Photographing Venice-Towards Minimalism-Part 1

Photographing Venice-Towards Minimalism-Part 1. Embrace the principles behind ‘Less is More’, for images with impact and lasting memories.

Photographing in colour and using a “towards minimalism” approach refined over decades, this comprehensive post will assist you in developing a more personal and expansive approach to photographing in Venice. It will help you capture images that truly reflect the iconic charm of this historic city of “stone, water, colour and texture” and its “beauty and subtlety”, expressed in many forms”. 

Part 2 to follow, will fully illustrate this approach, featuring a collection of my colour images, and accompanied by insightful captions.

Minimalism in photography is based on the emphasis of focussing on simplicity (restraint), clarity (directness of vision), and the intentional use of picture space. By removing distractions, photographers can emphasize the essential subject matter and create a stronger visual impact, that conveys emotions or meaning more effectively. As the famous architect Mies van der Rohe said, “Less is More” – more for the imagination.

Simplicity demands increased awareness, intention, precision and control, at the taking stage of image-making.

Online workshops and photo trips to Venice can be exciting and rewarding, but they often come with a hefty price tag. My photography-focused posts are designed to quickly and freely, help you better understand how to improve your skills behind the camera.

1.1 – Evolution of the Concept of Minimalism in Philosophy, Art, Architecture, Design and Lifestyle.

1.2 – The Move to Minimalism in 20th Century Art

1.3 – The Move to Minimalism in 20th Century Photography

2.1 – The Development of Human Vision

2.2 – Is a photograph always linked to reality?

2.3 – What defines a Successful Photograph?

2.4 What do you wish to do with your images?

3.1 – Minimalism in Photography

3.2 – Venice – How can you take more successful images with greater individuality, meaning, and artistic values; that create truly lasting memories?

3.3 – Relationships and Balance

3.4 – More Quotations about the Nature of Minimalism

4.1 Links (internal–external)

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1.1 Evolution of Minimalism. Photographing Venice-Towards Minimalism-Part 1

In the realm of art and design, minimalism emerged in the 1960s, as a reaction against the emotional intensity of abstract expressionism. Artists sought to present objects in their purest form, free from symbolism or narrative.

Geometric shapes, limited colour palettes, and an emphasis on materials became defining features of the movement. The philosophy was encapsulated in Frank Stella’s famous statement, “What you see is what you see”. Minimalist art invites viewers to engage directly with the work itself, rather than searching for hidden meaning or representation. In architecture and design, this approach translates into clean lines, open spaces, and a focus on functionality, where the absence of clutter allows the structure and purpose of a space to speak for itself.

Minimalism has also become a guiding principle in lifestyle choices. Here, it is not simply about owning fewer possessions, but about living with intention. By decluttering homes, simplifying routines, and prioritizing experiences over material goods, individuals aim to reduce stress and cultivate clarity. Minimalism encourages mindfulness in consumption and decision-making, reminding people to focus on what truly adds value to their lives. This lifestyle often aligns with sustainability, as reducing excess naturally leads to less waste and more conscious use of resources. Importantly, minimalism is flexible: it does not prescribe a rigid set of rules, but rather adapts to each person’s values and circumstances.

Philosophically, minimalism underscores the importance of intentionality. Every choice, whether in art, design, or daily living, should be deliberate, serving a clear purpose. In art, the medium itself becomes the reality, while in life, simplicity becomes a pathway to freedom and focus. Yet minimalism is not without challenges. It is often misunderstood as austerity or denial, when in fact its goal is balance and clarity. Moreover, cultural differences shape how minimalism is practiced, and an overemphasis on reduction can sometimes lead to rigidity.

Ultimately, minimalism is not about having the least, but about making space for what matters most. By removing distractions  – whether visual, material, or emotional; it allows both creators and individuals to highlight the essential. In this way, minimalism continues to resonate as both an artistic movement and a lifestyle philosophy, offering a timeless reminder that simplicity can be profoundly powerful.

Note. For a more comprehensive understanding of the Evolution of Minimalism in Philosophy, Art, Architecture, Design and Lifestyle; please read my associated post: Evolution of Minimalism. – Images of Venice

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Above. This timeless image was taken besides the exquisite small church of Santa Maria dei Miracoli in the eastern part of the Cannaregio district. In this square format, it pulls together in a simple and direct manner, several iconic features of Venice: the gondola (here suggestive of man’s presence), the columned church wall, and the reflected light of surrounding buildings and a small bridge; on the still water’s surface. The picture elements were set up roughly equally weighted and balanced, giving rise to give a beautiful and calm impression of Venice.

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1.2 – The Move to Minimalism in 20th Century Art

Minimalism in art emerged in the mid‑20th century as a radical shift away from expressive, representational traditions, focusing instead on simplicity, geometry, and material reality.

Origins of Minimalism

• Reaction against Abstract Expressionism: Minimalism arose in the late 1950s and early 1960s as a response to the emotional intensity of artists like Jackson Pollock and Mark Rothko.
• Rejection of Pop Art spectacle: It also distanced itself from the consumerist imagery of Pop Art, stripping away metaphor and commercial references.
• Early influences: The roots can be traced back to reductionist works such as Kazimir Malevich’s Black Square (1913), which emphasized pure form.

Defining Characteristics

• Extreme simplicity of form: Minimalist works often use geometric shapes – squares, rectangles, and grids, as their foundation.
• Literal objecthood: Artists like Donald Judd and Frank Stella insisted that art should be experienced as itself, not as a representation of something else. “What you see is what you see.” – Stella’s famous statement.
• Focus on materials and space: The medium and its spatial presence became the subject, with no attempt to convey narrative or emotion.

Cultural Impact

• Shift in viewer experience: Minimalism demanded that audiences engage directly with the artwork’s physical presence, encouraging contemplation of space and perception rather than storytelling.
• Expansion beyond painting: The movement influenced sculpture, architecture, interior design, and even music, embedding its ethos of reduction across creative fields.
• Legacy in contemporary art: Minimalism paved the way for conceptual art and installation practices, emphasizing ideas and environments over traditional representation.

In summary. Minimalism marked a decisive move in art history toward clarity, reduction, and objecthood, rejecting both the emotional turbulence of Abstract Expressionism and the consumerist spectacle of Pop Art. By emphasizing geometry, material, and spatial presence, artists like Donald Judd, Frank Stella, and Robert Morris reshaped the role of art from representation to direct experience. Its influence extended beyond visual art into design, architecture, and music, leaving a lasting legacy of simplicity and focus that continues to shape creative practice today.

Over time, minimalism’s influence extended beyond fine art into architecture, design, and fashion, shaping a visual language that values reduction, precision, and intentionality. Its legacy lies in challenging viewers to engage deeply with form, space, and perception, proving that less can indeed be more.

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1.3 – The Move to Minimalism in 20th Century Photography

Traditionally, photography’s greatest strength laid in its capacity to document and the ability to record fine detail, allowing us to capture what we perceive and can describe as “reality”.

Minimalist photography emerged in the 1960s as part of the broader minimalist art movement. Emerging alongside minimalist painting, sculpture, and architecture in the mid‑20th century, it shares the same ethos of reduction, clarity, and focus on essentials.

Whilst minimalist artists demanded that audiences engage directly with the artwork’s physical presence, encouraging contemplation of space and perception rather than storytelling; minimalist photographers use negative space, geometry, and restraint to emphasize perception over decoration. It challenges viewers to appreciate subtle details and encourages mindfulness in both creation and observation. However, unlike the more extreme forms of minimalist art, a photograph has a direct or causal connection to reality through a mechanical process – light from real objects is captured on film or a sensor. Yet, it can still be manipulated, staged, or interpreted in ways that make it subjective and today is considered as an art form.

This approach also resonates with modernist ideals of “form follows function” in architecture and design, where simplicity is seen as a path to truth and beauty. In contemporary practice, minimalist photography intersects with movements such as conceptual art, which values ideas over ornament, and Japanese aesthetics like wabi‑sabi, which celebrate emptiness and imperfection. By situating photography within these traditions, minimalism becomes more than a stylistic choice – it is a philosophical stance that challenges excess and invites viewers to engage deeply with what remains.

Since then, influential photographers have shaped its evolution by emphasizing simplicity, negative space, and refined composition. As technology advanced, digital cameras and editing tools made it easier to refine compositions, while social media platforms amplified minimalist aesthetics, turning them into a recognizable visual language.

Ultimately, minimalist photography demonstrates how visual art across disciplines converges on the principle that less can indeed be more. It bridges the gap between modernist reduction, Eastern philosophy, and contemporary conceptualism, reminding us that simplicity can be a profound form of expression.

Here’s a chart with some important names in the development of minimalism in photography:

Photographer	Era	Signature Style	Techniques Used	Influence on Minimalism
Alfred Stieglitz	1920s–1930s	Abstract cloud studies (Equivalents)	Cropping, abstraction, focus on form	Pioneered emotional abstraction in photography
Ansel Adams	1940s–1960s	Clean, high-contrast landscapes	Zone system, sharp focus, tonal control	Elevated simplicity and clarity in landscape photography
Floris Neusüss	1960s–1970s	Cameraless photograms	Direct exposure of objects on photo paper	Reduced photography to elemental forms
Franco Fontana	1970s–1980s	Bold color minimalism, geometric landscapes	Strong color blocks, abstraction of rural/urban scenes	Introduced colour minimalism into mainstream photography
Hiroshi Sugimoto	1980s–Present	Meditative seascapes, minimalist architecture	Long exposures, horizon reduction, symmetry	Defined minimalist photography as contemplative and timeless; continues to influence contemporary art
Michael Kenna	1980s–Present	Atmospheric black-and-white landscapes	Long exposures, night photography, high contrast.	Brought poetic simplicity to landscape minimalism
Contemporary Global Photographers	2000s–Present	Digital minimalism, social media aesthetics	Geometry, negative space, bold color or monochrome	Popularized minimalism globally through digital platforms

 

 

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2.1 – The Development of Human Vision

It’s worth taking a moment to consider how our vision has developed from a survival instinct to scan, lock on and react quickly to potential predators.

Seeing with both eyes gives us the capacity for depth perception. Focused on a fixed point with binocular vision, we have in the horizontal plane approximately 210 degrees of peripheral vision and about 55 degrees of central sharp and well resolved vision. The most resolved area of vision is termed the fovea centralis, which covers about 1–2 degrees of your visual field. Although a very small angle, it is the part of your vision that allows you to see fine details with maximum clarity and contains the highest density of cone photoreceptors, which are specialized for colour vision and fine detail.

In summary, our narrow central vision concentrates on detail resolution, whilst wide peripheral vision allows for movement detection.  We scan a scene by freely moving our eyes and also our heads. Less scanning of an image enhances its directness of vision, potentially maximized in the square picture format.

What camera lens is closest to what the human eye can see? 

Although the two are not directly comparable, the camera lens that closely resembles human vision is generally considered to be a 50mm lens when used on a full-frame camera. This lens provides a field of view of around 46 degrees that closely matches the human eye’s perspective for detail resolution; making it ideal for capturing images that feel natural and relatable.

In certain respects, a colour photograph could be considered more representational than human vision. Our vision adapts to changes both in the quantity and quality of light perceived; film or digital sensors do not. Our eyes adjust and compensate to very bright conditions and also to variations in quality, such as the reddish light found around sunrise and sunset, or the blueness of shadows in strong sunlight.

If the scene is captured in colour and with good resolution, this image is the closest to reality and hence the most objective vision that we can achieve. Every other stage of the photographic process, to the final on-screen image or print; is subject to personal variability and therefore subjectivity.

Starting with reality we use the camera system’s viewfinder, LCD or phone screen to frame or select, part of our environment that interests us. At the taking stage, you can move from a wide angle to telephoto aspect or adjust the picture format or zoom in a digital device. In post-production you can edit the image by cropping.to your desired format. So, by reducing the number of picture elements and by choosing for example, a square format, (where the eyes don’t need to move as much to scan the image, by using more of your central vision); it can communicates its inteand ntion in a more simple and direct manner. Less is more!

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2.2 – Is a photograph always, linked to reality?

In simple terms, all photographs display a “continuum” of both objective and subjective vision.

A photograph has a direct or causal connection to reality through a mechanical process – light from real objects is captured on film or a sensor. Yet, it can still be manipulated, staged, or interpreted in ways that make it subjective.

Paintings, drawings, and sculptures, on the other hand, are shaped entirely by the artist’s hand and imagination, without the same direct link to the external world. An artwork can portray things that never existed, with no obligation to reflect reality.

 

Note. With AI now part of the photography process, it’s hard to know if any image can truly be trusted or considered authentic. Many people feel this has greatly reduced the value of photography and think that AI-altered works meant for public use/display should be clearly labelled.

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2.3 – What defines a Successful Photograph? Photographing Venice-Towards Minimalism  

• Purpose, Vision, and Connection. The image combines impressive technical skill with emotional depth, telling a story and conveying meaning or truth. In the end, vision matters more than the gear. What’s considered “successful”, also varies by the audience viewing it (eg, wedding v documentary photography).
• Good Composition.  Composition is key to success – it arranges visual elements into a meaningful structure, whether they’re symmetrical or asymmetrical. When it’s done right, you don’t feel the urge to move things around, and your eye naturally stays within the frame. It gives the image a purposeful, intentional feel.
• Lighting. It shapes the mood, texture, and overall feel of an image, making it a key element in photography. Knowing how to work with light can greatly improve the quality and storytelling of a photo. Whether it’s the gentle glow of soft, diffused light for portraits or the bold punch of harsh sunlight for dramatic shots, light is essential in creating striking and memorable images.
• Timelessness: More than just technical perfection, great photos stay captivating even years down the line.
• Originality and Individuality : In photography, absolute originality is rare because most ideas build on what has been done before. But individuality – your unique perspective, style, and voice is far more achievable and meaningful. It’s about expressing your personal vision, not inventing a subject no one has ever seen before.
• Technical mastery and Artisitic Expression. The best photographs blend these aspects: technical mastery ensures clarity, exposure, and focus.  Without it, even a powerful subject may fail to connect. Artistic expression, brings individuality, colour choices, angles, timing, and creative risk-taking.

Two photographic definitions about the ability of an image to communicate:

• Transcendence. A great photograph may show this property. This is the evocation of something beyond the mere description of what is in front of the camera; a special magic, where the point/intention/message/meaning of the final on-screen or printed image, moves across easily from the image-maker to the viewer and elicits an emotional responce. A common analogy would be that “the whole becomes greater than the sum of its parts”.
• Equivalence. Another term describes the process of photography, whereby the emotional response equivalent to that which the photographer saw and felt at the time of exposure; is imbued into the final print. The underlying concept, borrowed from Symbolism, was that the emotion carried was not just dependent on the subject matter but transmitted at some deeper level by other picture elements. If the photograph mirrors feelings within the viewer; then that person experiences a degree of “equivalence”.

There are some Risks & Challenges to consider:

• Overemphasis on gear: A great camera doesn’t guarantee a great photo. Vision matters more than equipment.
• Copying trends: Following popular styles can dilute originality. Success lies in adapting them into developing your personal vision.
• Subjectivity: What’s “successful” varies by audience. A wedding photo may succeed by capturing intimacy, while a documentary shot  may succeed by revealing truth.

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2.4 What do you wish to do with your images?

It’s worth thinking about whether you want to create exhibition-quality prints, submit them for high-quality publication, or simply share your images online through email and social media.

For the best image quality and post-processing flexibility, use a high-resolution device to capture in RAW format, which is particularly favoured for post production processing. For printing or high quality publication, you can convert the finalised image to an uncompressed TIF file at 300dpi at the desired print size.  DPI is a print setting – it tells a printer how many dots of ink to place per inch of paper. However, with high resolution camera systems, excellent results can be achieved withe the JPEG file format. it’s certainly less complex to use and understand for most people and for printing the 300 dpi standard can be reduced to 260dpi without quality loss, as long as you save files at maximum quality. If you print on matt textured paper, any slight loss of resolution or colour gamut is further minimized to the eye.

Compression formats commonly used for web transmissions are JPEG, PNG, or WebP files. For web display: 72 – 96 DPI is standard, but it’s just metadata! What matters for online use, is the Pixel resolution (the actual number of pixels (e.g., 800×600, 1920×1080, 4K) and the File size (larger pixel dimensions and higher compression quality equals bigger files, which take longer to upload/download).

Here’s a Helpful Guide to Recommended Photo Sizes for Online Use

A few quick tips:

• Compression matters: Use JPEG for smaller file sizes, PNG for graphics/text, WebP for modern web optimization.
• Balance quality vs. speed: An image pixel size of 1920×1080, is usually the sweet spot for most online sharing.
• Aspect ratio: Match the platform’s preferred ratio (e.g., Instagram loves 4:5 portrait).

For everyday internet transmission, around 1200–2000 pixels on the long side is ideal. It looks sharp on most screens without being too heavy to upload or download.

if you run a website (IOV is a WordPress site), you can use an image optimaization software, to facilite faster loading times without obvious loss of picture quality on screen.

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3.1 Minimalism in Photography – Photographing Venice-Towards Minimalism

Maximalist approaches may rely on complexity and abundance. Minimalism in photography encourage photographers to see beyond abundance and is rooted in the principle of less is more and in the emphasis of simplicity (restraint), clarity (directness of vision), and intentional use of picture space. By stripping away distractions, photographers highlight the essential subject matter and can create a more powerful visual impact that communicates emotions or meaning more successfully. As the renowned architect, Mies van der Rohe stated, “Less is More” – more for the imagination.

Minimalism in photography is more than a style – it is a philosophy. By focusing on less, photographers invite viewers into a contemplative space. A lone chair in an empty room, a bird against a vast sky, or a persons shadow rather than the person; can evoke emotions ranging from tranquility to intensity. Minimalism aligns with broader lifestyle movements that value mindfulness and intentional living, reminding us that simplicity can be profound.

In an age where billions of images are uploaded daily, photography often risks becoming saturated with excess detail, clutter, and distraction. Against this backdrop, minimalism emerges as a powerful counterpoint. Minimalism in photography is not about emptiness or lack, but about intentional presence – stripping away the unnecessary to highlight what truly matters. By embracing simplicity, photographers can create images that resonate more deeply, offering viewers clarity, calm, and meaning.

Minimalism thrives in today’s digital culture. On platforms like Instagram, minimalist aesthetics stand out amidst visual noise. Commercial photography also embraces minimalism, particularly in branding and advertising, where clean visuals communicate clarity and sophistication. Looking ahead, emerging technologies such as AI and generative art may push minimalist styles into new territories, blending tradition with innovation.

Core Principles of Minimalist Photography

Simplicity or precision of composition. Moving towards minimalism, requires a reduction of subject matter components and placement in a precise way. They can be disposed in the picture space symmetrically or asymetrically –  the former may give the feeling of calmness or balance, the latter can set up tension within the picture space. Minimalism images, may involve patterns and repetition of motifs, or might just deploy the use of a single subject matter or figure, that fills the picture frame; even if it has a complexity of form or detail within it. Examples of the latter, would be a close-up portrait, the organic forms found in plants, or the textures and fitments of an old framed door.

Negative picture space. This relates to the space between the subject matter components and commonly involves either the use of light or dark backgounds; to increase the visual contrast between them.

Geometry. Geometric forms (shapes) – for example lines, circles, triangles and rectangles, are used to create clean, structured compositions that emphasize simplicity, balance, and visual clarity. They help move the viewer’s eye around the picture, highlight negative space, and transform ordinary subjects into striking, more abstracted visuals. Circular forms soften compositions and add contrast to rigid lines, often creating a sense of calm or focus. Triangular shapes or diagonal lines introduce tension and movement, preventing minimalist images from feeling static.

Patterns and Repetition of Motifs.  Add rhythm and structure, while maintaining simplicity. Examples would be on buildings – windows, tiles, columns, shadows or in organic plant forms (where there’s life, there is organisation not chaos).

Colour Palettes. In minimalist photography, colour associations shape how viewers emotionally and psychologically respond to an image. Soft colours often evoke calmness and subtlety, primary colours convey clarity and boldness, while opposing colours like orange and blue can create both movement and strike tension and/or balance. that may heighten visual impact.

Tone: Monochrome palettes or stark contrasts are common, reinforcing clarity. Today, it is easy with digital devices to take in colour and convert to B&W. However those photographers that specialize in monochrome minimalist imagery, may still prefer to use B&W filmstock and adjust their approach to subject matter, to suit that style of high contrast imagery and unified negative picture space. One important thing to remember is that two contrasting colours, such as orange and mid-blue; turn into the same mid-grey tone, when converted to monochrome. A useful learning exercise is to convert your colour images into monochrome and go back and forward – noting the differences and how your perception of the image changes.

Techniques and Practices

Minimalist photography requires deliberate choices of approach:

• Framing and Cropping: Removing distractions to highlight essentials. Images are best framed at the taking stage in camera, but cropping can be used post-production (especially if just for web transmission).
• Use of long exposure: for example, over water/sea, to remove unnecessary textural detail by blurring, which merges the sky and sea to give an overall light tonal background.
• Selective Focus: The use of shallow depth of field to isolate subjects from the background.
• Minimalist Landscapes: Limited or single subject matter on a high or low key unified background. Example can be solitary trees, fencing or lone figures in a  igh key snowscape; or a brightly light isolated building in a low key stormy and brooding lanscape.
• Urban Minimalism: Geometric patterns, architectural lines, and isolated details in cityscapes.
• Post-Processing Choices: Editing with restraint, avoiding over-saturation or unnecessary effects.

Challenges and Criticisms

Despite its appeal, minimalist photography faces criticisms and challenges. Some critics argue that minimalism risks oversimplification, producing images that feel empty rather than meaningful. Others point out that minimalism is subjective – what one viewer sees as elegant simplicity, another may interpret as lack of substance. The balance between reduction and resonance is delicate, requiring skill and sensitivity from the photographer.

Personally, one concern I have is that the modern, ultra graphic monochrome style of photographic minimalism, whilst visually dramatic, tends to take away a degree of individuality in approach, by limiting the range of subject matter captured. That’s why in regard to my Venetian photography, I prefer to work in colour (with the ability to convert to monochrome) and to the concept of “Towards Minimalism” – to capture all the subtle nuances that contributes to making this historic city so alluring.

Check out the Venetian minimalist monochrome photographic images of these two great minimalist photographers. See what you think of my comments above –   Venice: Michael Kenna     Venice | alexandrephotography

Also take a look at my images below: one in colour and the other converted to B&W with slight increased contrast. The “briccole” (Venetian) have preserved their importance over the centuries, being still essential today to identify the navigable channels, to understand where shallows to avoid are, and support visual signs, like speed limits.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Above. The almost single subject navigation “briccole” in the lagoon against a light background where the sky and water merge into one, are one of the most favoured motifs of monochrome minimalist photographers in Venice. In this choice of limited subject matter and lightness of the overall background, both options work well and make stunning larger display prints. The colour image retains subtle differentiation in hue of the water and sky elements and throws greater recessional depth. The B&W image appears more graphic and rather flatter in perspective. The quantity and quality of the lagoon and canal light, both direct and reflected on water, is so iconic of Venice, my preference is to work in colour; so as to avoid limiting one’s picture making possibilities.

Below. Monday Washday, Xmas. In contrast to the above two images – in the back-streets of Castello, originally the traditional home of the Arsenale workers; Monday is still washday. Look how opposing colours, red and blue of the towels and sky, as well as the various ochre hues of the walls; merge into similar tones in a monochrome image. Note how opposing colours in this tightly composed photograph, also give depth to the image and move the eye around the picture space.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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3.2 – Venice – How can you take more successful images with greater individuality, meaning, and artistic values; that create truly lasting memories?

Venice is one of the world’s most photographed cities, with around 12million + visitors each year. The resident population is shrinking with about a population of around 50,000.

One of the biggest challenges in photography is that stepping into an urban or natural landscape of exceptional beauty and atmosphere can overwhelm the mind, especially when experiencing a new place. This seems particularly true of Venice. Over the past five decades, I’ve seen many competent photographers and artists visit Venice, only to return with what are essentially “travelogue” images – technically proficient, yet featuring the same repetitive wide angles and limited subjects that have been captured countless times by others before them.

Around 1820, after the fall of the Venetian Republic and a period of French rule, artists, writers, poets, and “Gentlemen on their European Tours” flocked back to Venice. They began to embrace what they called the “duality” of the city – the “superficial” tourist spots and the “hidden” labyrinth of backstreets and canals, which they saw as the true inspiration for their work. Moving away from the traditional, idealized panoramic views popularized by the Canal and Guardi families, they focused on more intimate glimpses of daily life and the built environment. Many were drawn to the theme of “romantic decay,” capturing the beauty in the crumbling structures of Venice during that time. Beauty, after all, comes in many forms.

In 1908, the world-famous artist Claude Monet, upon arriving in Venice, remarked, “It is too beautiful to be painted! It is untranslatable!” Luckily, he didn’t give up. But without preparation, knowledge, and experience, most people need time to settle into a place or landscape to truly capture its essence from a photographer’s perspective.

Minimalist photography emerged in the 1960s as part of the broader minimalist art movement. Emerging alongside minimalist painting, sculpture, and architecture in the mid‑20th century, it shares the same ethos of reduction, clarity, and focus on essentials. Just as minimalist artists like Donald Judd or Agnes Martin stripped their work down to pure form and repetition, minimalist photographers use negative space, geometry, and restraint to emphasize perception over decoration. It challenges viewers to appreciate subtle details and encourages mindfulness in both creation and observation.

Since the 1980s, an ultra graphic monochrome style of photographic minimalism has developed in populrity. Whilst visually dramatic, it tends however, to take away a degree of individuality in approach and appears to be rather limited in the range of subject matter (or motifs) captured. That’s one reason in regard to my Venetian photography, I prefer to work in colour (with the ability to convert to monochrome) and to the concept of “Towards Minimalism” – to capture all the subtle nuances that contributes to making this historic city, so alluring.

General Remarks

Photography is about communication and can be seen as a 3-way process; a relationship between the subject matter, the photographer and the viewer. Looking at it in this way allows you to be more analytical and develop a greater understanding of every stage of the process, so increasing your ability to take a greater number of succesful pictures that communicate well and offer a more personal vision. Digital photography has transformed image-making as a learning tool, by dispensing with filmstock and developing costs and the capacity for instant review.

Research is key. The more you learn about the city’s history and culture, the more successful your photography will be. How your preconceptions of the city, differ from what you perceive when you’re actually there; are what helps fire the imagination and creativity.

Preparation. You need to be better prepared, especially for those with limited time in the city. You need to better understand the image making process and the concept of abstraction and minimalism

Adapt your photography and subject matter. To succeed, you have to learn to respond to the rapidly changing weather and lighting conditions and to the massive daily influx of people. 

Conceiving an image requires a forensic approach. Conceiving an image requires a checklist of questions and the four-part actions of: analysis / what’s the attraction / image selection / execution. When you confront any scene, ask yourself “What is it that attracts” – is it the subject matter, the quality of light, the pictorial elements (form, line, shape, colour and texture)?  Most importantly, are there signs or symbols present, characteristic or iconic of Venice?

Beyond the superficial or the commonplace. You must also try to look and search for images which try to communicate what this city’s about – what artists variously call, its “essence, spirit, soul or truth”. Not just what you physically see; but expressing “what you feel about the place” too. It is more than just “documentation”. The magic and essence of Venice extends beyond the main tourist locations. Even with limited time in the city, get into the maze of back streets and small canals; as one of the best things to do in Venice is getting lost! Many artists over the centuries, appreciated the duality of Venice –  the “superficial” (tourist locations) and the “hidden” (the real inspiration for their art).

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3.3 – Relationships and Balance – Photographing Venice-Towards Minimalism-Part 1  

Note:  Please read in conjunction with this post:  Photographing Venice.  It offers an analytic approach to image-making in Venice, that will improve your photography in a much shorter time than just building experience.   Learn how to take more successful images with greater individuality and meaning, that create truly lasting memories. In one of the world’s most photographed cities, it’s a real challenge to develop a more personal vision and take photos that stand out from the crowd. It’s all about being prepared and more open to ideas, widening the scope of your subject matter and knowing how best to quickly develop your image-making skills. Also, you need  learn to adapt your photography and subject matter, in response to rapidly changing weather and lighting conditions and to the massive daily influx of people. This section offers an analytic approach to image-making in Venice, that will help improve your photography, over a shorter timescale.

A. Venice is a city built on relationships and the balance between them. I’ve made a list of these connections below, that I have succesfully worked into my photographic approach. Tuning into and understanding these relationships sparks ideas that can greatly expand your subject matter, while encouraging a more selective, minimalist way of creating images. I’ve found this method not only produces simpler, more direct photos that convey their message more clearly, but also results in a much higher rate of successful shots.

• “man and nature”, “resourcefulness over adversity” and East v West. It’s also a “structural and yet fragile city”, where you can sense the relationship between “permanence and transience”, the “superficial and the hidden”; the “public and private”, the “real and imagined”.  There is also a relationship and bond between the “state, church and people”. 
• Another relationship which Venetians are very aware of is “decline, survival and reinvention”. Think of “living” (breathing, challenging, inspirational, vibrant, changing, adaptive, re-inventive, future) versus “dying” (decline, decadence, museum, theme park, expensive, aging population). This can be summarised by a contemporary art-world mantra: “changing place – changing time – changing thoughts – changing future” and “Adapting for the 21st Century”.

B. Understanding that beauty also exists in a variety of forms and can be found even in areas considered to be unattractive or abhorent.

• Good examples would be: street art and graffiti, (social commentary, often fired by political and religious tensions and the needs of people to express themselves publically and highlights permanenace v transcience) and romantic decay (described by so many artists, writers and poets over the ages and highlights a “structural and yet fragile city” and “decline, survival and reinvention”)

C. When photographing in Venice, I keep a mental check-list of simple phrases or “mantras”. which help with keeping me focused – expanding old ideas or themes, creating new imagery and developing a more personal vision.

• Stone – water – colour – texture. Venice is a city of stone, water, colour and texture and the interface and interaction between these elements. Structures are modulated by light (both direct and reflected), by water (canals, flooding, rain), pollution (air and water borne) and the passage of time. Over successive visits, one can clearly see the effect of time on the relationship of permanence and transience.
• Changing place – changing time – changing thoughts – changing future.   A popular theme amongst the contemporary art crowd seen in both word and neon tube installations. It makes you think about the survival and future of this great city and what is permanent and what has changed. It is also reflected in the nature of the street art that barely lasts a season and so photography provides a unique record of the social, political and religious climate of that time.
• Simplicity – purity – harmony – balance. Maturity brings an increasing emphasis on a more spiritual attitude to life, together with a greater appreciation of beauty in all its forms. These principles of simplicity, purity, harmony and balance, as embodied in Japanese concepts of Zen, are very relevant to my photography. In nature, every action has a reaction and we function best when there is harmony and balance. When confronting any scene, ideas need to be balanced by craft skills; to materialize and communicate them both in camera and the final image.
• Analysis – attraction – selection – execution. Conceiving an image requires a forensic approach – a checklist of questions and actions. What is it that attracts – is it the subject matter, the quality of light, the pictorial elements (form, line, shape, colour and texture)? Are there signs or symbols characteristic or iconic of Venice and any underlying meaning? What feelings are generated? What picture elements do I want to bring out?

A few more thoughts:

Carefully selecting the picture space also helps exclude modern details that can date an image, giving your photos a timeless feel. For presentation, I find myself increasingly using the square format for its simplicity and directness of vision (partly because the eye doesn’t need to scan the photo so much).

That said, with my digital camera, with zoom lenses of varying focal length,  I actually “work the scene” in a more documentary style. I start by capturing several wider-view shots from slightly different angles or adjusting my viewpoint (one usually stands out later on review), then move on to more selective shots – looking out for meaning or picture elements iconic of Venice.

Especially with buildings and architectural structures, I usually shoot straight on, at a 90-degree angles to the scene – as it feels like the clearest way to convey my intent. I try to avoid distracting shadows falling across the picture space with smaller structures such as doors, windows and street art. Therefore, don’t be put off by lack of sunshine or by wet weather – dampness brings out the colour and textures of Venice’s walls.

As someone who prints for display and used analogue film until 2009, I try to fill the frame as much as possible to keep the highest resolution and picture quality. But when shooting buildings – especially those with spires, statues, or chimneys, or when tilting the camera upward; I always leave extra space around my intended final composition, since correcting perspective distortions in software can crop out elements near the edges of the frame.

I rely on the camera’s grid, since in Venice not everything lines up perfectly vertical. Keeping the main subject upright in the frame is key, unless I’m deliberately showcasing the charm of a leaning campanile or door frame.

One fun way to explore the power of selective vision is by using your post-processing software. Take a wide-view photograph, pick a square (1:1) crop, and slide it around – left, right, up, or down. You’ll see how it can simplify the image by reducing distractions, uniting the negative space, and boosting its impact to tell a story and create lasting memories.

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3.4 – More Quotations about the Nature of Minimalism

Why do the Quotes below Matter?

• They highlight the philosophy of reduction – removing distractions to reveal essence.
• They connect photography to broader minimalist movements in art, design, and architecture.
• They remind us that minimalism is not emptiness, but intentional focus on what matters most

“Perfection is achieved, not when there is nothing more to add, but when there is nothing more to take away” – Antoine de Sainte Exupery.

“It is said the photography is the art of exclusion. What the photographer leaves out of the frame, is as important as what he leaves in” – David de Chemin.

“If I had more time, i would have written a shorter letter“ – Blaise Pascal.

“Minimalism is not the lack of something, it’s simply the perfect amount of something.” – Nicholas Burroughs

“Photography is the art of observation. It’s about finding something interesting in an ordinary place.” – Elliott Erwitt

“Minimalist photography is about stripping down to the essence, focusing on form, colour, and space.” – Julia Anna Gospodarou

“A photograph is usually looked at—seldom looked into.”   “A good photograph is knowing where to stand.”– Ansel Adams

“The more you leave out, the more you highlight what remains.” – Henry Green

“When you reduce a photograph to its essentials, you reveal its soul.” – Anonymous

“In photography, the smallest detail can be the loudest voice.” – Anonymous

“Minimalist photography is about stripping away the noise to let the subject breathe.” – Anonymous

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Photographing Venice-Towards Minimalism-Part 1  Photographing Venice-Towards Minimalism-Part 1   Photographing Venice-Towards Minimalism-Part 1 

4.1 Links (internal–external)

Why I love Venice?

Here’s a selection of my image-based posts that showcase a strong sense of personal vision and individuality, and hopefully stand out from the crowd.

Photographing Venice

Characters in Stone

Photographing Venice – Transforming decaying walls into art.

Photographing Venice – Old Doors and Service Boxes

See my “Depicting Venice” posts – a series of unique composite images and learn how they were conceived and made. The are several ways to order the images into a block. The fascination is in its unpredictability:

Depicting Venice – Ian Coulling

Depicting Venice 2 – Ian Coulling

Depicting Venice 3 – Ian Coulling

Check out this website: Contemporary Minimalist Award Winners (2020s) – Photographers redefine simplicity with conceptual approaches:  minimalistphotographyawards-2025.

FLYING OVER VENICE – 4K Drone Film + Music for Stress Relief | Nature Relaxation Ambient.   Incredible video: almost 12 hours long – great for insomniacs or meditation and for getting ideas for photography.

Photographing Venice-Towards Minimalism-Part 1  Photographing Venice-Towards Minimalism-Part 1 Photographing Venice-Towards Minimalism-Part 1 

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