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DPChallenge Forums >> Photography Discussion >> What is Minimalism in Photography?
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 04/27/2005 02:55:02 PM · #1
Minimalism is a style of art in which objects are stripped down to their elemental, geometric form, and presented in an impersonal manner. ... So say some "Art Pundits".

I say its the capturing of an image in a very plain, and straight forward manner. The subject could be in the center or other parts of the composition. The key word for me is, simple or elementary. Having cows in the bottom of a photo with a large upper sky should not be minimalism. I do like this approach but, its more an abstract photo style than photo minimalism.

Feedback would be good here.

04/27/2005 02:57:37 PM · #2
doesn't really matter what the true description of it is since the challenge said it is to be this:

Create an image where your subject is the strong point of the image, but only occupying a very small portion of the image space


04/27/2005 03:00:15 PM · #3

poste by zagman

Minimalism is a style of art in which objects are stripped down to their elemental, geometric form, and presented in an impersonal manner. ... So say some "Art Pundits".

I say its the capturing of an image in a very plain, and straight forward manner. The subject could be in the center or other parts of the composition. The key word for me is, simple or elementary. Having cows in the bottom of a photo with a large upper sky should not be minimalism. I do like this approach but, its more an abstract photo style than photo minimalism.

Feedback would be good here.
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While what you say is true but it has no application in this challenge. Minimalism in its art form is not concerned with the spatial representation of the proportion of subject and background. In this challenge you are told that your subject(main subject) must occupy a small patch of real estate. This is where it differs. Many challenges are written with no real consequence of what the words convey. In this case, minimalism is being employed merely as a tiltle to mean a definition wherein the subject must occupy a small space of the frame.

Message edited by author 2005-04-27 15:14:41.
 04/27/2005 03:01:59 PM · #4
[url]//www.wwar.com/masters/movements/minimalism.html [/url]

By going to the link, one can learn what "minimalism" in art is. The title of this challenge is "mimimalism".

The description: "Create an image where your subject is the strong point of the image, but only occupying a very small portion of the image space." describes true "minimalism" only in a small way.

[url]//www.tate.org.uk/archivejourneys/reisehtml/mov_minimalism.htm [/url]

"We usually think of art as representing an aspect of the real world (a landscape, a person, or even a tin of soup!); or reflecting an experience such as an emotion or feeling. With Minimalism, no attempt is made to represent an outside reality, the artist wants the viewer to respond only to what is in front of them. "

Just a little research to stir things up.
04/27/2005 03:05:31 PM · #5
The challenge topics and descriptions very rarely have much to do with each other. Looking for sensible relationships between the two is mostly fruitless, as it seems the people writing them don't seem to think it matters if they say one thing and then describe something entirely unrelated.

This has been a feature of dpc for a while now.
 04/27/2005 03:07:20 PM · #6
Here's a challenge for y'all; find a BETTER title than "Minimalism" for this challenge, one that in just a word or two conveys something equivalent to the challenge description, which after all is what we SHOULD be working from. "Minimized Subject", for example, but that's clumsy...

The thing is, the challenge framers weren't thinking of artistic definitions when they made this title, they just wanted a one-word placeholder to identify the challenge in the records, so to speak. The REAL challenge is the description, the "ruleset" as it were; the title is just window-dressing. Always is, for that matter.

Robt.
 04/27/2005 03:09:41 PM · #7
I agree with Daniel (graphicfunk), Gordon and bear_music. In this challenge, I think the word "minimalism" is being used in the common sense to mean "small in amount or degree" (the definition of "minimal" from my American Heritage Dictionary). If I'm wrong, please, site council, correct me. But I think this must have been the intent based on the challenge description.

Message edited by author 2005-04-27 15:11:12.
 04/27/2005 03:11:49 PM · #8
"Liberal Minimalism"
 04/27/2005 03:12:09 PM · #9
To me this challege means that the first thing your eye goes to when you look at the photo (or the strong point of the image) should be the most minimal in comparason to the rest of the image!
I also think that it is up to the viewer to decide which is the strong point of the image. Lets say that you have the small cows at the bottom of the image with a large sky. What is the strong point of the photo??? THE SKY!!! so it doesnt meet the challege at all! Maybe Im wrong...but this challenge is SOOO skrewed up!
 04/27/2005 03:15:57 PM · #10
Originally posted by smoon273:
To me this challege means that the first thing your eye goes to when you look at the photo (or the strong point of the image) should be the most minimal in comparason to the rest of the image!
I also think that it is up to the viewer to decide which is the strong point of the image. Lets say that you have the small cows at the bottom of the image with a large sky. What is the strong point of the photo??? THE SKY!!! so it doesnt meet the challege at all! Maybe Im wrong...but this challenge is SOOO skrewed up!


That would depend on whether the cows are defined as the subject... focus point/color/balance. A sunset might easily overwhelm the cows, ect...
 04/27/2005 03:19:09 PM · #11
Ah, you see. We are applying logic to art interpretation. Won't do. All we can do with words is hint at a meaning and then your aesthetic sense over rides your left brain logical approach.

The cows are the main subject even though the sky is larger. Again, the cows streaming across the image is the subject. If you can not see this then you are liable to take the negaitive space of a portrait as the main subject rather then the person.
 04/27/2005 03:21:14 PM · #12
Originally posted by sofapez:
That would depend on whether the cows are defined as the subject... focus point/color/balance. A sunset might easily overwhelm the cows, ect...


Exactly...in many of these images the "subject" of the photo is not defined.
 04/27/2005 03:24:22 PM · #13
Originally posted by graphicfunk:
Ah, you see. We are applying logic to art interpretation. Won't do. All we can do with words is hint at a meaning and then your aesthetic sense over rides your left brain logical approach.


And that is the problem with this challenge. There are too many ways to interpretate minimalism in the art. What is minimalism to a photographer may not be minimalism to the viewer and vise versa.
 04/27/2005 03:27:47 PM · #14
I didn't read the description, although it's no big problem. A shot that I think would otherwise do well is going to do...not as well. I think as a rule one should follow the topic description as a guideline for one's entry, I've entered relatively few DP Challenges, so I've learnt my lesson early. It's just a result of miscommunication, and I don't think it's tragically unfair that I decided to follow my personal definition of the topic title as opposed to the one proposed.

It's not a wholly misleading title, either, it's just a 'normal' definiton whereas some people assumed the 'artistic' definition (whatever that means).

There's always next time (if only I'd zoomed out)... :)
 04/27/2005 03:28:18 PM · #15
And that is the problem with this challenge. There are too many ways to interpretate minimalism in the art. What is minimalism to a photographer may not be minimalism to the viewer and vise versa. [/quote]

ahhhh...but if there is no room for interpretation then we will end up with 500 entrys that are almost identical making the end result BOARING!!!

edit:spelling

Message edited by author 2005-04-27 15:30:05.
 04/27/2005 03:31:54 PM · #16
Originally posted by smoon273:
Originally posted by graphicfunk:
Ah, you see. We are applying logic to art interpretation. Won't do. All we can do with words is hint at a meaning and then your aesthetic sense over rides your left brain logical approach.


And that is the problem with this challenge. There are too many ways to interpretate minimalism in the art. What is minimalism to a photographer may not be minimalism to the viewer and vise versa.


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You see, it is all not as bad. The object of photography as a craft meets many limitations. When it progresses to art, then the universe opens up. This is what every eye behind the camera wishes, that it can find the most artistic way to make his presentation. Now, there are many that pick up a camera and have no concern and appreciation for art and here lies our problem. The non artist will argue the logic, the artist will argue the finer points of composition and presentation.

Yes, there are many that miss the point when they look at an entry but they have likely missed the point in their own entry. The closer the mind, the less it sees.

Message edited by author 2005-04-27 15:36:37.
 04/27/2005 03:37:00 PM · #17
I have been a member here for almost a year. I think this challenge has brought out so many view of what minimalism is by more users and in more threads than any other challenge. Iâm not saying whoâs right or if anyone is wrong but lets step back and think about this. We talk about âout side the boxâ when taking pictures, this is a challenge that we are going to have to âstep out side the boxâ when voting. In other words there will be a larger gray area in this challenge than others. Just remember that when voting. Don't be to quick to judge.

Message edited by author 2005-04-27 15:38:02.
 04/27/2005 03:37:26 PM · #18
graphicfunk..you brilliant creative mind never ceases to amaze me.

Votes: 98
Views: 145
Avg Vote: 4.5306
Comments: 7

My problem here is that no one who is voting on my image is seeing my creative abillities here! :) All the comments are extremely literal and in no way see the point to my image. Now, I will be the first to say that I am NO great photographer..but I did have an open and creative mind when submitting to the minimalism challenge. I am very happy with my submission. Nobody else likes it!
 04/27/2005 03:37:58 PM · #19
Originally posted by smilebig4me1x:
And that is the problem with this challenge. There are too many ways to interpretate minimalism in the art. What is minimalism to a photographer may not be minimalism to the viewer and vise versa.


ahhhh...but if there is no room for interpretation then we will end up with 500 entrys that are almost identical making the end result BOARING!!!

edit:spelling [/quote]

W don't have to interprete the title "minimalism" just read the description. It is really quite simple.
 04/27/2005 03:38:26 PM · #20
Originally posted by bear_music:
Here's a challenge for y'all; find a BETTER title than "Minimalism" for this challenge, one that in just a word or two conveys something equivalent to the challenge description, which after all is what we SHOULD be working from. "Minimized Subject", for example, but that's clumsy...


"Negative space II"

M
 04/27/2005 03:45:01 PM · #21
Originally posted by mavrik:
Originally posted by bear_music:
Here's a challenge for y'all; find a BETTER title than "Minimalism" for this challenge, one that in just a word or two conveys something equivalent to the challenge description, which after all is what we SHOULD be working from. "Minimized Subject", for example, but that's clumsy...


"Negative space II"

M


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"Absurd economy of subject size" lol
 04/27/2005 03:47:51 PM · #22
Originally posted by smoon273:
graphicfunk..you brilliant creative mind never ceases to amaze me.

Votes: 98
Views: 145
Avg Vote: 4.5306
Comments: 7

My problem here is that no one who is voting on my image is seeing my creative abillities here! :) All the comments are extremely literal and in no way see the point to my image. Now, I will be the first to say that I am NO great photographer..but I did have an open and creative mind when submitting to the minimalism challenge. I am very happy with my submission. Nobody else likes it!

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Welcome to the club. Eventually the site will cultivate more and more artist and all will be well.lol
 04/27/2005 03:47:57 PM · #23
Originally posted by smoon273:
Originally posted by sofapez:
That would depend on whether the cows are defined as the subject... focus point/color/balance. A sunset might easily overwhelm the cows, ect...


Exactly...in many of these images the "subject" of the photo is not defined.


AS in any challenge, or any image for that matter, the photographers job is to make the veiwer see what he/she wants them to see, that would be the subject. If its cows, the cows should be the "star", If its small cows, the cows should small "stars".
 04/27/2005 03:57:55 PM · #24
My problem here is that no one who is voting on my image is seeing my creative abillities here! :) All the comments are extremely literal and in no way see the point to my image.text

I find this quite true... So then to defy them on the next challenge would then be a challenge in itself. Those "commenters" that are hardest on the entries may well feel the most challenged with theirs

Message edited by author 2005-04-27 15:58:50.
 04/27/2005 04:00:14 PM · #25
Originally posted by Gordon:
The challenge topics and descriptions very rarely have much to do with each other. Looking for sensible relationships between the two is mostly fruitless, as it seems the people writing them don't seem to think it matters if they say one thing and then describe something entirely unrelated....


Minimalism (the title of this challenge) names an art movement in the context of the visual arts particularly, of which photography is not a small part. To use the term in the context of a photography challenge to refer to something as unrelated to it as the challenge description, has, effectively, prompted some to enter minimalist images, which will likely go unrecognized by those who chose to ignore both title and the context in which it appears, even if that entry conforms to the additional challenge description.

Those who submitted according to the desciption while ignoring the title, will have missed the opportunity to find out something about the history and motivation for a certain kind of 'seeing'.

Both sorts of entries now exist side by side, ensuring an inevitable confusion of premise and fact.

In my view, a great opportunity to learn and do something different for a change, particularly something which is still very much alive and relevant, has been completely lost.

Message edited by author 2005-04-27 16:02:49.
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