Beauty can be overlooked, humor can go unnoticed, but fear is something you can’t let go unnoticed. This is what makes Gothic themes so popular among photographers. Gothic photography is a technological addition to gothic art, which was started in 1970s, and has evolved considerably in the past few years. The aim of this kind of photography is not to make your audience nervous and jittery but to make them pay tribute to the dark side of life and see and appreciate the beauty in terror.
Although black and white tones rule the world of Goth, other attention-grabbing colors like red and purples are common, too. Sepia Gothic photographs are also known for making people freeze to the spot. B&W and Sepia give these photographs a feeling of nostalgia and mystery. Adding these effects isn’t a big problem, as almost all professional cameras give this option and, even if not, you can easily add these effects through Photoshop.
Gothic photography is not limited to landscapes – portraits are equally common and admired. In landscapes, the common subjects are moorlands, cathedrals, graveyards and barren fields. For portraits, female models wearing smoky make-up, dressed in the 1950s attire, and making mysterious yet seductive poses is the convention. Vampires and, very recently, Zombies are used in these photos to let the shuddering fascination spread to the senses of the beholder. I’ve also seen some really heart-thumping but remarkably fascinating gothic photographs of animals. So all in all, it is not the model but your technique that matters more.
Photoshop tricks are quite commonly used in contemporary gothic art. You can experiment with merging two contrasting images to create an astonishing effect of awe. Adding red color in the portraits to depict blood is also very generic. Similarly, purple and bluish lights create a feeling of nervousness and mystery.
The best thing about gothic photography is the freedom of creativity. You can use any style, subject, setting, color scheme, or effect. You just need to come up with unique ideas to create ghostly images that can hold your audience with a tinge of panic and shock. Get inspiration from these spine-chilling and hair-raising photographs.
An angel
Angel of Death
Beautiful decay
Blood Donation
Bride of Death
Caged Demon
Cursing Kiss
Darkly Fashioned
Death Track
Debt to Nature
Eyes of the World
Fatal Grip
Gothic Sleeping Beauty
Hidden Demise
Indestructible Bond
Mansion under cloud
Masked Imp
Miss Black
Mr Bat with Miss Cat
Mr. Black
Opening to Nowhere
Oxygen Sucker
Path to Demise
Princes of Jungle
Purple cathedal
Queen of Moor
Reflecton from the Past
The Magic Hatter
The only source of light
The Silent Alley
