25 Monochrome Celeb Photoshoots

The world of celebrity fashion photography is relatively staid, and one of the quickest (and most effective) ways to class up a rote shoot is by dipping into the world of black and white portraits.

Some photographers -- like Terry Richardson, who is heavily featured in this collection -- have perfected the art of black and white portraits and made it their dominant aesthetic, but looking through this collection of images, it's clear that celebrity-focused black and white portraits are not the province of any one photog.

My favorite image in this series of black and white portraits features Kate Moss and Robert Downey Jr. touching tongues in a playful and defiant manner. The image is direct, supercharged and sexy. If you think celebrity portraits need anything else, you are sorely mistaken.