Skip to main content

Black and White Photography

to
216
208
370
45
72
88
Overall Width
to
Overall Height
to
544
239
2
44
27
3
108
67
47
12
10
13,454
5,567
1,643
712
470
461
283
71
42
17
9
7
6
382
375
26
512
263
195
178
133
132
81
69
66
61
53
51
51
49
46
42
41
40
40
38
392
359
183
164
119
68
38
26
18
18
151
390
553
229
Black and White Photography For Sale
Style: Art Deco
Style: Photorealist
This Week's Listings Only
Two cigarettes Photography Mexico Signed Karol Kállay
Located in Slovak Republic, SK
Photography done for publication Mexico/Volk und Welt, signed by the author on the back.
Category

1960s Photorealist Black and White Photography

Materials

Photographic Paper

'Vintage Manhattan Skyline' with River', by Unknown, Black & White Photograph
Located in Oklahoma City, OK
This vintage black and white photograph of Manhattan with bridge and river measures 12.5" x 15.5". The water is in the foreground and covers over half of the composition from the bot...
Category

Mid-20th Century Photorealist Black and White Photography

Materials

Silver Gelatin

David Bowie 1973 by Lynn Goldsmith
Located in Austin, TX
Fine art print of David Bowie by acclaimed photographer. Lynn Goldsmith. Taken in 1973 during the Spiders from Mars tour, and now available for the first time in black and white. Ly...
Category

Late 20th Century Photorealist Black and White Photography

Materials

C Print

Greta Garbo in Susan Lenox (Her Fall And Rise) - Photograph by Clarence Sinclair
Located in Soquel, CA
Greta Garbo in Susan Lenox (Her Fall And Rise) - Photograph by Clarence Sinclair Bull A black and white photograph by Clarence Sinclair Bull (American, 1896-1979), matte finish, double-weight paper, depicting a 1931 shot of Swedish/American actress Greta Garbo (Swedish, 1905-1990) on the set of the film Susan Lenox (Her Fall And Rise) directed by Robert Z. Leonard. Greta Garbo poses in a hat, her hand resting on her face, while gazing into the camera. Printed decades later from the original negative, penciled in the lower left corner "A.P.," Estate stamped and blind embossed in the lower right corner "Clarence Sinclair Bull," further blind embossed in same corner "The Kobal / Collection," on verso with the photographer's black ink credit stamp and with "Edward Weston" black ink credit stamps dated "1981" and "1992," originally from the John Kobal Collection. Greta Garbo was a Swedish-American actress. Regarded as one of the greatest screen actresses of all time, she was known for her melancholic, somber persona, her film portrayals of tragic characters, and her subtle and understated performances. In 1999, the American Film Institute ranked Garbo fifth on its list of the greatest female stars of classic Hollywood cinema. Clarence Sinclair Bull was born in Sun River, Montana, in 1896. His career began when Samuel Goldwyn hired him in 1920 to photograph publicity stills of the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer film studio's stars. He is most famous for his photographs of Greta Garbo, taken between 1926 and 1941. Bull's first portrait of Garbo was a costume study for the silent romantic drama film Flesh and the Devil in September 1926. Bull was able to study with the great Western painter...
Category

1930s Photorealist Black and White Photography

Materials

Photographic Paper, Silver Gelatin

Kelp Nymph - underwater ocean black & white photograph print on paper 26" x 36"
Located in Beverly Hills, CA
An underwater black and white photograph of a beautiful young woman diving in kelp forest. The picture is taken in Pacific Ocean near Palos Verdes, Califor...
Category

2010s Photorealist Black and White Photography

Materials

Archival Pigment, Archival Paper

The Rolling Stones 1964 by Terry O'Neill
Located in Austin, TX
Rare, signed silver gelatin print, an early portrait of the Rolling Stones outside the Donmar rehearsal theatre, London, 1964 12x16" silver gelatin darkroom print, signed and number...
Category

Late 20th Century Photorealist Black and White Photography

Materials

Silver Gelatin

On the Beach near Paris, 1920s - Silver Gelatin Black and White Photography
Located in Atlanta, GA
An original silver gelatin black and white photograph by Press Agency ROL, Paris 1929. Summer on the beach near Paris. Features: Original silver gelatin print photography unframed. P...
Category

1920s Art Deco Black and White Photography

Materials

Silver Gelatin

Mick Jagger and Jimi Hendrix 1967 silver gelatin print
Located in Austin, TX
Signed limited edition, silver gelatin print of Mick Jagger with Jimi Hendrix by Alec Byrne, taken at the Top Of The Pops TV studios, London, May 1967. Alec recalls, “I got a late p...
Category

Late 20th Century Photorealist Black and White Photography

Materials

Silver Gelatin

Bent Mirror - underwater photograph - print on paper 17 x 23.5"
Located in Beverly Hills, CA
An underwater black and white photograph of a topless young female dancer in the pool. Original gallery quality archival pigment print on archival paper signed by the artist, furnis...
Category

2010s Photorealist Black and White Photography

Materials

Archival Pigment

Double Trouble - underwater black & white nude photograph - paper print 35"x 50"
Located in Beverly Hills, CA
An underwater black and white photograph of two naked young women in the pool. Original gallery quality archival pigment print on archival paper signed by the artist. Limited editio...
Category

2010s Photorealist Black and White Photography

Materials

Archival Paper, Archival Pigment

John Lennon and Paul McCartney The Beatles by Robert Whitaker
Located in Austin, TX
Paul McCartney and John Lennon of The Beatles pictured during the recording of their annual Christmas message to the groups’ fan club at the Marquee St...
Category

Late 20th Century Photorealist Black and White Photography

Materials

C Print

David Bowie and William Burroughs, framed signed print by Terry O'Neill
Located in Austin, TX
Ready to ship immediately. Free domestic US shipping. David Bowie and William Burroughs in Los Angeles, February 1974, signed Terry O'Neill, 8x10" print, custom framed with non-glar...
Category

Late 20th Century Photorealist Black and White Photography

Materials

Giclée

Dolly Parton in a Cadillac by Jim Herrington
Located in Austin, TX
Dolly Parton in Joelton, Tennessee, 1997. 17x22" Archival pigment print on baryta 315 gsm, acid-free, 100% cotton-fiber paper. Edition 75 Signed on recto by photographer Jim Herrin...
Category

Late 20th Century Photorealist Black and White Photography

Materials

Archival Pigment

Soft Dance II - underwater black & white nude photograph - archival print 23х17"
Located in Beverly Hills, CA
A black and white photograph of a naked young woman diving in a pool. Original gallery quality archival pigment print signed by the artist. Limited edition of 24 Paper size: 24x18"...
Category

2010s Photorealist Black and White Photography

Materials

Archival Paper, Archival Pigment

East River Drive
Located in Austin, TX
East River Drive by Norman Parkinson. Robin Miller and Pippa Diggle photographed on the South Street Viaduct beneath Manhattan Bridge for Go Magazine, 1960 ...
Category

Late 20th Century Photorealist Black and White Photography

Materials

C Print

A view in Lyon, France 1927, Silver Gelatin Black and White Photography
Located in Atlanta, GA
A unique original silver gelatin black and white photography. The Town Hall street in Lyon, France, March 1927. A view of the town hall street in Lyon, France, dated March 13th, 192...
Category

1920s Art Deco Black and White Photography

Materials

Silver Gelatin

Apriel - underwater black & white nude photograph - print on aluminum 30" x 36"
Located in Beverly Hills, CA
"Apriel" captures a serene underwater moment in striking black and white. This fine art underwater photograph showcases delicate interplay between light, shadow, and movement as hair...
Category

2010s Photorealist Black and White Photography

Materials

Metal

The Cure 1980 by Jill Furmanovsky
Located in Austin, TX
Signed limited edition fine art print of The Cure on the road in Holland and Belgium during their 1980 'Seventeen Seconds' tour. Signed and numbered by Jill Furmanovsky in pencil an...
Category

Late 20th Century Photorealist Black and White Photography

Materials

Archival Pigment

David Bowie Diamond Dogs by Terry O'Neill
Located in Austin, TX
Rare, signed silver gelatin print of David Bowie with a large barking dog for publicity shots for his 1974 album ‘Diamond Dogs’ in London. 12x16" silver gelatin darkroom print, sign...
Category

Late 20th Century Photorealist Black and White Photography

Materials

Silver Gelatin

Dragon Dreams - underwater black & white nude photograph - archival paper 16x23"
Located in Beverly Hills, CA
Underwater black and white nude photograph of a model on black background. Her distorted reflection in the inner water surface reminds some mysterious creature. Original gallery qua...
Category

2010s Photorealist Black and White Photography

Materials

Archival Paper, Archival Pigment

Beastie Boys by Jake Chessum framed signed 9x12" print
Located in Austin, TX
Framed, 9x12" signed open edition print of The Beastie Boys by Jake Chessum Jake recalls ” This was from April 1994. I flew from London to shoot at Mike D’s backyard and around G-So...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Photorealist Black and White Photography

Materials

Giclée

Rare David Bowie "Diamond Dogs" contact sheet by Terry O'Neill signed and framed
Located in Austin, TX
David Bowie "Diamond Dogs" contact sheet print by Terry O'Neill, hand signed and hand numbered by Terry O'Neill from his Lifetime Edition, obtained direct from the Terry O'Neill arch...
Category

Late 20th Century Photorealist Black and White Photography

Materials

C Print

Down on East River
Located in Slovak Republic, SK
Black and White photograph, edition 50, part of book about NY, 1965.
Category

1960s Photorealist Black and White Photography

Materials

Photographic Paper, Archival Pigment

No Way - black & white nude photograph - print on paper 15" x 23"
Located in Beverly Hills, CA
A black and white photograph of a perfect woman's buttocks and her handcuffed hands giving a finger. Original gallery quality archival pigment print on archival paper signed by the ...
Category

2010s Photorealist Black and White Photography

Materials

Archival Pigment, Digital Pigment, Archival Paper

Greta Garbo - Somber Head Shot by Clarence Sinclair Bull, 1931
Located in Soquel, CA
Greta Garbo - Somber Head Shot by Clarence Sinclair Bull, 1931 1931 Black and white somber headshot photograph of Swedish/American actress Greta Garbo (Swedish, 1905-1990) by Clarence Sinclair Bull (American, 1896-1979). Greta Garbo gazes at the camera, her curled hair sits in front of her face. The background is black. A black and white photograph, matte finish, double-weight paper, depicting a 1931 shot of the star titled 'Mata Hari,' printed decades later from the original negative, penciled in the lower left corner "A.P.," Estate stamped and blind embossed in the lower right corner "Clarence Sinclair Bull," further blind embossed in same corner "The Kobal / Collection," verso with the photographer's black ink credit stamp, verso further with two "Edward Weston" black ink credit stamps dated "1981" and "1992," originally from the John Kobal Collection. Greta Garbo was a Swedish-American actress. Regarded as one of the greatest screen actresses of all time, she was known for her melancholic, somber persona, her film portrayals of tragic characters, and her subtle and understated performances. In 1999, the American Film Institute ranked Garbo fifth on its list of the greatest female stars of classic Hollywood cinema. Clarence Sinclair Bull was born in Sun River, Montana, in 1896. His career began when Samuel Goldwyn hired him in 1920 to photograph publicity stills of the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer film studio's stars. He is most famous for his photographs of Greta Garbo, taken between 1926 and 1941. Bull's first portrait of Garbo was a costume study for the silent romantic drama film Flesh and the Devil in September 1926. Bull was able to study with the great Western painter...
Category

1930s Photorealist Black and White Photography

Materials

Photographic Paper, Silver Gelatin, Paper

No Way - black and white nude photograph - print on aluminum 23" x 36"
Located in Beverly Hills, CA
A black and white photograph of a perfect woman's buttocks and her handcuffed hands giving a finger. Original digital print on aluminum plate signed by the artist. Limited edition o...
Category

2010s Photorealist Black and White Photography

Materials

Metal

Infinity - underwater black and white nude photograph - archival paper 17"x22"
Located in Beverly Hills, CA
An underwater black and white photograph of a topless female dancer in the pool. Original gallery quality print signed by the artist. Digital archival pigment print on archival pap...
Category

2010s Photorealist Black and White Photography

Materials

Archival Pigment

"Monument Valley" Black and White Photograph
Located in Soquel, CA
"Monument Valley" Black and White Photograph Stunning photograph of Monument Valley, Utah, by an unknown artist (20th Century). A gnarled, ...
Category

1970s Photorealist Black and White Photography

Materials

Photographic Paper, Silver Gelatin

Paris, Carrousel Bridge, circa 1930, Silver Gelatin Black and White Photography
Located in Atlanta, GA
A unique original silver gelatin black and white photograph by Press Agency Trampus. In Paris, the Carrousel Bridge, circa 1930. Construction started at The Carrousel Bridge in Paris...
Category

1930s Art Deco Black and White Photography

Materials

Silver Gelatin

The Seine and Barges near Paris, 1926, Silver Gelatin B and W Photography
Located in Atlanta, GA
A unique original silver gelatin black and white photography. View of Charenton le Pont, east suburb of Paris, France, June 1926. This original photography shows a view of the canal...
Category

1920s Art Deco Black and White Photography

Materials

Silver Gelatin

David Bowie Smoking Clown contact sheet by Duffy, with silver frame
Located in Austin, TX
Museum quality contact sheet print of David Bowie smoking a cigarette in the Scary Monsters Clown costume from the official Duffy Archive. Taken from the original negatives, these o...
Category

Late 20th Century Photorealist Black and White Photography

Materials

C Print

Kim Gordon of Sonic Youth vintage silver gelatin print by Chris Cuffaro
Located in Austin, TX
Kim Gordon of Sonic Youth, 8”x10” Hand-printed darkroom print, made at the time of the shoot in 1994, and stored flat in a temperature-controlled environment. The print is in perfec...
Category

Late 20th Century Photorealist Black and White Photography

Materials

Silver Gelatin

David Bowie and William Burroughs, framed signed print by Terry O'Neill
Located in Austin, TX
Framed, 20x24" signed lifetime edition print by Terry O'Neill of David Bowie with William Burroughs, taken for an interview published at Rolling Stone magazine in February 28, 1974. ...
Category

Late 20th Century Photorealist Black and White Photography

Materials

Silver Gelatin

Apriel - underwater black & white nude photograph - print on aluminum 38" x 46"
Located in Beverly Hills, CA
"Apriel" captures a serene underwater moment in striking black and white. This fine art underwater photograph showcases delicate interplay between light, shadow, and movement as hair...
Category

2010s Photorealist Black and White Photography

Materials

Metal

Tornando con le spese, New York (1955) - Large size Black & White Fine Art Print
Located in Brussels, BE
Artwork # 1 on 5 sold in limited edition in perfect condition This photo was made in 1955, the negative was digitized during the artist's lifetime and the technical parameters (fram...
Category

1950s Photorealist Black and White Photography

Materials

Archival Pigment

Slow Time - underwater black & white nude photograph - archival pigment 16"x23"
Located in Beverly Hills, CA
Underwater nude photograph of a young woman in a swimming pool and her shadow on the bottom of the pool. Original gallery quality print signed by the artist. Digital archival pigme...
Category

2010s Photorealist Black and White Photography

Materials

Archival Paper, Archival Pigment

Er Fusto, Roma Ciampino Airport (1953) Large size Black & White Fine Art Print
Located in Brussels, BE
Artwork # 1 on 5 sold in limited edition in perfect condition This photo was made in 1953, the negative was digitized during the artist's lifetime and the technical parameters (frami...
Category

1950s Photorealist Black and White Photography

Materials

Archival Pigment

Bob Marley
Located in Austin, TX
Signed limited edition print of Bob Marley by Guido Harari, taken in 1980 in Milan, Italy. Available in the following sizes: A. 11” x 16” - Edition 50 B. 16” x 20” - Edition 50 C. 20” x 28” - Edition 25 D. 32” x 44” - Edition 10 E. 44” x 59” - Edition 5 Guido Harari has photographed many music legends in his prolific career in Italy. Lou Reed said about him: "I'm always happy when Guido takes my picture because I know it will be a musical picture...
Category

Late 20th Century Photorealist Black and White Photography

Materials

Archival Pigment

The Beatles, Our World 1967
Located in Austin, TX
Signed limited edition print of The Beatles by Alec Byrne, taken at Abbey Road Studios, London, Jun. 24, 1967 Alec recalls “This wasn’t just any band: It was the Beatles. Everyone w...
Category

Late 20th Century Photorealist Black and White Photography

Materials

Archival Pigment, Silver Gelatin

The River Seine and the Eiffel Towel, Paris, Silver Gelatin B and W Photography
Located in Atlanta, GA
An original silver gelatin black and white photograph. Paris, the River Seine, and the Eiffel Tower, circa 1940. Features: Original silver gelatin print photography unframed. Press p...
Category

1940s Art Deco Black and White Photography

Materials

Silver Gelatin

Marilyn Monroe by Lawrence Schiller
Located in Austin, TX
Museum quality print of Marilyn Monroe by Lawrence Schiller, taken in 1960 Signed limited edition 16x20" print, edition number 15/75
Category

Late 20th Century Photorealist Black and White Photography

Materials

Archival Pigment

Patti Smith 1975 Iran War Protest, framed first print of the edition #1/20
Located in Austin, TX
Patti Smith taken in NYC during a 1975 Iran War protest by Lynn Goldsmith. Recently framed with non-glare museum glass, signed limited edition 16x20" print, edition #1/20 Lynn Go...
Category

Late 20th Century Photorealist Black and White Photography

Materials

C Print

Mick Jagger at home, London 1966 by Gered Mankowitz
Located in Austin, TX
Mick Jagger in the hallway of his new apartment at Harley House, London, 1966 by Gered Mankowitz "I shot a series of photographs of each member of the band at home so that they did...
Category

Late 20th Century Photorealist Black and White Photography

Materials

C Print

Mick Jagger, Los Angeles 1972 “Exile?”
Located in Austin, TX
Signed limited edition fine art print of Mick Jagger, taken in LA by Norman Seeff in 1972. I art directed the EXILE ON MAIN STREET album package. Mick was very hands-on and the final decision maker. One afternoon, we asked him to hand-write the liner notes, which we pasted on to layout. We created the album package design right there in that moment. - Norman Seeff. This Mick Jagger print...
Category

Late 20th Century Photorealist Black and White Photography

Materials

Archival Pigment

Dolly Parton silhouette by Jim Herrington
Located in Austin, TX
Dolly Parton, Nashville, Tennessee, 2000, by Jim Herrington 17x22" Archival pigment print on baryta 315 gsm, acid-free, 100% cotton-fiber paper. Edition 75 Signed on recto by photo...
Category

Late 20th Century Photorealist Black and White Photography

Materials

Archival Pigment

Patti Smith Fuck The Clock 1977 by Allan Tannenbaum
Located in Austin, TX
AVAILABLE FOR IMMEDIATE SHIPPING Signed limited edition archival print of Patti Smith wearing her “Fuck The Clock” t-shirt by Allan Tannenbaum, taken at CBGB in New York, New Years ...
Category

Late 20th Century Photorealist Black and White Photography

Materials

Archival Pigment

Perso nell'immensità - New York, 1955 - Full Framed Black & White Photography
Located in Brussels, BE
Perso nell'immensità, 1955. Men and hats, in the streets of New York. Work sold in perfect condition, print on baryta paper 310 grs pigment inks of museum quality, limited edition of...
Category

1950s Photorealist Black and White Photography

Materials

Archival Pigment

Greta Garbo "Mata Hari" Film Photograph by Clarence Sinclair Bull, 1931
Located in Soquel, CA
Greta Garbo "Mata Hari" Film Photograph by Clarence Sinclair Bull, 1931 A black and white photograph, matte finish, double-weight paper, depicting a 1931 shot of the star titled 'Mata Hari,' printed decades later from the original negative, penciled in the lower left corner "A.P.," Estate stamped and blind embossed in the lower right corner "Clarence Sinclair Bull," further blind embossed in same corner "The Kobal / Collection," verso with the photographer's black ink credit stamp, verso further with two "Edward Weston" black ink credit stamps dated "1981" and "1992," originally from the John Kobal Collection. Greta Garbo was a Swedish-American actress. Regarded as one of the greatest screen actresses of all time, she was known for her melancholic, somber persona, her film portrayals of tragic characters, and her subtle and understated performances. In 1999, the American Film Institute ranked Garbo fifth on its list of the greatest female stars of classic Hollywood cinema. Clarence Sinclair Bull was born in Sun River, Montana, in 1896. His career began when Samuel Goldwyn hired him in 1920 to photograph publicity stills of the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer film studio's stars. He is most famous for his photographs of Greta Garbo, taken between 1926 and 1941. Bull's first portrait of Garbo was a costume study for the silent romantic drama film Flesh and the Devil in September 1926. Bull was able to study with the great Western...
Category

1930s Photorealist Black and White Photography

Materials

Photographic Paper, Silver Gelatin

David Bowie and Elizabeth Taylor signed Lifetime Edition
Located in Austin, TX
Lifetime prints are the last remaining prints available, signed by Terry O’Neill and obtained from the Terry O’Neill Archive in London. Signed limited edition, silver gelatin print ...
Category

1970s Photorealist Black and White Photography

Materials

Silver Gelatin

David Bowie and William Burroughs, framed signed print by Terry O'Neill
Located in Austin, TX
Ready to ship immediately. Free domestic US shipping. David Bowie and William Burroughs in Los Angeles, February 1974, signed Terry O'Neill, 8x10" print, custom framed with non-glar...
Category

Late 20th Century Photorealist Black and White Photography

Materials

Giclée

The Beatles 1963
Located in Austin, TX
The Beatles, John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr at the President Hotel, Russell Square, London, 12 September 1963 by Norman Pa...
Category

Late 20th Century Photorealist Black and White Photography

Materials

C Print

David Bowie 1978
Located in Austin, TX
David Bowie live on stage in Canada by John R Rowlands. Signed limited edition 17x22" print, number 17/25 Hand signed and number by the artist.
Category

Late 20th Century Photorealist Black and White Photography

Materials

Archival Pigment

Amy Winehouse
Located in Austin, TX
Lifetime prints are the last remaining prints available, signed by Terry O’Neill and obtained from the Terry O’Neill Archive in London. Signed limited edition, silver gelatin print by Terry O'Neill. Amy Winehouse...
Category

Early 2000s Photorealist Black and White Photography

Materials

Silver Gelatin

Soft Dance - underwater black & white nude photograph - archival pigment 64"х43"
Located in Beverly Hills, CA
A black and white nude photograph of a young woman diving in a pool. The woman is coming from the depth up toward the surface and her body reflects in the internal water surface. Or...
Category

2010s Photorealist Black and White Photography

Materials

Archival Paper, Archival Pigment

Iconics by Fabrizio La Torre - Set # 2 - Roma - 1956 - Vintage Photographs
Located in Brussels, BE
Artworks sold in perfect condition : Set # 2 composed of 5 Gallery Print 30x40 cm This is an exceptional offer that we are presenting today. For almost four years, here on 1stdibs, a...
Category

1950s Photorealist Black and White Photography

Materials

Archival Pigment

Bob Marley 1972 portrait
Located in Austin, TX
Signed limited edition, silver print of Bob Marley, taken in the recording studio during the "I Can See Clearly Now" sessions with Johnny Nash, 1972 Alec Byrne...
Category

Late 20th Century Photorealist Black and White Photography

Materials

Archival Pigment, Silver Gelatin

Amy Winehouse at the laundromat by Jake Chessum framed 9x12" print
Located in Austin, TX
Framed, signed 9x12" print of Amy Winehouse taken at a laundromat in London by Jake Chessum. Frame measures 16.5 x 14/5 x 1" Framed in a simple black frame, matting and UV protected conservation clear glass Jake recalls the session: “I travelled from NYC to London in February 2004 to do a press shoot with Amy Winehouse. It was a classic February day: cold, wet, foggy and dark by about 4pm. We met at her flat and went to a few of her local haunts: a cafe, a launderette, Primrose Hill. The record company were very hands off and didn’t pressure us to do any particular set ups. We just went with the flow. She was really entertaining: funny, smart and cooly indiscreet. I am a huge jazz fan and I remember we talked about music, London and New York.” Jake grew...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Photorealist Black and White Photography

Materials

Giclée

Soft Dance - underwater black & white nude photograph - print on aluminum 60x40"
Located in Beverly Hills, CA
A black and white photograph of a naked young woman diving in a pool. The woman is coming from the depth up toward the surface and her body reflects in the internal water surface. O...
Category

2010s Photorealist Black and White Photography

Materials

Metal

Shop Black and White Photography

There’s a lot to love about black and white photography.

The unique and timeless quality of a black and white photograph accentuates any room. Some might argue that we’re naturally drawn to color photography because it’s the world we know best. This is a shared belief, particularly in the era of camera-phone photography, editing apps and the frenetic immediacy of sharing photos on social media. But when we look at black and white photography, we experience deep, rich shadows and tonal properties in a way that transfixes us. Composition and textures are crisp and engaging. We’re immediately drawn to the subjects of vintage street photography and continue to feel the emotional impact of decades-old photojournalism. The silhouettes of mountains in black and white landscape photography are particularly pronounced, while portrait photography and the skylines of urban cityscapes come to life in monochrome prints.

When decorating with fine photography, keep in mind that some color photographs may not be suitable for every space. However, you can be more daring with black and white photos. The gray tones are classic, sophisticated and generally introduce elegance to any corner of your home, which renders black and white prints amazingly versatile.

Black and white photography adapts to its surroundings like a chameleon might. A single large-scale black and white photograph above the sofa in your living room is going to work with any furniture style, and as some homeowners and designers today are working to introduce more muted tones and neutral palettes to dining rooms and bedrooms, the integration of black and white photography — a hallmark of minimalist decor — is a particularly natural choice for such a setting.

Another advantage to bringing black and white photography into your home is that you can style walls and add depth and character without worrying about disrupting an existing color scheme. Black and white photographs actually harmonize well with accent colors such as yellow, red and green. Your provocative Memphis Group lighting and bold Pierre Paulin seating will pair nicely with the black and white fine nude photography you’ve curated over the years.

Black and white photography also complements a variety of other art. Black and white photos pair well with drawings and etchings in monochromatic hues. They can also form part of specific color schemes. For example, you can place black and white prints in colored picture frames for a pop of color. And while there are no hard and fast rules, it’s best to keep black and white prints separate from color photographs. Color prints stand out in a room more than black and white prints do. Pairing them may detract attention from your black and white photography. Instead, dedicate separate walls or spaces to each.

Once you’ve selected the photography that best fits your space, you’ll need to decide how to hang the images. If you want to hang multiple photos, it’s essential to know how to arrange wall art. A proper arrangement can significantly enhance a living space.

On 1stDibs, explore a vast collection of compelling black and white photography by artists such as Mark Shaw, Jack Mitchell (a photographer you should know), Berenice Abbott and David Yarrow.

Recently Viewed

View All