Minimalism: 10 Winning Photos

Photo: p o n g by Antonett Ewan

Minimalism in photos may look simple, but it’s tricky to capture well. Composition, color, and perspective become even more significant when there’s less going on in the photo. Its not just about what you see… The trick to mastering minimalism is knowing which details to include or omit from a photo.

We love photos that showcase minimalism, so we were excited to see all the submissions for our recent Photo Quest. Bold shapes, color, and lines made for great images.

The winner, Antonett Ewan’s “p o n g,” was selected for its visual rhythm. The lighting and colors, combined with a smart idea, make for a dynamic photo—turning a subtle detail like the contour of a disposable cup into an abstract pattern.

p o n g by Antonett Ewan on 500px.com

Antonett gave us the story behind “p o n g”: My goal with still life photography is to take simple things and make them look extraordinary, usually through minimalism or negative space, repetition of forms, and/or contrast colours. I shot “Pong” while in college, which is super fitting as it is based on a well known college game “Beer Pong.” I draw a lot of inspiration for my still life photography from another Toronto-born photographer, the great Andrew B. Myers.

About Antonett: Antonett Ewan of AVE Photography is a commercial portrait/headshot and product photographer based in Toronto. As an avid hobbyist, she bought her first DSLR camera in 2011 so she could “make the backgrounds blurry.” After studying at the University of Windsor, she returned to her home city and began working at Walmart Portrait studio where she was encouraged by a co-worker to pursue a career in photography. She graduated from Seneca College’s Independent Photography program with the aim of pursuing a career as a food and product photographer, but has recently began to explore portrait photography.

Looking for more minimalism? Get inspired by the runners up below:

Flight by Diana Kondra on 500px.com