![Huge sculpture of an angel with outstretched wings](https://i0.wp.com/www.toonsarah-travels.blog/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/001-feature-Newcastle-00088.jpg?resize=1140%2C543&ssl=1)
Gallery: seeing sculpture in black and white
A sculptor is a person obsessed with the form and shape of things
Henry Moore
Perhaps a photographer too is a person obsessed with the form and shape of things? Certainly in black and white photography, form and shape are essential if the image is to succeed. Without colour to define the subject, we rely more on those qualities to understand what we are seeing.
Our guest host for this week’s Monochrome Madness challenge, PR, has chosen the theme of Sculpture, bringing together the two media in a way that showcases those forms and shapes. It’s a subject I’m drawn to a lot, and I enjoy visiting sculpture parks such as our own UK one in Yorkshire and the excellent one in Hakone, Japan. I like both the sculptures themselves and the challenge of photographing them in a way that doesn’t merely record the work of the artist but also attempts to put my own stamp on it in some way. I’m also rather drawn to the Brutalist sculpture styles of past Communist regimes in Europe and today’s North Korea!
Shooting sculptures
Looking through my archives I realised that I often choose to edit photos of sculpture in monochrome. So while some of the shots below were edited specifically for this post, using my current go-to software of Silver Efex Pro, a few, mostly older, were either shot in black and white or post-edited with Photoshop Elements more limited conversion tool.
Some of these you will have perhaps seen before, either in colour or in monochrome as here. But I’ve tried to include some that will be new to you. I apologise that there are so many; do feel free to skim. I assure you, I could have filled a post three times this length and more. So I’ve actually been quite restrained!
![Three abstract sculptures on a plinth in a field](https://i0.wp.com/www.toonsarah-travels.blog/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/P1270244.jpg?resize=960%2C610&ssl=1)
‘Three Piece Reclining Figure No.1’ by Henry Moore, photographed at the Yorkshire Sculpture Park
![Large metal foot in a field](https://i0.wp.com/www.toonsarah-travels.blog/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Newcastle-00086-.jpg?resize=960%2C707&ssl=1)
Anthony Gormley’s ‘Angel of the North’, Gateshead, north east England
The full sculpture can be seen in my feature photo
![Sculpture of a human figure](https://i0.wp.com/www.toonsarah-travels.blog/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/P1000813-Tate-Modern.jpg?resize=751%2C1024&ssl=1)
Anthony Gormley exhibition at Tate Modern, London
‘Infant’ by Dame Barbara Hepworth, photographed at her studio in St Ives, Cornwall
![Modern marble sculpture of a baby](https://i0.wp.com/www.toonsarah-travels.blog/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/P1040136.jpg?resize=697%2C1024&ssl=1)
![Large face sculpted from metal on a city street](https://i0.wp.com/www.toonsarah-travels.blog/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/P1060049-Mayfair-2021.jpg?resize=747%2C1024&ssl=1)
‘Meditation 626’, by Seo Young-Deok, on the annual Mayfair Sculpture Trail, 2021, London
![Tall sculpture of a couple embracing under an arched metal and glass roof](https://i0.wp.com/www.toonsarah-travels.blog/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/IMG_20240704_122419-B.jpg?resize=960%2C654&ssl=1)
‘The Meeting Place’, St Pancras Station, London
This 9 metre high, 20 tonne bronze sculpture is intended to evoke the romance of travel
![Sculpture of a woman's head with hair streaming behind her](https://i0.wp.com/www.toonsarah-travels.blog/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/06-015-P1050426-Tromso.jpg?resize=960%2C726&ssl=1)
‘Runners’ sculpture in Tromsø, Norway
This piece symbolises Norway’s Midnight Sun Marathon, the northernmost certified marathon in the world (Tromsø is full of ‘northernmosts’!)
![Bust of a man on a plinth with a tiny laughing elf](https://i0.wp.com/www.toonsarah-travels.blog/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/08-084-PP1050524-1-Tromso.jpg?resize=760%2C1024&ssl=1)
Bust of Arthur Arntzen, a Norwegian journalist, humorist, actor and writer, in his home town of Tromsø, Norway
Outside a hostel for asylum seekers in Bodø, Norway
![Sculpture of a mother and two children](https://i0.wp.com/www.toonsarah-travels.blog/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/03-027-P1050113-Hurtigruten-Bodo.jpg?resize=738%2C1024&ssl=1)
![Large sculpture of a seated man with head resting on his hand](https://i0.wp.com/www.toonsarah-travels.blog/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/P1000937.jpg?resize=768%2C1024&ssl=1)
‘The Thinker’ by Rodin, at the Rodin Museum in Paris
Detail of the ‘Horse and Rider’ sculpture by Charles Ray, outside the Bourse de Commerce in Paris
You can see the full sculpture, and this shot in colour, in my ‘Arty Walk’ in Paris
![Metal sculpture of a man's face](https://i0.wp.com/www.toonsarah-travels.blog/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/04-040-P1060345-Bourse-de-Commerce-Paris-2023.jpg?resize=768%2C1024&ssl=1)
![Sculpture of a man and woman kissing](https://i0.wp.com/www.toonsarah-travels.blog/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Tallinn00136.jpg?resize=768%2C1024&ssl=1)
‘The Eternal Lovers’ in Tallinn, Estonia
In the gardens of the Real Alcázar, Seville
![Classical statue of Mercury](https://i0.wp.com/www.toonsarah-travels.blog/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/P1020239-Seville-Alcazar.jpg?resize=660%2C1024&ssl=1)
![Sculpture of a soldier holding a small child](https://i0.wp.com/www.toonsarah-travels.blog/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/03-09-P1040283-Monument-to-the-Soviet-Army.jpg?resize=766%2C1024&ssl=1)
Part of the massive Monument to the Soviet Army in Sofia, Bulgaria
Part of a large sculpture group on Mansudae Hill, Pyongyang, North Korea, commemorating the revolution against Japanese rule
![Group of sculpted figures including adults and children](https://i0.wp.com/www.toonsarah-travels.blog/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/6-DPRK-47-P1190994-Mansudae-Hill.jpg?resize=811%2C1024&ssl=1)
![Sculpture of two men and a woman holding symbols above their heads](https://i0.wp.com/www.toonsarah-travels.blog/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/5-DPRK-11-P1190655b-Kim-Il-Sung-Square-Juche-Tower.jpg?resize=759%2C1024&ssl=1)
Sculpture showing the DPRK Workers Party’s three branches: industrial workers, farmers and intellectuals
In front of the Juche Tower, Pyongyang, North Korea
Memorial to the ‘victims of torture and ill-treatment during the colonial period’ in Uhuru Park, Nairobi, Kenya
The sculpture represents a young woman, a Mau Mau sympathiser, passing food to one of the freedom fighters in order to give her support to the cause. A sign nearby explains that it was the custom among the Mau Mau never to look at each other during such interactions, so that they couldn’t later identify and thus give away any of their fellow fighters, even if tortured.
![Sculpture of a man and a woman](https://i0.wp.com/www.toonsarah-travels.blog/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Photo-02-07-2018-12-55-56.jpg?resize=768%2C1024&ssl=1)
![Sculpture of a huge hand holding a man](https://i0.wp.com/www.toonsarah-travels.blog/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Photo-07-10-2013-06-23-35.jpg?resize=768%2C1024&ssl=1)
‘The Hand of God’ by Carl Miles at the Hakone Open Air Museum, Japan
‘La LibertÄ—’ by French sculptor Bourdelle, at the Hakone Open Air Museum, Japan
![Large sculpture of a female figure holding a branch with leaves](https://i0.wp.com/www.toonsarah-travels.blog/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Photo-07-10-2013-07-32-46.jpg?resize=768%2C1024&ssl=1)
![Looking up at a statue of a woman holding a book and torch](https://i0.wp.com/www.toonsarah-travels.blog/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/NYC-107-Liberty.jpg?resize=682%2C1024&ssl=1)
The Statue of Liberty, New York City
The ‘Laughing Lincoln’ in Naperville, Illinois
![Bronze sculpture of a man laughing](https://i0.wp.com/www.toonsarah-travels.blog/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/02-004-P1060505-Naperville-Laughing-Lincoln-Chicago-2023.jpg?resize=768%2C1024&ssl=1)
![Head and shoulders of a worn sculpture](https://i0.wp.com/www.toonsarah-travels.blog/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/05.2-0002-Cam-P1220763-Angkor-Thom-south-gate.jpg?resize=768%2C1024&ssl=1)
On the bridge approaching the south gate to Angkor Thom, Cambodia
![Women in bright Indian dress](https://i0.wp.com/www.toonsarah-travels.blog/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/001-feature-Agra-31-Taj-Mahal.jpg?resize=75%2C75&ssl=1)
![Blue and white tile panel on a red wall](https://i0.wp.com/www.toonsarah-travels.blog/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/001-feature-05-1-P1030087-Faro.jpg?resize=75%2C75&ssl=1)
43 Comments
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Alison
Wow I love all of these, I also am a big sculpture fan. They all look great in black and white too. I missed this challenge but had many from Albania!
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you Alison 😊 Yes, I bet you found lots of good ones from Albania! No reason not to share them even if you did miss this challenge at the time?!
equinoxio21
Great selection. Thank you Sarah.
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you 🙂
SoyBend
Great subjects for black and white, Sarah!
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you Siobhan 🙂 It was a good idea for a theme from our host PR!
grandmisadventures
I really love your shot of the ‘Meeting Place’- it gives all the feels of an epic whirlwind romance 🙂
Sarah Wilkie
That sculpture is really impressive Meg, and there are lots of interesting details on the plinth too, relating to rail travel. I’ll have to feature it in more detail one day.
thehungrytravellers.blog
I’ve often found myself studying that rather wonderful sculpture at St Pancras, it captures emotion and I have always thought it was a fairly inspired piece for a transport terminus. Some of your others in this feature look at least as equally inspired and inspiring.
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you Phil 🙂 That particular photo at St Pancras (I have others somewhere in my files!) was taken on our arrival back there from Broadstairs the other day – we decided to have lunch in Carluccio’s before heading home and that angle on the sculpture caught my eye as I sat at the table waiting for our food to arrive!
Leanne Cole
Wonderful Sarah. I remember on an episode of Antiques Roadshow someone had brought in a much smaller sculpture of that first one of the massive man in England. He was told it was worth about a million dollars. The final one in place looks amazing.
Sarah Wilkie
Thanks so much Leanne 😊 The Angel of the North is an iconic feature of the landscape as you approach Gateshead and Newcastle, although not everyone liked it when it was first put there. We love it, both in its own right and because it signals that we’ve nearly arrived at the end of our regular long drives north to Newcastle!
Annie Berger
Sarah, I’m always a sucker for sculpture photos and you did a wonderful job compiling these shots. Even though we were at the Open Air Museum in Hakone, Japan in May, I don’t remember the image you included. I was especially struct by the head sculpture that was included in the Mayfair walk as I could see what appeared to be a window from a building behind and through its right eye – spooky!
Sarah Wilkie
Thanks Annie 🙂 The Hakone sculpture was very near the entrance if I remember rightly, so maybe they’ve changed things around since our visit back in 2013? I see what you mean about the Mayfair sculpture – I hadn’t spotted that!
Annie Berger
Wonder if that sculpture had possibly been one of the ones rotated out when we were there, Sarah?
Sarah Wilkie
I just checked the map on their website (https://www.hakone-oam.or.jp/en/permanent/map) and I was wrong about it being near the entrance – it’s in the bottom right corner of the map. I think I was getting confused with his other piece, Man and Pegasus, which IS quite near the entrance.
margaret21
Thias is so nicely done Sarah, and it’s given me food for thought. Sulpture is quite hard to photograph well, I think, and I’ve tended to regard it as a bit of a chore for that reason. If I change my mindset, it might help a lot. I particularly like your Gormley shots.
Sarah Wilkie
Thanks so much Margaret 😊 I have to say I’ve never thought of it as a chore so I hope you too find a way to enjoy it! My main suggestion would be to stand well back and zoom in, so the background is thrown out of focus. That usually helps the sculpture to stand out better 🙂
margaret21
A good tip! Thanks. It’s not precisely a chore, but often hard to get a result that says what I want it to say.
Aletta - nowathome
A wonderful selection of different sculptures that are working so well in monochrome photos. Thanks for sharing, Sarah.
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you Aletta, I’m glad you liked them 🙂
thesimlux
Delicious images! 📸🤩
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you 🙂
Teresa
Beautiful selections. Love the closeup of the Angel of the North.
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you Teresa 🙂 I love the Angel, both from a distance and close up! I think you saw it on your way to Edinburgh???
Teresa
Yes I did. But somebody just told me the name of the sculpture because it was just a drive by photo.
PR
Awesome collection, Sarah 🙂. Love them! The one at the train station has a great perspective.
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you, and thanks too for hosting such a great theme! That shot at St Pancras station was taken just a week or so ago while sitting at a table in a restaurant there, waiting for our lunch! Hence the low viewpoint 🙂
Monkey's Tale
Black and white really works well for sculptures. It seems to highlight details that you would otherwise miss. Nicely done. Maggie
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you Maggie 😀 That’s exactly why I like B&W!
Heyjude
What a wonderful collection Sarah, you’ve been everywhere! And I don’t recall the BH infant. I shall have to have another visit to her studio.
Sarah Wilkie
Not quite everywhere Jude but we’re having a good stab at it 😀 The Infant sculpture was inside the studio itself when we visited (late 2019)
Anne Sandler
Great selections Sarah. I’m just wondering what else you have. Maybe some day we will see them. I think black and white is great for stone sculptures. It brings out the texture.
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you Anne 🙂 I’m sure some at least of my other sculpture photos will emerge in due course- many have probably already done so!
bushboy
A fine collection Sarah
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you Brian 🙂
Freddie
Amazing sculpture.
Sarah Wilkie
Thanks, glad you liked them 🙂
Sue
Monochrome, well B&W, is certainly the way to gO to showcase, sculptures, Sarah, and you have certainly given us a great selection
Sarah Wilkie
Thanks so much Sue 😊 Glad you agree that the B&W treatment works well!
kzmcb
Sculptures seem very good in B&W.
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you, I’m glad you like them 🙂