• 7 Aug




    Grunge photography goes far beyond what the naked eye perceives and brings with it a dimension of frightening and powerful emotions.

    These images are usually heavily edited and enhanced in order to create the grunge effect.

    This effect can be described as dark, dirty, old, gloomy and definitely has an eerie vibe to it.

    You’ve probably spotted plenty of examples of grunge photography as movie studios use it a lot when promoting their horror and scary movies, giving the viewer a feeling of dread and fear.

    In this post, we’ll take a look at 100 striking examples of grunge photography that are sure to make you cringe and keep you in suspense.

     


    How did viewing these photos make you feel? Please share your impressions with us…




  • 55 Comments »

     
    #1
    Stephen Kui
    August 7th, 2009 at 08:51

    Wow, some of those are just literally astounding, such as the opened window.

    As for the manipulations, I’ve never really looked at grunge manipulations with as much respect as I do now, but these posts are great! I tend to work more with the photos and surrealism instead of grungy effects, but these may definitely make me look into new things. (If you want to see some of my work it’s at http://www.stephenkui.com)

    You always do an awesome job of finding great content and putting it up for everyone to see.

    Stephen

     
     
    #2
    jae
    August 7th, 2009 at 09:46

    These are breathtaking…jaw-droppingly amazing. Thanks so much for sharing.

     
     
    #3
    Oliver
    August 7th, 2009 at 09:51

    awesome selection. The third last one was the best. “Geeks during the full moon”

     
     
    #4
    Callum Chapman
    August 7th, 2009 at 09:59

    Wow, great round-up, excellent photography and good manipulation. There’s a few there that really stand out to me, especially the VW Beetle!

     
     
    #5
    Cat Johnson
    August 7th, 2009 at 10:02

    The textures and layers on these images have really inspired me to spend some more time experimenting with Photoshop overlays and filters. I’m also really digging that the images, while sharing the “grunge” quality, are really diverse, with the original photos coming from a wide range of areas, locales, styles, personalities etc.

    Thanks for another great post and keep ‘em coming.

     
     
    #6
    btt
    August 7th, 2009 at 10:29

    Why 100? Could do with 20 of those, most are just ordinary pictures with a grumpy texture slapped on top.

     
     
    #7
    Jeff
    August 7th, 2009 at 19:51

    I totally agree with you, BTT. In most cases it was taking a perfectly good picture and mucking it up. I like to think that design is a little more than splatter brushes, torn paper, and concrete overlays.

     
     
    #8
    Crystal The Royal Rebel
    August 7th, 2009 at 11:07

    Wow, these are great pics…good source of inspiration. Keep up the good work!

     
     
    #9
    amit
    August 7th, 2009 at 11:50

    awesome…..can anyone guide me to a good photoshop tutorial that teaches how to get such effects…..thanks….
    amit.gupta85@gmail.com

     
     
    #10
    John Samuel
    August 7th, 2009 at 12:07

    Very nice collection.

     
     
    #11
    tri5tan
    August 7th, 2009 at 12:39

    oh my god, these are amazing and inspirational to say the least, i would have written more but its made me wanna grab my camera and hit the road

     
     
    #12
    Dileep K Sharma
    August 7th, 2009 at 14:30

    Stunning! I have no words.

     
     
    #13
    Jef
    August 7th, 2009 at 15:42

    Wow…. what a list! There is so much quality through this post that I can’t stop to scroll over it. Thanks!

     
     
    #14
    RoaldA
    August 7th, 2009 at 16:55

    It’s regular pictures who has been edited? Ait?

     
     
    #15
    BebopDesigner
    August 7th, 2009 at 17:26

    Wow! Brilliant collection. Love the one in Buenos Aires… I love that city. Thanks for sharing.

     
     
    #16
    Simon Day
    August 7th, 2009 at 17:50

    When you mix an already decaying scene with grunge layers it really pulls you in and gives the photo even deeper meaning.

    I’ve never really seen much grunge photography before so this was a really nice post to find!

     
     
    #17
    sophie
    August 7th, 2009 at 18:17

    stunning……. creepy with powerful image! I almost hear background music when I look those pics

     
     
    #18
    Nikhil Mekala
    August 7th, 2009 at 18:40

    Some of them are breathtakingly beautiful and eerie at the same time.
    while I found some to be amateurish.
    and lol @ johnny depp one..nothing wrong with it but I found capn too comical to be scared of him.

     
     
    #19
    Lisa
    August 7th, 2009 at 18:52

    You should be giving credit to the photographers! Since you haven’t it looks like you just grabbed them off the net.

     
     
    #20
    Walter
    August 7th, 2009 at 19:33

    All images are linked to the authors, just click on them.

     
     
    #21
    jenski
    August 7th, 2009 at 19:30

    WOW!!!

    I kinda like the ‘overdone’ effect that most have going on there. it suits the style, somehow.

    awesome post anyway,
    keep ‘em comin’

     
     
    #22
    aledesign.it
    August 7th, 2009 at 20:49

    This effect are really fear. The ancient effect make a sense of the mysterious, magician..

     
     
    #23
    Steve
    August 8th, 2009 at 05:31

    Stunning images. Thanks for posting these, they give me some ideas.

     
     
    #24
    Mark
    August 8th, 2009 at 08:13

    Very nice. You’ve got a great job, Walter…surfing the net for art.

     
     
    #25
    hedy
    August 8th, 2009 at 08:27

    I feel alone…sad….horror…scary….Doomesday.

     
     
    #26
    robb
    August 8th, 2009 at 12:20

    some looks creepy.
    but most of them are just beautiful.
    nice works.

     
     
    #27
    abdelah
    August 8th, 2009 at 17:14

    Wow, these are great pics…good source of inspiration. Keep up the good work!

     
     
    #28
    Terrance
    August 8th, 2009 at 19:18

    So this is Grunge Photography. Hmm… I have a better understanding after viewing this showcase. Thanks

     
     
    #29
    Denis
    August 9th, 2009 at 23:42

    Well nice, its great things for web-design. ^_^

    I’ll add your blog address to mine links.

     
     
    #30
    dave
    August 10th, 2009 at 01:57

    Most of this is just photoschlop.. any kid with a computer can crap out some filters on to an image and call it art. I can be amazed by photos capturing naturally compelling textures.. but c’mon.. this is perpetuating an amateurish style.

    I suppose if you want to get a job churning out album covers for shitty alternative bands.. be inspired by these pictures and keep slathering images with random filters.. but I’d suggest you try learning how to use your camera to take cool pictures, first.. before you rely on photoshop to do everything for you.

     
     
    #31
    Phil
    August 10th, 2009 at 09:37

    Dave @28, you miss the point. People don’t care if your not the greatest photographer (camera techy) they just know what they like. Most of these started of as perfectly good photo’s and ended up as artistic impressions which some people like. Get off your high intelectual horse. If you don’t like them and want to say so, fine, I’m sure a lot of other people have the same opinion. Just don’t belittle other peoples capabilities because you don’t approve of them.

     
     
    #32
    btt
    August 10th, 2009 at 15:48

    #29, I think you’re the one missing the point. There are some great pictures in here, but most have excessive effects. When the picture is good, too much texture makes it look bad. When it’s bad, it gives it some visual impact, that lasts until you realize there’s nothing special with it. Mix it with some overdone HDR (like the one before last) and it becomes awful.

     
     
    #33
    please stop
    August 10th, 2009 at 20:11

    I agree wholeheartedly with Dave, and btt. very banal. Most of these would make better photographs without the grungy effects. All adding these effects does is date them. Having been a designer for 15 years and going through the grunge phase the first time around, trust me when i tell you that this is going to look old fast (it already does).

    as a person who hires designers frequently, i can honestly tell you i’d never hire anybody who put images like this in their portfolio. i think the only trend worse than this and HDR, is the ‘full shot of a person jumping with random swirly shit drawn around them’.

    please stop.

     
     
    #34
    joel k.
    August 11th, 2009 at 19:42

    wow
    some of the pics are sheer horrer
    and some are rather fun- like
    http://netdna.webdesignerdepot.com/uploads/grunge_photography/dark-74.jpg
    and
    http://netdna.webdesignerdepot.com/uploads/grunge_photography/dark-21.jpg
    almost all of them are really good
    thanks

     
     
    #35
    sandlog
    August 11th, 2009 at 23:10

    @dave, btt and please stop

    nobody said these pictures were the top drawer on the net and should be featured in every magazine and website out there.

    they just happen to be featured in an article concerning “grunge” effects.

    big deal. get over yourself.

    and do you not think we know they used photoshop to “manipulate” the images?
    pathetic…how cool some people think they are.

    if you don’t appreciate the photos or the article, then shut up. nobody cares if you don’t like them or if you wouldn’t hire someone who god forbid had one in their portfolio.

    move onto the next web site and comment about how you started web 3.0.

     
     
    #36
    btt
    August 12th, 2009 at 01:56

    lol sandlog. you’re the one taking it too seriously. nobody said anything about using or not using photoshop, that’s irrelevant – almost all of the great pictures ever have been post-processed, either digitally or chemically. We’re discussing aesthetics here, not merits.

     
     
    #37
    Phil
    August 12th, 2009 at 09:05

    btt, I didn’t miss the point. Whilst you have made some constructive points and expressed your oppinion of some of the photographs (other people have a different view) dave just slagged off the creators. I found three of the photos where I believe the ‘grunge’ effect added to the overall atmosphere others, I admit, would probably have been better left alone.
    At the end of the day it’s a matter of taste.

     
     
    #38
    Evan Skuthorpe
    August 13th, 2009 at 15:42

    some great shots and even better post production on these.

     
     
    #39
    retouching
    August 14th, 2009 at 09:03

    This has to be the best collection of digitally mastered pictures I have ever seen! I am not surprised though since everything on your website is 100% quality! If ever I am in need of inspiration, I just pay your site a visit!

     
     
    #40
    Kenn Sven Boostrom
    August 18th, 2009 at 14:47

    There was a time when viewing great visual photography or illustration, you needed to wait to see what Communications Arts would show. Or Print Magazine or Emigre. Now so many people can see what others are doing without waiting a month or having it filtered through an obscene editor. Great work – unfiltered.

     
     
    #41
    Drew
    August 18th, 2009 at 23:52

    While some of these are a bit over produced, I think that may of them are amazing. If you are into this style of photography, check out Daniel Zetterstrom http://www.canphoto.se as he does some amazing grunge photography.

    Drew

     
     
    #42
    James
    August 22nd, 2009 at 14:18

    Some really great shots here. Really love the picture of the Road (the one above the smoking man) as I have just read Cormac McCartys ‘The Road’. Thanks

     
     
    #43
    pesho
    September 15th, 2009 at 12:43

    Wow so nice and scary and amazing
    i like it
    thanks

     
     
    #44
    Ersatz
    October 11th, 2009 at 17:19

    amazing.

    nice heavy effects.
    : )

     
     
    #45
    baś
    October 16th, 2009 at 11:06

    when I see this pictures I feel that for a moment will be a “game over”. Over this world. In every pictures are “quiet” and very strange power. This is amazig!!!

     
     
    #46
    Matt Bamberg
    February 16th, 2010 at 20:08

    As a fairly grungy guy, I have to say I’m now an aficionado. You’ve converted me.

     
     
    #47
    mbedizon
    February 17th, 2010 at 20:29

    awesome,,,,,,,how to make it?,,,,,,

     
     
    #48
    Jason Collin Photography
    February 18th, 2010 at 19:52

    I like this style of post processing very much, although I was expecting to see at least one shot of Eddie Vedder.

     
     
    #49
    Brandon
    March 23rd, 2010 at 15:50

    super effects…lovely work

     
     
    #50
    travis418
    April 11th, 2010 at 03:53

    not too good… all you need is a 10.0 m.p. cam and photoshop…

     
     
    #51
    Pedrito
    May 12th, 2010 at 07:26

    Moody…

     
     
    #52
    Cybergus
    July 18th, 2010 at 13:04

    Not even a 10mp camera is needed foro these images.

    This is not grunge photography and is not precisely striking at all, maybe a few.

    Grunge photography is looking for grunge places that have enough history to bring those textures back to life. The same about subjects. If not, you end with a Photoshop showcase that reminds aesthetics from 10 years ago or more.

    Without great content you are only posting teen experiments.

     
     
    #53
    brandon
    July 18th, 2010 at 13:32

    i think grunge is a style you either love or hate. in my case, i love it! also, like rock n’ roll, it seems to be a young persons art form; more accepted by the youth

     
     
    #54
    ERIC
    July 18th, 2010 at 14:23

    Way overdone. Easy on the blending layers, kooks.

     
     
    #55
    Aadil Aijaz
    August 2nd, 2010 at 02:01

    Some really nice shots in there! I’m now a fan of grunge photography.

     
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