100 Awe-Inspiring Black and White Images

Black and white images are special. When you strip away the colour from something, you can get right to its soul. It doesn't matter whether it's a portrait, a landscape, a street scene or anything else, when it's reduced to textures, tones and lines, you see it in a different way.

It's a sad truth that in the age of easy Instagram filters some people feel that converting an image to black and white is enough to make it "arty" and "cool". The best black and white images are carefully crafted; they aren't just desaturated versions of normal colour images. Creating a powerful black and white image is a skill unto itself!

In this article I've gathered 100 awesome black and white images. There are portraits, landscapes, street scenes and everything in between in the mix. The one thing they have in common is that they are all monochrome images. Around half of them were taken before 1950 by masters of the craft like Ansel Adams. The other half are more modern images, the majority taken with digital cameras.

Things to Consider

Rather than just scrolling through this collection going, "Oh, that's cool!", when you see an image you like, you should spend an hour slowly browsing through all the images considering them carefully. You should look at each image as an individual work of art but also consider how it relates to the other images in the collection. You might want to think about things like:

How has a particular style of photography (for example, portraiture) changed in the past 100 years? Take a photo from two photographers, maybe one from Ansel Adams and another from Rod Waddington; what are the similarities and differences between them?
Take your favourite image from the collection. Why do you think the photographer converted it to black and white? Was it driven by the film stock available such as in the case of the news images or was it a deliberate choice?
As you look through, consider what would each image look like in colour? Would it be stronger or weaker? Why?
Some photographers have multiple images in the collection while others have only one. Without looking at the captions can you identify which photos come from the same photographers? What is it that gives it away? How are they creating a style even without colour?
What emotion does each image you feel? Is the black and white heightening that emotion or reducing it? Would you feel a different emotion if it was in colour?

There are plenty more things to consider with each image. Don't feel my list of ideas is exhaustive. Use it as a jumping off point. The only important thing is that you actively think as you view each image.

It's Not a Black and White World: How To Imagine Pictures in Monochrome

Harry Guinness

29 Nov 2015

nurse — Catherine Natsuko Yamaguchi, Red Cross instructor, Manzanar Relocation Center, Cal. Image by Ansel Adams. Public Domain/No Known Copyright Restrictions.

electrician — Yonehisa Yamagami, Electrician, Manzanar Relocation Center, California. Image by Ansel Adams. Public Domain/No Known Copyright Restrictions.

policeman — Sam Bozono, Policeman. Image by Ansel Adams. Public Domain/No Known Copyright Restrictions.

private — Private Margaret Fukuoka, W.A.C. Image by Ansel Adams. Public Domain/No Known Copyright Restrictions.

portrait — Tom Kobayashi, Landscape, Manzanar Relocation Center, California. Image by Ansel Adams. Public Domain/No Known Copyright Restrictions.

eldest daughter — Joyce Yuki Nakamura, Eldest Daughter. Image by Ansel Adams. Public Domain/No Known Copyright Restrictions.

hogfarm — Hog farm, Manzanar Relocation Center, California. Image by Ansel Adams. Public Domain/No Known Copyright Restrictions.

farmer with cabbages — Richard Kobayashi, Farmer with Cabbages, Manzanar Relocation Center, California. Image by Ansel Adams. Public Domain/No Known Copyright Restrictions.

tractor — Benji Iguchi Driving Tractor, Manzanar Relocation Center, California. Image by Ansel Adams. Public Domain/No Known Copyright Restrictions.

squash — Benji Iguchi with Squash, Manzanar Relocation Center. Image by Ansel Adams. Public Domain/No Known Copyright Restrictions.

chicken farm — Chicken Farm, Mori Nakashima, Manzanar Relocation Center. Image by Ansel Adams. Public Domain/No Known Copyright Restrictions.

farm — Farm and Farm Workers with Mt. Williamson in background, Manzanar Relocation Center, California. Image by Ansel Adams. Public Domain/No Known Copyright Restrictions.

calisthenics — Calesthenics [sic]. Image by Ansel Adams. Public Domain/No Known Copyright Restrictions.

volleyball — Vollyball, Manzanar Relocation Center, Calififornia. Image by Ansel Adams. Public Domain/No Known Copyright Restrictions.

bridge — Bridge Game. Image by Ansel Adams. Public Domain/No Known Copyright Restrictions.

football — Football. Image by Ansel Adams. Public Domain/No Known Copyright Restrictions.

girl and volleyball — Girl and Volley Ball, Manzanar Relocation Center, California. Image by Ansel Adams. Public Domain/No Known Copyright Restrictions.

baseball — Baseball Game, Manzanar Relocation Center, Calif. Image by Ansel Adams. Public Domain/No Known Copyright Restrictions.

native — Native Types of Africa. Public Domain/No Known Copyright Restrictions.

transport — Transportation. Public Domain/No Known Copyright Restrictions.

headhunters — Head Hunters of the Upper Amazon in Brazil. Public Domain/No Known Copyright Restrictions.

priest sitting — Priest Sitting. Public Domain/No Known Copyright Restrictions.

aconcagua valley — Aconcagua Valley. Public Domain/No Known Copyright Restrictions.

thailand — Photographic Views of Thailand. Public Domain/No Known Copyright Restrictions.

boxers — A.A. MacLean, D. Deshler, M. Baldwin. Public Domain/No Known Copyright Restrictions.

barricade — Barricade Captured by Insurrectos. Public Domain/No Known Copyright Restrictions.

attack — The Attack on Juarez. Public Domain/No Known Copyright Restrictions.

home of girls — Home of Pupils on Mrs. Belmont's Farm for Girls. Public Domain/No Known Copyright Restrictions.

eva — Eva Morrison. Public Domain/No Known Copyright Restrictions.

eva — Eva Morrison. Public Domain/No Known Copyright Restrictions.

archbishop — Archbishop I.R. Rodic of Belgrade. Public Domain/No Known Copyright Restrictions.

nelle — Nelle B. Stull. Public Domain/No Known Copyright Restrictions.

capt john — Capt. John Weller. Public Domain/No Known Copyright Restrictions.

andre — Andre Beaumont. Public Domain/No Known Copyright Restrictions.

col sharpe — Col. A.C. Sharpe. Public Domain/No Known Copyright Restrictions.

taft — Taft's Auto Leaving N.Y. Public Library. Public Domain/No Known Copyright Restrictions.

atwood — Atwood Rising. Public Domain/No Known Copyright Restrictions.

jim flynn — Jim Flynn. Public Domain/No Known Copyright Restrictions.

asleep — Asleep in Battery Park on Hot Day. Public Domain/No Known Copyright Restrictions.

cooling — Cooling His Head. Public Domain/No Known Copyright Restrictions.

sutton — Florence Sutton. Public Domain/No Known Copyright Restrictions.

beatty — Beatty. Public Domain/No Known Copyright Restrictions.

jerusalem — Jerusalem from the South. Public Domain/No Known Copyright Restrictions.

warehouse — Warehouse. Image by Ansel Adams. Public Domain/No Known Copyright Restrictions.

church — Catholic Church, Manzanar Relocation Center. Image by Ansel Adams. Public Domain/No Known Copyright Restrictions.

dressmaking — Dressmaking Class, Manzanar Relocation Center, California. Image by Ansel Adams. Public Domain/No Known Copyright Restrictions.

buying toys — Mrs. Yaeko Nakamura and Family Buying Toys with Fred Moriguchi, Manzanar Relocation Center. Image by Ansel Adams. Public Domain/No Known Copyright Restrictions.

reading paper — Roy Takeno Reading Paper in Front of Office. Image by Ansel Adams. Public Domain/No Known Copyright Restrictions.

guard view — Manzanar from Guard Tower. Image by Ansel Adams. Public Domain/No Known Copyright Restrictions.

naguchi — Mrs. Naguchi and Two Children. Image by Ansel Adams. Public Domain/No Known Copyright Restrictions.

weeki — Weeki Wachee Spring, Florida, 1947. Image by Toni Frissell. [CC BY 2.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/).

victoria station — Victoria Station, London, 1951. Image by Toni Frissell. [CC BY 2.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/).

jackie kennedy — Jackie Kennedy, 1957. Image by Toni Frissell. [CC BY 2.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/).

airmen — Members of the Tuskegee Airmen 332nd Fighter Group attending a briefing in Ramitelli, Italy, 1945. Image by Toni Frissell. [CC BY 2.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/).

moor — Rannoch Moor. Image by [Chris Combe](https://www.flickr.com/photos/cosmicherb70/). [CC BY 2.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/).

Old pier — Old Pier. Image by [Vitor Pina](https://www.flickr.com/photos/77136928@N04/). [CC BY 2.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/).

barn — Burford Barn. Image by [Richard Walker](https://www.flickr.com/photos/richardwalkerphotography/). [CC BY 2.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/).

dappled — Dappled. Image by [Adam Meek](https://www.flickr.com/photos/adammeek/). [CC BY 2.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/).

crossroads — Crossroads. Image by [Adam Meek](https://www.flickr.com/photos/adammeek/). [CC BY 2.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/).

straylight — Straylight. Image by [Adam Meek](https://www.flickr.com/photos/adammeek/). [CC BY 2.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/).

chilly — Chilly Days. Image by [Adam Meek](https://www.flickr.com/photos/adammeek/). [CC BY 2.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/).

bike — A Moment of Reflection. Image by [Adam Meek](https://www.flickr.com/photos/adammeek/). [CC BY 2.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/).

sunset — Sunset. Image by [Andreas Øverland](https://www.flickr.com/photos/andreasoverland/). [CC BY 2.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/).

mirror — The Mirror. Image by [Stephane](https://www.flickr.com/photos/stf-o/). [CC BY 2.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/).

sonia — Sonia. Image by [Stephane](https://www.flickr.com/photos/stf-o/). [CC BY 2.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/).

azur — Azur. Image by [Stephane](https://www.flickr.com/photos/stf-o/). [CC BY 2.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/).

lake — Lake. Image by [Stephane](https://www.flickr.com/photos/stf-o/). [CC BY 2.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/).

lac de souston — Lac de Souston. Image by [Stephane](https://www.flickr.com/photos/stf-o/). [CC BY 2.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/).

deer bridge — Deer Bridge. Image by [Rennett Stowe](https://www.flickr.com/photos/tomsaint/). [CC BY 2.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/).

halfdome — Half Dome. Image by [Charlie Nguyen](https://www.flickr.com/photos/brainchildvn/). [CC BY 2.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/).

yosemite — Yosemite. Image by [Tom Hilton](https://www.flickr.com/photos/tomhilton/). [CC BY 2.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/).

glasgow — Glasgow, Scotland. Image by [Giuseppe Milo](https://www.flickr.com/photos/giuseppemilo/). [CC BY 2.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/).

pearse — Pearse Station, Dublin, Ireland. Image by [Giuseppe Milo](https://www.flickr.com/photos/giuseppemilo/). [CC BY 2.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/).

triangles — Triangles. Image by [Giuseppe Milo](https://www.flickr.com/photos/giuseppemilo/). [CC BY 2.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/).

baby — The Baby, Venice, Italy. Image by [Giuseppe Milo](https://www.flickr.com/photos/giuseppemilo/). [CC BY 2.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/).

the path — The Path, Dublin, Ireland. Image by [Giuseppe Milo](https://www.flickr.com/photos/giuseppemilo/). [CC BY 2.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/).

stairs — Stairs, Lisbon, Portugal. Image by [Giuseppe Milo](https://www.flickr.com/photos/giuseppemilo/). [CC BY 2.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/).

the priest — The Priest. Image by [Giuseppe Milo](https://www.flickr.com/photos/giuseppemilo/). [CC BY 2.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/).

girl — The Girl. Image by [Giuseppe Milo](https://www.flickr.com/photos/giuseppemilo/). [CC BY 2.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/).

dancing — Dancing in the Water. Image by [Giuseppe Milo](https://www.flickr.com/photos/giuseppemilo/). [CC BY 2.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/).

walking man — The Walking Man. Image by [Emilien Etienne](https://www.flickr.com/photos/emilienetiennephotography/). [CC BY 2.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/).

the look — The Look. Image by [Vinoth Chandar](https://www.flickr.com/photos/vinothchandar/). [CC BY 2.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/).

chipmunk goddess — Chipmunk Goddess. Image by [Brian Tomlinson](https://www.flickr.com/photos/brian_tomlinson/). [CC BY 2.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/).

J. Image by [Stephane](https://www.flickr.com/photos/stf-o/). [CC BY 2.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/).

grandma — Kamatchi, My Grandma. Image by [Vinoth Chandar](https://www.flickr.com/photos/vinothchandar/). [CC BY 2.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/).

shadow puppetteer — The Shadow Puppeteer. Image by [Sukano Debnath](https://www.flickr.com/photos/sukanto_debnath/). [CC BY 2.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/).

destruction — Destruction. Image by [M Yashna](https://www.flickr.com/photos/yashna13/). [CC BY 2.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/).

street — Street, Addis, Ethiopia. Image by [Rod Waddington](https://www.flickr.com/photos/rod_waddington/). [CC BY-SA 2.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/).

window boy — Window Boy. Image by [Rod Waddington](https://www.flickr.com/photos/rod_waddington/). [CC BY-SA 2.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/).

midstream — Midstream, Omo River, Ethiopia. Image by [Rod Waddington](https://www.flickr.com/photos/rod_waddington/). [CC BY-SA 2.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/).

twilight — Twilight (at Home), Mekele, Ethiopia. Image by [Rod Waddington](https://www.flickr.com/photos/rod_waddington/). [CC BY-SA 2.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/).

shady — Shady, Turmi, Ethiopia. Image by [Rod Waddington](https://www.flickr.com/photos/rod_waddington/). [CC BY-SA 2.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/).

mursi — Mursi Boy, Omo, Ethiopia. Image by [Rod Waddington](https://www.flickr.com/photos/rod_waddington/). [CC BY-SA 2.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/).

warriors — Warriors, Mursi Tribe, Ethiopia. Image by [Rod Waddington](https://www.flickr.com/photos/rod_waddington/). [CC BY-SA 2.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/).

warrior — Warrior, Mursi Tribe, Ethiopia. Image by [Rod Waddington](https://www.flickr.com/photos/rod_waddington/). [CC BY-SA 2.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/).

orphaned elephants — Orphaned Elephants, Kenya. Image by [Rod Waddington](https://www.flickr.com/photos/rod_waddington/). [CC BY-SA 2.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/).

ceremony — Ceremony, Hamer Tribe, Ethiopia. Image by [Rod Waddington](https://www.flickr.com/photos/rod_waddington/). [CC BY-SA 2.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/).

Wrapping Up

100 images is a huge number. If you've made it to this point, you're probably slightly overwhelmed by what you've just viewed. Hopefully, you're also inspired. It's a fairly eclectic mix of images so whatever style of photography you prefer there should have been something for you.

Black and white photography is a wonderful area of photography to explore. Rather than dying out with the rise of colour film, it's an even more vibrant and interesting area of the art form than ever before. We'd love to see the black and white shots you're most proud of. Please post them in the comments below.

I hope you've enjoyed browsing through our collection of images. Leave a link in the comments below to your own black and white shots, and feel free to tell us which of the photos above is your favourite!

Also, if you need high quality Photoshop Photo Effects or Photoshop Actions, then choose from the collection of creative options available for purchase on GraphicRiver. Get stared with Pro Photoshop Actions Bundle or the Premium PS Actions Set. Both include advanced B&W conversion actions, as well as an assortment of additional options to work with.