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All about Minimalist Photography

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Minimalist photography is a very popular trend. Lately the phrase “less is more,” becomes a creative credo of most photographers. Minimalism in photography creates such images that the viewer's attention is concentrated on one object or a group of those located nearby. Minimalist shots have one main theme, the idea. One of the basic principles of minimalism is strong composition. It is necessary to remove everything superfluous and just to leave the most necessary composition elements in the frame. Minimalist approach in art is characterized by laconicism and simplicity. Experience shows that there is nothing more ingenious and at the same time more complex than simplicity.  

Pinterest is just overflowing with minimalist pictures. But how to take such gorgeous minimalist photos that often catch your attention on social media? Minimalist photography may seem simple at first glance. But in fact, the process of creating a photograph is much more complicated than it seems at first glance. That is why we have put together a set of tips to help you get the desired result in minimalist photography, whether you are new to photography or have been doing it for many years. To promote your photo collections, you can create your online portfolio website.

minimalist photography

Important details in minimalist photography

To achieve minimalism, the picture should have simple lines and shapes, shadows and no clutter of details. For many, it is difficult to simplify a picture by discarding some elements, because they also carry visual information, but you need to learn how to determine the main component of a photograph and cut off all auxiliary, uninformative, unnecessary elements. This is the only way to create minimalist photos.

  1. Composition

The key is to keep in mind that simplicity doesn't have to be boring. It is better to train to filter out unnecessary elements when shooting, and not during post-processing. This will teach you to be more mindful of what you see and imagine what you want to create. To build the composition should be used as different focal lengths and the depth of field.

  1. Textures and colors

Bright colors and contrasting transitions are one of the main components of minimalist photography. The same can be said for textures. They should be expressed in such a way that the viewer should feel the structure of the texture itself.

  1. Geometry

Modern architecture is the best subject for minimalist photography. Clear, sharp lines and clearly distinguishable geometric shapes are perfect for shooting.

  1. Semantic load in the minimalist approach

Try to take meaningful pictures. Let your photos tell stories. Try to include a human figure in your shot. It may be small and subtle, but it will become the center of the photo. A person will have certain meaningfulness, being among the simple geometric lines of the city landscape.

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6 steps to create superior minimalist photography

We often hear the phrase "less is more", and this is very suitable for the case when it comes to minimalism. When done right, a minimalist photography can be extremely simple yet impressive. But how do you interpret, understand and create minimalistic photographs?

Step 1. Stick to Simplicity

A minimalist approach that allows you to bring it into your work - keep it simple. But this does not mean at all to be boring and uninteresting. Try to choose an eye-catching and eye-catching element to capture. Your subject should be the strongest element of your photo, even if it doesn't take up most of the frame.

Step 2. Isolate the subject as much as possible

Minimalist photography is different in that a strong impression on the viewer is made with just a few visual elements. That is why you need to try to remove everything unnecessary from the frame and leave only what you want to capture. When there is enough free visual space around your subject in the photo, the viewer's eyes will automatically be directed to the subject, and he will immediately understand what the photographer wanted to show. It also works well even when the subject is small enough in relation to the overall composition. The main thing is that it should be located on a simple background.

Step 3. Focus on colors and textures of minimalist photos

Try using the lighting that is available to you to add more color to your scene. Although minimalist photographs are often done in black and white, they can actually be taken in color. More to the point, using vibrant colors in your photographs can be just as effective as using a more neutral color palette. Here, in fact, it all depends on what you want to say with your photograph. It is also great to add some color accents to a photo in neutral colors, or to choose a bright negative space for a subject in a neutral color. When choosing colors, be guided by the color wheel.

Step 4. Use a Negative space

Using negative space correctly can direct the viewer's gaze to the desired point in the composition. In addition, the use of this technique allows the viewer's eyes to rest, and the person does not have to constantly run their eyes around the entire image, not knowing where to stop.

Step 5. Try to remember this minimalist approach: keep your eyes open

As you start spending time studying examples of minimalism, you will begin to see examples of minimalism around you every day. When you are on the road or walking, evaluate the space around you, color combinations, interesting objects that stand out in space and clean lines. Look up, look down, look closely and you will be rewarded.

Step 6. Focus on Processing

Processing your minimalist photos should be as simple as your shot, you should have a good understanding of what you are going to do, something simple and dynamic. Alternatively, you can consider surreal experiments in your work, using artistic vision to make your subject unrecognizable, but at the same time an element of art.

Pay attention to the lines and shapes on minimalist photos

Just like using color in minimal photography, using lines can have a dramatic effect on the image, and emphasize the main element, especially if it is not outstanding on its own.

Clear horizontal or vertical lines, by themselves, create a strong composition, as they provide a solid structure. 

  • Think about where your lines lead, for example, from the center of the image to the edge and beyond, or from the corner to the center, depending on where you want to lead the viewer's eyes.

Lines can be shaped using architecture, telephone lines, the skyline or mountains, and how you arrange them in your composition will determine how people perceive and feel your photograph.

  •  You can also use a repeating pattern as negative space (for example, simple wallpaper or floor tiles, as long as this background does not distract attention from the subject).

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Secrets for Shooting beautiful minimalist photos

When you take a photo (no matter what style), there are many elements that affect the end result. If you want to make a quality minimalist photography, you need to think carefully about each of these elements and how they work together - only then the end result will suit you. Here we'll go over those basic elements of photography and how to apply them to create a minimalist photography.

  • Decide what should be in the frame

The essence of minimalist photography is simplicity and finding the perfect balance. To get a really minimalistic photo, take a look at all the elements that fall into your frame and decide what really should be there and what can be removed.

The composition in minimalist photography defines what the viewer will look at and for what on your photo. As a photographer, you can arrange the elements the way you want (that is, so that the viewer first of all pays attention to what you intended), especially if you are taking a minimalist photo with a still life or portrait. You can manipulate elements of your composition to direct the viewer's eyes to the most important areas of your minimalist photography.

  • Shoot the subject from different angles - popular minimalist approach

When we talk about minimalist landscape photography or photographs of architecture, then the photographer simply cannot physically position your objects exactly the way you would like. In this case, you can move around the subject and shoot from different heights and angles to select the best foreshortening. If there are too many unnecessary details in the photo, do not be discouraged. You can always post - production in Lightroom or Photoshop.

  • Experiment with the camera settings in the minimalist approach

While shooting, you can use manual camera settings so you can experiment with different types of compositions. For example, you can adjust the aperture settings depending on whether you want the focus to be in the foreground or background. This minimalist approach also allows you to blur everything that is out of focus, so that the viewer will understand what needs to be paid attention to in your photo.

  • Use the rule of thirds to create minimalist photos

You can always edit or delete unwanted items after the fact. But still, to simplify your work, you can think over the composition well from the beginning. Many photographers use the rule of thirds for this, which you can arm yourself with.

Now that you have a complete understanding of how to take beautiful minimal photography, as well as the various niches in which you can apply your knowledge, you can feel free to get started. And remember that in order to get better and better every photo, you need one thing - this is practice and commitment to your work. Create your online portfolio website!

FAQ

Why do people choose minimalism?

Minimalism is not only a design trend that denies kitsch and indicative luxury, but a philosophy of life. People choose minimalism when they want to find harmony and focus on the main thing. According to minimalist adherents, good conception implies as little design as possible.

What is the meaning of minimalism in the photo?

Minimalism in photography creates such images that the viewer's attention is concentrated on one object or a group of those located nearby. Minimalist shots have one main theme, the idea. The main object occupies an insignificant part of the frame, leaving an empty space around it.

What is the main principle of minimalism in photo?

One of the basic principles of minimalism is strong composition. It is necessary to remove everything superfluous and just to leave the most necessary composition elements in the frame.

Why is color so important in creating minimalist photos?

This "tool" is very important and very useful for creating a minimalist shot. Simply put, in a minimalist shot, the object as such may be absent altogether, its role will be played by color and texture. The brighter the color, the more expressive the picture is.

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