# Rugged Male Portraits These Black & White Images Present Men in Contrasting Light and Shadows By Ady Floyd | Published 2015-07-09 | Fashion Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/rugged-male References: [fubiz.net](http://www.fubiz.net/2015/06/29/contrasting-black-and-white-portraits/) & [500px](https://500px.com/DrakSpirit) Artist Drak Spirit is the photographer who captured these rugged male portraits that highlight and accentuate each individual characteristics on the men's faces through lighting contrasts. The [black and white images](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/glass-portraits) reveal a darker side to each face. Through the use of [online photo editing](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/make-your-photo-successful-first), the images have been enhanced to present an even more striking contrast, which displays every facial hair follicle and allows the viewer to peer directly into the eyes of each man. The photographer captures the rugged male portraits through various view points including head-on images that reveal the entire front of the face. Other images are slightly off-center and show the profile of the man's face. Some of the men are photographed while they are smoking, which adds a mystical and harsh element to the image while other men are simply gazing into the lens of the camera. ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 6.3/10 - Popularity: 93% | Activity: 87% | Freshness: 8% - Audience gender: 70% men, 30% women - Primary generations: Millennial, Gen X - Top markets: North America, Europe ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Fashion](https://www.trendhunter.com/fashion) > [Photography](https://www.trendhunter.com/stylephotography) ## Key Themes ### What's Driving This Trend - **Enhanced Contrast Photography:** The use of online photo editing to enhance contrast in photography presents an opportunity for photographers to create visually striking images with an emphasis on facial details. - **Rugged Masculinity Aesthetics:** The portrayal of rugged masculinity in photography allows for the exploration of contrasting light and shadows to capture the raw, dark, and mysterious side of male subjects. - **Character-focused Portraiture:** The emphasis on showcasing individual characteristics and facial details in portraiture opens up opportunities to capture the unique complexities and stories of each subject. ### Who This Affects Most - **Photography:** The photography industry can leverage the trend of enhanced contrast photography to offer unique and visually compelling services to clients. - **Fashion and Beauty:** The fashion and beauty industry can incorporate the rugged masculinity aesthetics trend to create bold and edgy campaigns that resonate with modern consumers. - **Art and Galleries:** Art galleries can explore the trend of character-focused portraiture to showcase the diverse and fascinating stories behind each captured face and engage viewers on a deep emotional level. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Travel-Inspired Canvas Paintings](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/the-passport-series.md) - [Public Art Displays](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/paul-anthony-smith.md) - [Stunning Origami Portraits](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/origami-portaits.md) - [AI-Generated Poetic Photo Series](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/emilio-alarcn.md) - [British Youth-Culture Photography Books](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/home-and-away.md) - [Monochrome Fashion Campaigns](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/jiyongkim-fw25.md) - [Raw Sports Emotion Artwork](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/game-exhibition.md) - [Material-Exploring Industrial-Style Lighting](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/industrialstyle-lighting.md) - [Photography Project Series](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/still-life-1.md)