Photography as an art form and medium of expression continues to evolve and innovate. Various art movements and styles related to photography have emerged over the years — and one style that translates well into photography is minimalism. Minimalist photography emphasizes simplicity in composition and telling a story with as few elements as possible. It allows one to create breathtaking images using the simplest subject matter, only capturing what is essential, and telling a story in the process by exploring the relationship between your subject and the viewer.
How Minimalism in Art and Photography Began
Minimalism was an art movement that emerged in the late 1950s and was led by artists who wanted to depart from contemporaneous art movements, which they deemed stale and boring. Also known as ABC art, Cool art, Primary Structure art, and Object art, Minimalism departed from conventional visual representations and instead opted to simplify their subject matter using geometric abstraction and other techniques.
Minimalism impacted all forms of visual art, including sculpture, photography, and cinema. It also radically reshaped music and literature: the composers Philip Glass and Steve Reich and the writer Samuel Beckett have also produced works that have been described as minimalistic.
Understanding the Concepts of Minimalism
In line with other Minimalist works, Minimalist photography strives for utmost simplicity and focuses on one subject rather than overwhelming the viewer with lots of colors, subjects, patterns, and detail. Minimalist photography shows the viewer that less is more and challenges both the viewer and the photographer to view things in a different light.
Minimalism, at its core, is about breaking down a subject matter and capturing its essence. As a photographer, you must first look at a subject or scene and slowly strip it down to its bare essentials until you capture its most important feature or show it in its simplest form. Focus on the subject and try to present it using only what is essential in communicating its meaning.
Essential Techniques for Great Minimalist Pictures
Minimalist photography, like any other photographic genre, has a few staple techniques and methods — some of which are listed below:
Composition is Key
Before thinking of how you can use lines and colors in your photos, changing and improving your photo composition is essential in creating minimalist images. Fill your picture with as few elements as possible, from using simplistic backgrounds to frame a single subject to incorporating a few lines to direct the viewer’s eye. Play around with your composition until you can tell a story using minimal elements.
Using Colors is Essential
Minimalist images make up for their lack of subject matter by creating strong contrasts using different colors. Simple blocks of color can either complement or contrast your subject greatly, making your photo stand out despite having minimal elements. Using strong shadows can bring out the colors in an object, while working with complementary colors makes your image pleasing to the eye. Keep an eye out for these color combinations to create stunning minimalist photos and make them an integral part of your composition.
Experiment with Textures
Capture textures of various surfaces and objects in your shots as these add more depth and character to your compositions. Hints of shadows from intense light can help you bring out textures in your photographs. The simplest of walls, for example, can look interesting if you emphasize its paint cracks and uneven surface. Framing a smooth object against a textured background and vice versa creates a sharp contrast while keeping your photo clean yet interesting. Introducing textures to your image can make viewers feel what they see.
Utilize Strong Lines
Lines and shapes are often used to draw and direct a viewer into a composition. This compositional technique can isolate, separate, or connect other elements in your photograph. Strong vertical or horizontal lines give your image structure and can be used to direct the eyes of a viewer to where you want them to focus.
Know the Importance of Negative Space
Negative space is one of the most vital concepts in minimalist photography. Have better composition when you utilize the area around your subject matter. Using minimal backgrounds, such as walls or horizons, with varying textures or strong contrasts and incorporating them in your photo helps you emphasize your subject matter in the simplest way.
What Lenses Can be Used for Minimalist Photography?
Minimalism does not require specific lenses or gear to be done correctly. However, you should start with a lens that can capture and isolate your subject well. Lenses commonly used in street photography are a great starting point due to their flexibility and compact design.
A 50mm lens is a versatile lens as its large aperture allows you to work under low-light conditions, while its focal length makes it usable for most types of photography. The Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 STM Lens, for example, is an affordable full-frame lens that can render clear and crisp images with strong contrast.
The Sigma 24mm f/1.4 DG HSM ART Lens, meanwhile, lets you capture various land and cityscapes, as it is a wide-angle lens designed for full-frame cameras. Being able to capture a whole scene and producing sharp images lets you utilize negative space better, making your photographs authentic and immersive.
However, regardless of what camera or lens you’re using, remember that minimalist photography is simple photography that can make do with what you have. Producing gorgeous bokeh is not required when creating minimalist photographs as it is more dependent on composition, strong lines, and stark contrasts. Shoot your chosen subject in every angle possible rather than relying on your equipment to create the perfect image. Let your image and composition speak for itself regardless of what lens or camera you’re using.
Incorporating Minimalist Techniques to Your Style
Minimalist photography can be challenging due to its deliberate limitations. However, using some of the aforementioned techniques can help you get out of your creative block. Changing how you approach photography once in a while enables you to develop your own style and lets you look at different subjects from a new perspective.
Limit Your Options
Minimalism is about practicing restraint since it demands you to break down a subject to its bare essentials and tell a story in the simplest way. These restrictions — from eliminating unnecessary elements in your frame to finding an understated subject — lets you find new and innovative ways of capturing an image.
Keep a Creative Eye
Once you’ve mastered the basics of capturing great minimalist photos, you will eventually develop an eye for seeing the beauty in the simplest of things. Keeping a creative eye makes you look for strong, clean lines or different patterns and textures in your surroundings. Also, look for sharp contrasts and geometric shapes in architecture while utilizing negative space well to create good minimalist photos.
Tell a Story Through Your Photos
Minimalist photography is not as simple as one might think despite its straightforward elements. This discipline relies heavily on composition to relay a good story. Combining the different techniques mentioned above lets you tell a story despite your photo having minimal elements. Less is indeed more in minimalist photography, as it makes you view your world differently and gives your artistic expression and style more substance.
Feature image via Shutterstock
