Is there a Place for Minimalism in Photography?

[AB26]

Depending on your personal objectives.

You think Pink Floyd was minimalistic? I think to this day they are still the best selling band in the world. WHY?

[GrahamS]

Is there a place for (such) minimalism in the world of photography?

Yes.

[dabhand]

Yes.

[GrahamH]

Yes - but in which part of photography?

Mode of operation - take a single picture, no second chances, no machine-gun shooting. Sit and contemplate the final image so when everything comes together, you press the shutter.
- On the other hand, you still need to assess the lighting conditions (perhaps using a meter), you need to research the location/subject, the time you need to be there, accessories (if necessary), you need to adjust the height of the camera, make sure it is level, select the right lens/aperture/shutter speed/ISO for the right effect ... and so on.

The image itself - making sure that all the elements (few though they are) are in the right position to each other within the boundaries of the frame you are using - unless you are going to crop to a particular format.

Post processing - no cropping, cloning, cleaning, adjusting of the image. Everything needs to be taken in camera - shot in RAW or JPEG? Shot in BW if that is the intended end result of course, no conversion. Alternately processing should be used to create an image that is minimalistic in the pre-envisioned style (and that can take a lot of work). BW is often (not always) considered to be more minimalistic than colour.

Printing - so many different papers, inks and so on. Should we use basic paper (and what would that be?), basic settings on the printer. Framing? Or should we use some other form of display that requires a more minimal approach - digital monitors perhaps?

Viewing - take a seat and spend several hours looking at the image. No getting closer, only view from a single position (height and distance).

Some images suit the minimalist approach in one or more aspects, however, usually a lot of work goes into other areas making it minimalist in the chosen areas.


Me? I like to take minimal time to take the minimally necessary shot, using the minimal amount of equipment and resulting in the minimal amount of processing. That's why I turn up to a food shot with copious amounts of equipment just in case the minimally necessary shot requires equipment I didn't originally consider. That's why I sometimes take several hours to create the minimally acceptable shot (to my standards, the clients standards, a third parties standards) in post processing.

So I definitely consider myself a minimalist .
Even though I went into far more words then minimally necessary here. That response has been made (by another Graham ).

Graham H

[Manfred M]

I think the quote that is attributed to Einstein "Everything should be made as simple as possible, but not simpler" can be paraphrased here to "take just the right gear to get the shot, but make sure it really is the right gear"

I think that covers my viewpoint fairly well as in general, I will only take the gear that fits in my photo backpack.

[xpatUSA]

I must now agree with the majority which, if I understand correctly, is saying 'horses for courses' and, by extension, one horse for one course? Or, the right tool for the job? Or, to continue with the music analogy, not showing up for "Unplugged" armed with a Stratocaster and a 100W Marshall stack . . . "Sorry, Mr Gilmore, you can't come in here that stuff . ."

Sigma SD10 and two kit zooms sold, SD14 on it's way out the door.

I now stand with one foot firmly planted between minimal and maximal:

Sigma SD9 3.4MP, RAW only, no scene modes and one prime macro lens. Watch shots, still sharp as a tack.

Panasonic GH1 12MP, does everything including video, 4 aspect ratios, two live view methods, stereo mike, flash, 2 Panasonic OIS zoom lenses and a Leica OIS macro - 4-1/2 lbs total weight all fits into a 12"x7"x7" bag. Gotta luv it.

[drjuice]

My answer: Probably, but not my thing. Sometimes I really like minimalist photography and art. But it has to stand out from the crowd. The best recent example I can think of is the calendar I got last January from my local Wells Fargo bank.

For those of you not from California, Wells Fargo got started in the mid-1800s and values all the diverse cultures present in California. Every year, they have a standard Christian era calendar, but they also have an Asian calendar that comes out at the time of what Europeans call "Chinese New Year". Customarily, it features the animal representing the year (snake for the year that approximately corresponds with 2013). The picture on each month is a brush painting of a character representing an adjective (which is translated to English for those of us who are ignorant and can't read Chinese) such as September's adjective which is "calm". The strokes of the painting are "snake-like" and the head of the snake is firmly painted in red (not as the brushstrokes in which the remainder of the character is painted. The whole calendar is the same size as their Christian-style calendar, but the pictures on the Asian calendar is definitely minimalist while the other calendar is invariably a western landscape with a Wells Fargo stage coach in it. And, BTW, they ALWAYS come up with different landscapes.

Every once in awhile I try to take something in a minimalist style, but about half those times, I don't really have the patience to make it really minimalist, sorry to say. Some of the product photos in the last of the themed challenges are definitely minimalist.

I'm jes' sayin'....

virginia

[HaseebM]

There is but one needs to grab those opportunities, otherwise one needs to create them. When you go for the latter, the photography isn't minimalist anymore.

[RustBeltRaw]

I think we're skirting the edges of another photographic problem; being handicapped by your gear. It's entirely possible to show up with so many options, you have no idea where to turn. Sort of like being unable to find the perfect flat-head screwdriver in a drawer full of perfectly serviceable options. On days when my brain's signal-to-noise ratio is low, I may struggle with this, and miss shots while I think about whether 20mm or 16mm would be better.

However, that doesn't mean you shouldn't travel with backups. Like Manfred, I prefer to keep my gear for the day in a single backpack, maybe with a separate tripod case or two. Usually, that means one body, five lenses, three flashes, about fifty AA batteries, a flat-pack light mod or two, and a hundred other tiny make-or-break bits and pieces. Unfortunately, I rarely know exactly what I'll be shooting, so "minimal" frequently equals "lots."

[chauncey]

IMHO...minimalism can be created on your computer by deleting the inconsequential thingys.

[tao2]

D'ye really need anything more...?





5 speeds - 1/30th. tae 1/500th. + "B"

f2.8/52mm and f2.8/35mm.

[AB26]

D'ye really need anything more...?

Really? Ye wanna stay behind, ye stick to those!

[Manfred M]

My experience with Russian cameras was that they tended to spend a lot of time in the shop getting repaired (a couple of friends with limited funds were shooting Zenits some decades back).

I guess from a minimalist standpoint, not having a camera to shoot with was pretty darn minimalist.

[Manfred M]

Like Manfred, I prefer to keep my gear for the day in a single backpack, maybe with a separate tripod case or two. Usually, that means one body, five lenses, three flashes, about fifty AA batteries, a flat-pack light mod or two, and a hundred other tiny make-or-break bits and pieces."

You must have a larger backpack than I do. A body, three lenses, some filters and a tripod strapped on is as much as mine will hold. If I take a flash, one of the lenses gets to stay behind.

[dabhand]

My other pastime is fishing - I used to carry lures, traces, lines, hooks, weights etc to meet any and every perceived possibility - what I found over time was most of it didn't get used so the load ended being refined over the years to match my ability / inclination of what to carry. I must admit that over the years I haven't missed many 'specimen' catching opportunities due to the lack of a particular piece of tackle.

Not being a professional with a living to make, the same approach is now being taken to the amount of photo gear I'm willing to lug around on the off chance of a 'specimen' image.

[jcuknz]

My experience with Russian cameras was that they tended to spend a lot of time in the shop getting repaired (a couple of friends with limited funds were shooting Zenits some decades back).

I guess from a minimalist standpoint, not having a camera to shoot with was pretty darn minimalist.

What on earth were your freinds doing to their Zenits? I had one during a period of financial over commitment, or lack of commitment to photography, and never had any trouble with it

[Manfred M]

What on earth were your freinds doing to their Zenits? I had one during a period of financial over commitment, or lack of commitment to photography, and never had any trouble with it

This was many decades ago when I was in high school. Let's say that some people did not treat their equipment particularly gently. My Praktica was a touch more reliable, but ended up in the shop once or twice too (good thing it was on warranty).

[dan marchant]

I may be misunderstanding Ted but to me simpfication is one of the most important aspects of photography....

+1 to this.

[RustBeltRaw]

You must have a larger backpack than I do. A body, three lenses, some filters and a tripod strapped on is as much as mine will hold. If I take a flash, one of the lenses gets to stay behind.

I use a Think Tank Shape Shifter. Which is, admittedly, rather large. My lenses are all from Canon's USM series, so they don't have the bombproof all-metal construction and bulkier optics of most L glass. I overfill the pack a tad with the lighting setup, and it weighs about 36-40lb (16-19kg) fully loaded. Not practical if carried for more than a couple hours, but I did carry it (with only one flash & triggers) around Istanbul for 10-12 hours a day.

Good thing my spine and knees are already in rough shape - don't try this at home, kids.

What on earth were your freinds doing to their Zenits? I had one during a period of financial over commitment, or lack of commitment to photography, and never had any trouble with it.

I put in a bid on a Contax IIIa a few days ago (didn't get it, since the cost rocketed to nearly $500). Keen to try a camera reputed to be the most reliable ever built, and the weapon of choice for Robert Capa, one of my photographic heroes. But I should probably get more use out of my Canon A1 before I get another film camera.

[Manfred M]

I use a Think Tank Shape Shifter. Which is, admittedly, rather large. My lenses are all from Canon's USM series, so they don't have the bombproof all-metal construction and bulkier optics of most L glass. I overfill the pack a tad with the lighting setup, and it weighs about 36-40lb (16-19kg) fully loaded. Not practical if carried for more than a couple hours, but I did carry it (with only one flash & triggers) around Istanbul for 10-12 hours a day.

Good thing my spine and knees are already in rough shape - don't try this at home, kids.

My backpack needs came more from physical restrictions; I needed one free to hand to hold a cane or walking stick to get around for the last few, so having my gear on my back was a practical way of keeping up with photography. It is a smaller Kata unit that was discontinued years ago, but was fine for a body, a few lenses (depending on their size) and a few accessories, but nothing more. This worked out well as my foot couldn't handle too much weight, even with the assistive devices. My camera body travels strapped to my chest on a Cotton Carrier while I am is "shooting mode". http://buy.cottoncarrier.com/cotton-...p/635rtl-s.htm

I had surgery on the foot just over a year ago and have thrown away the cane, but the backpack is still in use. Hopefully I will be able to replace it soon as the side-effects of the surgery go away. It is starting to wear out and I will be looking for a replacement by next summer.

One of the local commercial landscape / nature photographers I know uses a regular full-frame backwoods hiking backpack to carry his gear and when he fully packs it, he is certainly into the 22kg / 50lb range. He claims he has cut down, but I find, his gear still weighs a lot.