Minimalism in photography is all about simplicity. Negative space, or empty areas in your image, plays a key role in achieving this. It doesn’t need to be complicated—just a flat, solid surface like the sky, a wall, or even a field of snow can provide the clean background that makes your subject stand out.
Coming to you from Micael Widell, this practical video explores how to find and use negative space effectively in your photos. Solid surfaces are a great place to start. These could be anything from a plain wall to the sea or a building against a clear sky. Widell suggests finding high vantage points to look down at the ground or shooting upward to let the sky act as your clean backdrop. These simple adjustments can transform everyday scenes into minimalist compositions. Widell also shares how gradients in the sky—like a soft blend from blue to orange—can add depth and beauty to your image without making it busy.
Contrast is another powerful tool in minimalist photography. It can come from differences in light, color, or tone. A bright object on a dark background, like a feather on the ground, creates immediate focus. Widell demonstrates how you can enhance this contrast in post-processing to emphasize the simplicity of the scene. Similarly, silhouettes offer dramatic contrasts, with a dark shape standing out against a brighter backdrop. Practicing how to spot these contrasts in your surroundings can lead to striking minimalist images.
Gear choices can also help. Long lenses let you isolate your subject and remove distracting elements from the frame. Widell recommends using zoom lenses to zero in on shapes and solid backgrounds. Alternatively, macro lenses can simplify small details for clean, tight compositions. The idea is to focus only on your subject and its surrounding negative space, avoiding clutter.
Weather is another factor that can work in your favor. Snow provides a naturally blank canvas, while fog and mist can obscure distracting backgrounds, leaving you with simple, isolated elements to photograph. Widell notes that enhancing the solidness of these weather effects in post-production is an easy way to amplify their minimalist appeal. Check out the video above for the full rundown from Widell.
