6, Photography

William Stewart

Venice #6, 2020
23.6 x 15.7 x 0 inch
Photography

$423

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

Barry Cawston, Eclipse motel, Photography

Barry Cawston

Eclipse motel, 2018
35.4 x 35.4 x 0.8 inch
Photography

$1,905

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

$783

Antoine Guibert, Cork-Eire, Photography

Antoine Guibert

Cork-Eire, 2015
19.7 x 29.5 x 0.8 inch
Photography

$360

Marick, Les sanglots longs, Photography

Marick

Les sanglots longs, 2018
13.4 x 11 x 0.4 inch
Photography

$398

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

$723

Vladimir Bazan, Paris - Rue des 3 frères, Photography

Vladimir Bazan

Paris - Rue des 3 frères, 2010
11 x 21.3 inch
Photography

$1,567

Michael Wallner, Borough Station 1, Photography

Michael Wallner

Borough Station 1, 2017
15 x 18.9 x 0.1 inch
Photography

$699

Pedro Correa, Heaven Burning, Photography

Pedro Correa

Heaven Burning, 2014
47.2 x 31.5 x 0.8 inch
Photography

$4,773

Thierry Clech, Japon - Tokyo - 1, Photography

Thierry Clech

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

$1,928

Patrick Lajoie, Holiday In Venice, Photography

Patrick Lajoie

Holiday In Venice, 2019
32 x 32 x 2 inch
Photography

$2,200

Stella Kaloudis, Comme mon ombre, Photography

Stella Kaloudis

Comme mon ombre, 2009
15.7 x 11.8 x 0 inch
Photography

$536

Jaione García, Urban Beehive III, Photography

Jaione García

Urban Beehive III, 2015
9.4 x 14.2 inch
Photography

$362

Cédric Bouteiller, Guess - NYC - 2012, Photography

Cédric Bouteiller

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

$6,629

Maciej Leszczynski, Bandra Station Road #2, Photography

Maciej Leszczynski

Bandra Station Road #2, 2018
11.1 x 13.9 inch
Photography

$422

Gisela Gaffoglio, Mediodía, Photography

Gisela Gaffoglio

Mediodía, 2018
29.5 x 18.9 x 0.4 inch
Photography

$1,085

Margaux Chalançon, Numero 12, Photography

Margaux Chalançon

Numero 12, 2018
11.8 x 17.7 x 0 inch
Photography

$482

Yves Bordes Lapeyre, Flat, Photography

Yves Bordes Lapeyre

Flat, 2019
23.6 x 35.4 x 0.4 inch
Photography

$386

Neil Massey, Untitled Series #4, Photography

Neil Massey

Untitled Series #4, 2014
28 x 42 inch
Photography

$1,058

Luigi Visconti, Pudong rose, Photography

Luigi Visconti

Pudong rose, 2014
24 x 39.4 x 0.2 inch
Photography

$1,808

Anaïs Legeay, Gotham 1, Photography

Anaïs Legeay

Gotham 1, 2018
23.6 x 23.6 x 0.4 inch
Photography

$397

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

$2,170

Bertrand Noël, Dix fois Leos Carax - Naissance d'un pont , Photography

Bertrand Noël

Dix fois Leos Carax - Naissance d'un pont , 2014
19.7 x 29.5 inch
Photography

$1,928

Richard Unglik, Abbey Road, Photography

Richard Unglik

Abbey Road, 2012
11.8 x 11.8 x 1 inch
Photography

$390

60 Artworks on 2155

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