Colors help our eyes determine detail. Sometimes, however, multiple colors can disguise details that we do not naturally see. Using shades of one color to wash out a photo or art piece can add to the overall impact and bring out details we might have missed.

This process of either eliminating all color or reducing the color palette to hues within a single shade is generally referred to as monochromatism. In the below examples of monochromatic photos and art, we included images in which the artist focuses your attention using careful color selection. This is not necessarily a single color, even though the word monochromatic means literally one color. Some monochromatic photos bend the rule a bit and incorporate one additional color to the primary shade used.

And don’t confuse monochromatic art with black and white, either. While black and white is certainly in the genre, other colors can be used to create a specific mood or draw your eye to various elements of the piece. So let this collection expand your definition of monochromatic a bit and inspire you to reconsider color selection and emphasis in your own work.