As I live quite countryside with a high grade of agricultural usage of the area I can find often pig stables outside of villages. On the fields around farmers make the food for them.
Last days I tried something new (for me): minimalist landscape in color. Using what is on hands: fields, stables, electric power poles. It's a kind of starting point & not to be a portfolio shot.
I'm asking for your feedback on
- composition
- color combination
- saturation
I'm looking forward to learn with you!
dg9ncc
My first question is to the group – are these considered minimal? There is and is not a lot going on with color, shape, and lines. If they're not considered minimal, what would their classification be?
I like these a lot. Each has a tri-color scheme which works really well. At first I didn't appreciate the saturation; but after a bit, the colors settled for me. Have you tried these in black and white – well, at least the last one? The first two I can see you'd want to keep the red in them. I like each composition – the verticals and horizontals, the layers, and the elements all work well together. Nice job!
Ciao Jennifer!
Thank you for your kind feedback & questions!
The muted colors are intentionally. Popping colors are always around us and "all photos are crying fro attention" with popping colors. I wanted a more calm mood here.
Yes, It tried them in BnW. The sky is too busy for me. It's stealing & confusing the viewers attention. Here the tiny read car is a resting point for the eye.
The last one in BnW is working & existing, with a slightly different crop. Here the sky is way more calm & supportive. Right now I don't want to show it - it's a single image only. Maybe I'll compile it into a series. Just vague ideas right now, to be structured & composed.
Hopefully you post it. I always enjoy seeing your work!
This is my second viewing before commenting as I was thinking minimalism?
In my minds eye only the second photo would "qualify as 'minimal and only if the car was removed, but I have to remember that minimal can be color and not the generally accepted composition; hence, your title: colored minimalism.
Your colors of your photos remind me of my early film days using 126 film, albeit yours are much sharper.
Hi Deon!
Thank you fro sharing your thoughts!
It's interesting for me to see your personal definition / narrow down on 'what is minimalism for you'.
regarding the colors: I never had the idea to simulate any film. I'm not a fan of copying something / someone.
"I'm not a fan of copying something / someone."
In a world of cameras it is difficult to have a unique style.
As for what I consider minimalist, I follow the common definition as:
"Minimalist photography is a form of photography that is distinguished by extreme simplicity. It focuses solely on the smallest number of objects, and it’s normally composed in a clean, clinical way with very little differences in the colours and tones of the image."
https://www.theschoolofphotography.com/tutorials/minimalist-photography
Thank you for sharing the defintion, Deon!
This is an easy one for me. Love the colors and the ideas. Your main difficulties here are in framing, composition and relating those into ideas or stories. The car "ruins" the photos. These should be in infinite time (waiting). The car is obviously parked there and could very easily be moved. For the first one, I'd like those tracks having more separation from the building, i.e., you positioned more to the right. For the second one, in my version you have no idea where or if electricity is going anywhere. For the third, the left chimney pulls your eyes to the right, you want everything drwing the viewer to the left into infinity.
Hi Charles!
Thank you very much for your feedback!
You made new photos out of my shots by removing the red car. I placed it intentionally as a "pop factor" in kind of color contrast & shape. The reason to take color.
You take the track as a separate element in the frame, here it mes sense t have some distance for separation. in #2 keeping the posts alone appears a bit boring for me. a spot of interest is missing. the new crop of #3 is understandable, it cleans up the sides of the frames.
Actually, the muted colors make it stand out for me. Also #2, the interest is the poles descending into the horizon. I wouldn't have cropped it at all if the car wasn't there. I think I would prefer it.
Thank you for sharing your point of view, Charles!
You're welcome. I'd even call the second photo, Telephone poles to infinity.