Cities look amazing in black and white. A lack of color adds definition to cityscapes, making the straight lines of roads and skyscrapers appear crisp and distinct. Black and white photography does more than simply mirror the greyness of the urban jungle landscape, it brings urban morphology and architecture into clear focus, while capturing the sense of isolation one can feel in a city, even when surrounded by thousands, even millions of people.
Below you’ll find 29 stunning black and white photographs taken in cities around the world, from Paris to New York, London and Tokyo. These fantastic images capture the world’s major cities as you’ve never seen them before. Hopefully they’ll inspire your own creative endeavors!
1. Manhattan and Brooklyn Bridge, New York
Image: ajagendorf25
2. Vancouver, Canada
Image: kennymatic
3. Vancouver, Canada
Image: kennymatic
4. Mumbai, India
Image: objetpetitm
5. Mumbai, India
Image: objetpetitm
6. Manhattan, New York
Image: Morgadu
7. Place Vendome, Paris
Image: Jean Michel Berts
8. Tower Bridge, London
Image: Photo-Visible.com
9. Seattle, USA
Image: KM Photography
10. Musée d’Orsay, Paris
Image: photoserge
11. Hong Kong
Image: Chi King
12. Zamora, Spain
Image: ajgelado
13. Frankfurt, Germany
Image: wecand
14. Taipei, Taiwan
Image: Shenghung Lin
15. Lake Union, Seattle
Image: striatic
16. Mumbai, India
Image: objetpetitm
17. Queensborough Bridge, New Westminster
Image: hall.chris25
18. Chicago, USA
Image: christopherdale
19. Bockenheimer Warte, Frankfurt
Image: wecand
20. Brooklyn Bridge, New York
Image: dani-santana
21. Manhattan, New York
Image: kennymatic
22. Edmonton, Canada
Image: bulliver
23. San Francisco, USA
Image: Striatic
24. Bangkok, Thailand
Image: rudenoon
25. Perth, Australia
Image: Ole Reidar Johnson
26. Big Ben, London
Image: Photo-Visible.com
27. Green Park, London
.JPG "green-park")
Image: CGP
28. Helsinki, Finland
Image: Jukka Vuokko
29. Tokyo, Japan
Image: Jukka Vuokko
11.24.09
Amazing pics!
12.02.09
These were amazing
12.02.09
As I said before,I LOVE al the pics I see on your webpage.I am partial to the black and white pics because they seem to show alot more detail and also if there is any trash and etc it doesn’t show because color brings that part out..Lovely Just Lovely
11.25.09
amazing photography with grayscale effect, look like historic scenes.
11.28.09
Sorry, but there is just way too much HDR in this set. Have people forgotten how to take photos all of a sudden? Cramming more light and more detail into every available square millimeter of space does not equal better.
11.28.09
True, HDR is being used very often in situations where it isn’t required, but HDR doesn’t have to be done to the extreme and result in a muddled mess.
11.28.09
I agree about the HDR. Aside from that, nice collection.
11.30.09
If they are not Photoshop edited then they are incredible
11.30.09
I love these shots, and I think the other guy is just exhibiting sour grapes. I especially love the shots of New York and Seattle; definitely captured both of those cities well.
11.30.09
Thanks for the support Mitch, I’m glad you liked the photos.
12.03.09
How is it “sour grapes” to not like HDR? Ninety-nine times out of a hundred, it’s hardly necessary in the slightest and only serves to detract from the photo, not add to it.
12.02.09
Agreed. Far too many examples of overdone HDR in this list. Yikes. Still, a handful of really beautiful B&W’s in the mix though.
12.03.09
question about the naming of 1. Manhattan and Brooklyn Bridge, New York
it’s a great shot, but where’s manhattan bridge? it’s not in the picture, from what i can tell — instead, the picture looks like it was taken from the vantage point of manhattan bridge.
12.03.09
Tim, I believe that you’re right, unfortunately I’m not familiar enough with the New York City layout. Tom used the names from the various photographers’ Flickr page, so I’d have to trust the photographer.
12.04.09
Inspiring photographs, amazing beauty.
Thanks for posting
01.30.10
the pics are really lovely..thr is slow shutter speed used in most of the images as the pics r in b&w n so it seem 2 photoshoped bt actly the pics are true..the depth in few of the pics are vry much interestin….