Michael Gramm – Photographer of "Black and Wild"

Michael Gramm is a French-Caribbean photographer renowned for his powerful black and white imagery, best known through his ongoing series Black and Wild. Raised on the island of St. Barthélemy in the Caribbean, Gramm draws deep inspiration from the raw energy of nature, light, and shadow — themes that permeate his minimalist yet emotionally rich compositions.

Strongly influenced by legendary photographer Sebastião Salgado, Gramm adopts a humanistic approach to photography, using high contrast, deep blacks, and luminous whites to explore the primal beauty of both people and places. His images capture a sense of timelessness and tension, emphasizing texture, emotion, and the often-overlooked details that define a subject’s essence.

Gramm is also a passionate traveler, and his lens has taken him across the globe — from the United States and Canada, to France, Thailand, La Réunion, and Sint Maarten. Each destination adds depth and diversity to his work, yet his visual language remains consistent: stark, soulful, and intensely expressive.

Whether photographing wildlife, landscapes, or the human form, Michael Gramm’s Black and Wild series is a visual meditation on contrast — not just of tones, but of cultures, emotions, and the natural world's delicate balance between chaos and calm.