11 Less Is More

On Photographic Minimalism

In the words of French writer Antoine de Saint-Exupèry, “Perfection is achieved not when there is nothing more to add, but when there is nothing left to take away.” Put differently: Most pictures are showing too much. Two clear-cut statements (the latter from photographer Andreas Feininger), one distinct message: Less is more. This applies as much to travel photography as it does to any other genre.

The more distinct the composition, the less elements distract from the main subject, which in turn makes the photo more convincing. Usually, it can only mean good things for a photo if its idea and main subject are obviously recognizable.

Minimalism, in the sense of focusing only on what’s absolutely essential, ...

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