Essential Minimalist Landscape Photography Tips

Mads Peter Iversen

In many aspects of photography and life, less is more. As landscape photographers, we are constantly overwhelmed with a variety of details in each scene due to the vast beauty Mother Nature has to offer.  This is where minimalist landscape photography shines. Minimalist landscape photography is a style that emphasizes simplicity, using a limited number of elements to create a compelling, uncluttered image. This genre seeks to convey the essence of a scene by stripping it down to its fundamental components, often evoking powerful emotions and reflections.  In this article, we’ll discover the beauty of minimalist landscape photography and provide you with some examples and tips.

Minimalist Landscape Photography Video

Come along with me on this episode of Photographing Iceland where we cover tips on how to capture minimalist landscape photography. I came to Strandarkirkja, a lone church in Iceland with a preconceived idea of photographing this church in a minimalist fashion, isolating the church as the main subject and letting the rest of the landscape be a part of the frame without overpowering it.

Minimalist Landscape Photography Video

Let’s review the tips from this video and a few additional tips for creating impactful minimalist landscape photography.

Start with Determining Your Composition

Before you pick up your camera, decide on what elements of the scene you want to include in your frame. This could potentially mean switching from shooting in landscape orientation to portrait depending on what you want to conceal vs. reveal.

When I arrived I noticed this wall in front of the building that was distracting the view and immediately thought to capture the scene from a lower angle to hide it.

Choose the appropriate lens for the scene

The choice of lens can greatly influence the composition of your shot. A wide-angle lens captures a broad view, which is beneficial for highlighting the vastness or emptiness of a scene. While telephoto lenses can be used to isolate distant subjects, for most minimalist landscape shots, a medium to wide-angle lens is the best choice.

Changing my perspective and moving closer to the ground required me to choose a lens that would still allow me to keep the scene minimalistic, filling the majority of the frame with sky. Using a wide-angle lens @ 16mm, I was able to capture a greater portion of the sky and used it as negative space to emphasize the church.

Dial in the proper exposure settings

With minimalist landscape photography, there is no objective correct exposure.  Use the exposure that matches your creative vision.  That might be underexposing an image to clip and hide parts of a scene or overexposing an image to blow out and hide other parts of the scene.

Starting at ISO 100 to maximize dynamic range, I bumped up my aperture to f/11 to capture the detail of my foreground. From here I will check my Histogram and dial in the appropriate shutter speed to ensure I don’t blow out the clouds and sky in the scene.

Understand the Different Ways to Isolate Your Subject

One of the essential principles of minimalist landscape photography is ensuring that your subject clearly stands out as the focal point. Achieving this often requires isolating the subject from distracting elements in the scene. While negative space is a powerful tool for creating this separation, you can also employ the following techniques to achieve subject isolation:

  • Depth of Field (DOF): Using a shallow depth of field can blur the background or foreground, drawing the viewer’s attention directly to the subject. This technique works particularly well when the subject is positioned against a busy or detailed backdrop.
  • Color: A subject with a contrasting color to its surroundings naturally commands attention. Minimalist compositions thrive on simplicity, including a refined color palette. Consider using monochromatic or limited palettes to enhance the visual impact. This doesn’t mean avoiding color entirely—rather, be intentional and selective with your choices.
  • Brightness and Contrast: The human eye is instinctively drawn to the brightest areas in a scene. A subject that is noticeably brighter than its surroundings will naturally stand out. Conversely, a darker subject set against lighter surroundings can be equally compelling.
  • Stillness vs. Movement: Visual contrast between motion and stillness is another effective way to isolate your subject. For example, a still subject amidst a dynamic, moving environment captures attention. Conversely, a moving subject in a still environment—such as using panning techniques—creates a striking focal point.

By thoughtfully applying these techniques, you can simplify your compositions and ensure that your subject remains the star of the frame.

More Information

Minimalist landscape photography is all about capturing the essence of a scene, using simplicity as your guide. By focusing on the essential elements, choosing the right time and equipment, and harnessing the power of post-processing, you can create striking images that leave a lasting impression on the viewer.

Join me on my Youtube landscape photography journey as I travel around the world capturing the beauty Earth has to offer. If you enjoyed this video you can tune into my Photographing Iceland Series which includes 30+ episodes filled with shooting tips, gear recommendations, and travel advice.

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