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100 Melancholic Monochromatic Photographs

From Fashion to Landscapes These Captures are Gloomy

— May 1, 2012 — Fashion
As these melancholic monochromatic photographs demonstrate, black and white photography does well to evoke feelings of ennui and gloom. Contrasting shades of gray render well-defined figures while muting any feelings of levity such figures may evoke.

It is often said that people associate blue with calmness, red with passion and green with creativity, where gray and black are usually associated with starker, more austere feelings. Of course, this does not limit the art of photography; rather, it often creates opportunities.

Dark moods work well in a variety of genres and with a myriad of themes. Landscapes can become much more dramatic; conceptual art can become better focused; fashion photography becomes edgier and darker. In short, black and white photography is quite well-suited to darker themes, moods and genres.
4.6
Score
Popularity
Activity
Freshness
90
Stunning City Imagery
Stunning City Imagery
The Fujifilm X100 Commercial Takes You on a Journey
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89
Monochromatic Geek-Chic Captures
Monochromatic Geek-Chic Captures
The Victoria Wallace by Conan Thai Shoot is Simple and Sweet
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88
Monochromatic Mosaics
Monochromatic Mosaics
Steven Spazuk Beautifully Brings Pieces Together to Create Art
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87
Eccentric Curtsy Captures
Eccentric Curtsy Captures
The Numero Tokyo Edge of Splash Editorial Stars the Playful Iris Egbers
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86
Alien-Accentuated Landscapes
Alien-Accentuated Landscapes
This Maxim Mjödov Photography is Otherworldly
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85
Smudged Smoke Drawings
Smudged Smoke Drawings
These Patti Jordan Artworks are Beautifully Organic
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84
Gritty Gray Photography
Gritty Gray Photography
These Bartosz Matenko Photographs are Dark
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83
Minimalist Monochromatic Rooms
Minimalist Monochromatic Rooms
The Nendo Solo Show Demonstrates the Power of Black and White
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82
Melodramatic Monochrome Photography
Melodramatic Monochrome Photography
Valentina Vortice Captures Raw Emotion In Sad Subjects' Eyes
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81
Masked Misfit Shoots
Masked Misfit Shoots
The Jake Short­all Huge Magazine Editorial is All About Accent Accessori
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80
Disciplined Athlete Captures
Disciplined Athlete Captures
Tomasz Gudzowaty Photographs a Group of Young Determined Athletes
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79
Social Time Capsule Photography
Social Time Capsule Photography
The Here, Anywhere Image Series Will Surely Captivate
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78
Otherworldly Monochromatic Photography
Otherworldly Monochromatic Photography
This Kim Høltermand Series is Elegant
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77
Inked Accessory Editorials
Inked Accessory Editorials
The Fatal Husk Magazine Shoot is Artful and Avant-Garde
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76
Forsaken Fieldtography
Forsaken Fieldtography
The 5 Magazine ‘Contra Natura' Shoot is Alluringly Glum
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75
Edgy Outerwear Editorials
Edgy Outerwear Editorials
The Sam Margevivius by Oscar Cor­recher Portrait Series is Retro
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74
Sacred Streamlined Shoots
Sacred Streamlined Shoots
The Cushnie et Ochs Fall 2011 Campaign is Simple & Sensual
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73
Suited Surfer Editorials
Suited Surfer Editorials
The Nicola Wincenc by Conan Thai Portrait Series is Effortlessly Cool
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72
Wicked Suburban Wanderer Shoots
Wicked Suburban Wanderer Shoots
Veronika Anna Captures Moody, Melancholic Photographs
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71
Dynamically Veiled Pictorials
Dynamically Veiled Pictorials
The Timon Rottmueller by Eliza­veta Poro­d­ina Shoot
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70
Shadowed Sultry Shoots
Shadowed Sultry Shoots
The Faces of Now Editorial Captures the Current Group of ‘It' G
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69
Introspective Editorials
Introspective Editorials
"Our Darkness" by Eli Schmidt Reflects on Financial Crisis
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68
Retro Suburban Shoots
Retro Suburban Shoots
The Home Boy Mister Muse Editorial is Street-Savvy
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67
Multiple-Year Exposure Photography
Multiple-Year Exposure Photography
The Open Shutter Series Captures Three Years in One Photo
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66
Hatted Clone Captures
Hatted Clone Captures
The Ones To Watch 'Ponderosa' Editorial is Amish-Inspired
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65
Sensual Maid Shoots
Sensual Maid Shoots
Spice Up Your Cleaning Routine with this Vogue Germany July 2011 Editorial
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64
Street Wanderer Shoots
Street Wanderer Shoots
The Chris Garcia by Jeiroh Yanga Portrait Series Explores The City
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63
Stoic Structured Shoots
Stoic Structured Shoots
Black to Basics Proves That Simplicity Equals Glamor
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62
Alien Landscape Photography
Alien Landscape Photography
The Another California Series is Extraordinarily Extraterrestrial
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61
Leopard-Printed Menswear
Leopard-Printed Menswear
The Edmond by Christopher Hench Portrait Series is High-Contrast
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60
Moody Monochromatic Captures
Moody Monochromatic Captures
This Inna Franco Series is Subtle and Expressive
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59
Polka Dotted Menswear
Polka Dotted Menswear
The Colt Maldonado by Alex Alvarez Portrait Series Features Modernized Suits
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58
Light Pattern Portraits
Light Pattern Portraits
The Aphelion Flaunt Magazine Editorial is Artfully Executed
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57
Charming Outsiders Photography
Charming Outsiders Photography
The Stray Cats Depesha Magazine Editorial Captures Tough Love
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56
Gothic Nature Catalogs
Gothic Nature Catalogs
The Dead Castle Project AW11 Lookbook is on the Dark Side
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55
Slick Badboy Shoots
Slick Badboy Shoots
The Alfie Snow by Daniel Lehenbauer Portrait Series is Retro-Inspired
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54
Extreme Headpiece Editorials
Extreme Headpiece Editorials
The Codie Young Vogue Italia Photo Shoot is Demure Yet Bold
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53
Impactful Emotography
Impactful Emotography
The Glass Magazine 'Hope is a Walking Dream' Editorial is Thoughtful
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52
Terrifically Twisted Circus Art
Terrifically Twisted Circus Art
This Francesco Sambo Series is Eery and Unsettling
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51
Film Noir-Inspired Campaigns
Film Noir-Inspired Campaigns
The Virdi-anne Fall/Winter Collection Features Retro Accessories
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50
Retro Couture Coifs
Retro Couture Coifs
The Spread L'Officiel Hommes Ukraine Shoot is Bold and Dynamic
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49
Monochromatic Cemetery Captures
Monochromatic Cemetery Captures
Photography by Gustavo Lopez Manas is Haunting
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48
Haunting Smoker Shoots
Haunting Smoker Shoots
The Pavel Baranov by Damon Baker Portrait Series Features Brooding Imagery
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47
Arachnid-Inspired Editorials
Arachnid-Inspired Editorials
Urban Glam by Stephane Sednaoui Gives Rise to Spiderwoman
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46
Urban Nomad Shoots
Urban Nomad Shoots
The Fashion Gone Rogue Solange Wilvert Pictorial is City Chic
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45
Mind-Blowing Monochromatic Captures
Mind-Blowing Monochromatic Captures
The Work of Lukas Dvorak Showcases Helpless Looking Women
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44
Ambrotype Amazon Photoshoots
Ambrotype Amazon Photoshoots
This Manoj Jadhav Photography Will Turn Heads
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43
Mirrored Melancholic Captures
Mirrored Melancholic Captures
The 'Touchpuppet Dervla' by Robert Gaudette Shoot is Poetic
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42
Exposed Model Editorials
Exposed Model Editorials
The Kamil by Krzysztof Wyzyn­ski Portrait Series is Suggestive
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41
Monochromatic Couple Captures
Monochromatic Couple Captures
Vogue Australia The Wanderers Editorial Stars Valentina Zelyaeva
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40
Monochromatic Menswear Captures
Monochromatic Menswear Captures
The Matvey Lykov Hunter Magazine Shoot is Stoic
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39
Sharply Outlined Photoshoots
Sharply Outlined Photoshoots
The Numero May 2012 Editorial Stars a Monochromatic Abbey Lee Kershaw
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38
Eclectic Underwear Shoots
Eclectic Underwear Shoots
The Jar­rod Scott Vogue Hommes International Editorial is Embellish
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37
Gritty Greyscale Swim Shoots
Gritty Greyscale Swim Shoots
The Ella by Antony Nobilo Editorial Features Fierce Femme Fatales
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36
Bleached Brow Beautorials
Bleached Brow Beautorials
‘Girl on Top' by Isa Jacob Embodies a Black and White Aesthe
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35
Ghostly Get-Ups
Ghostly Get-Ups
The Latest Garland Coo Collection Sabotoges Stereotypes of The Black Forest
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34
Daunting Dark Damsel Portraits
Daunting Dark Damsel Portraits
The John Ciamillo for Bambi Issue 9 Series Features Raw Emotion
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33
Bullying Brothers Photography
Bullying Brothers Photography
This Dedicate Magazine 'Boys Will Be Boys' Spread Goes Back in Time
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32
Feminine Feline Fashions
Feminine Feline Fashions
The Classy Angela Lindvall Georges Rech Fall 2011 Shoot
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31
Euro-Adventure Editorals
Euro-Adventure Editorals
The Vlada Roslyakova September 2011 Marie Claire Spain Shoot is Etherial
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30
Surreal Stranded Captures
Surreal Stranded Captures
The Hale Cokyuruyen Photos are Beautifully Haunting
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29
Ebony Faceless Portraits
Ebony Faceless Portraits
Shape by Quentin Arnaud Plays with Light to Remove Subject Features
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28
Monochromatic Desert Editorials
Monochromatic Desert Editorials
The Flair April Shoot is as Hot as the Sahara
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27
Periodical-Engrossed Editorials
Periodical-Engrossed Editorials
These Alexandra Loeb 'News Worthy' Looks are Topical
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26
Stunning Sensual Campaigns
Stunning Sensual Campaigns
Lara Stone is the Face of the New Calvin Klein Naked Glamour Line
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25
Gritty Tattoed Captures
Gritty Tattoed Captures
The Brooklyn Invitational Tumblr Shines a Softer Light on Badass Bikeres
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24
Chiaroscuro Magazine Shoots
Chiaroscuro Magazine Shoots
Jessica Biel's Sultry Shadow Poses for GQ
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23
Retro Lounging Pictorials
Retro Lounging Pictorials
The Jonatan Frenk Attitude Magazine Shoot Looks to the Past
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22
Sultry Smoking Shoots
Sultry Smoking Shoots
The Mario Loncarski by Saverio Cardia Portrait Series is Simple and Chic
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21
Cinematic Couple Captures
Cinematic Couple Captures
The Premiers Roles Vogue Paris Editorial Features Vivid Imagery
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20
Colorful Bouffant Tresses
Colorful Bouffant Tresses
‘The Ecletic Portrait' Numero #127 Shoot is Hair-Raisingly H
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19
Snarling Bad-Boy Shoots
Snarling Bad-Boy Shoots
The Nicola Wincenc by Grant Yoshino Shoot is Villainous
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18
Sapphic Monochromatic Spreads
Sapphic Monochromatic Spreads
The Culture Magazine Editorial is Strikingly Sensual
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17
Revealing Sports Shoots
Revealing Sports Shoots
Nikolay Abrosimov by Marat Mukhonkin Features Unconventional Activewear
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16
Monochromatic Double Exposures
Monochromatic Double Exposures
Florian Imgrund Melds the Natural and Human in Black and White
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15
Bare Black-and-White Portraits
Bare Black-and-White Portraits
The Revealing Photos of Marloes Horst by Terry Richardson
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14
Fierce Couture Captures
Fierce Couture Captures
The Numero 126 September 2011 Spread is full of Theatrics
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13
Artfully Inked Pictorials
Artfully Inked Pictorials
The Toby Leonard by Jeff Hahn Portrait Series is Darkly Dynamic
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12
Flippant 40s Fashions
Flippant 40s Fashions
The Nadine Wolfbeisser Fashion Gone Rogue Shoot is Perfectly Parisian
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11
Stripped Model Close-Ups
Stripped Model Close-Ups
The Jakub Cabaj by Tomasz Maj Portrait Series is Raw
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10
Spellbinding Cavewoman Photography
Spellbinding Cavewoman Photography
This Krystal Glynn Fashion Gone Rogue Shoot Runs Wild
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9
Gender Bending Styles
Gender Bending Styles
The Ones2Watch Tomboy Editorial Features Edgy Streetwear Styles
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8
Evaporating Model Photography
Evaporating Model Photography
Smoke by Stefano Bonazzi is Half Human and Half Vapor
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7
Monochromatic Dystopia Paintings
Monochromatic Dystopia Paintings
Michael Peck Transports Viewers to Foreboding Worlds
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6
Badass Body Art Editorials
Badass Body Art Editorials
Matthew Brooks' the Prefect Guide Editorial is Rockabilly Inspired
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5
Dark Gloom-Ridden Editorials
Dark Gloom-Ridden Editorials
The Fashion Gone Rogue 'Grace Alone' Shoot Stars Grace Hartzel
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4
Exposed Adolescent Editorials
Exposed Adolescent Editorials
Juvenile Success by Jason Ierace Undresses Age
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3
Religiously Dark Photography
Religiously Dark Photography
Camille Domain Photographs Anzhela Turenko as a Lost Soul
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2
Glamorous Narcissistic Shoots
Glamorous Narcissistic Shoots
The Britt Maren Exit Magazine SS11 Editorial is Hauntingly Beautiful
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1
Dapper Urban Dude Couture
Dapper Urban Dude Couture
The Josh Tuckley and Matt P Varon Shoot is Handsome and Hunky
<