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How to take minimalist photos on instagram


9 tips for beautifully minimalist photos

“Less is more” is a phrase often attributed to German architect and designer Mies van der Rohe, and although it’s become associated with everything from brevity in writing to anti-consumerist philosophies, the roots come back to a particular visual aesthetic.

With this in mind, we’ll draw our understanding of photographic minimalism from the traditional definition of minimalism as it relates to art, architecture, and design. In these contexts, minimalism traditionally refers to visual simplification, stripping all extraneous elements and details to the bare minimum necessary to present the subject.

Allow “Less is More” to be your mantra as you shoot for this creativity exercise.

Here are some tips to help you begin creating minimalist photographs:

1. Simplify, simplify, simplify

When shooting for photographic minimalism, try to shoot the “cleanest” frame possible, giving the viewer a single visual point of interest within your photograph. Ask yourself if there is anything else you could remove from the frame (before shooting or when processing) to strengthen that single point of interest.

Diane Wittenberg
Megan Dill

2. Work with negative space

Some claim that negative space is an essential component of the minimalist photograph. One might argue that the blank, open area is as important as the subject itself. How much completely empty space can you include around your chosen subject before other elements begin to intrude on your edges?

Kathy Roberts
Melissa Gibson

3. Incorporate spatial isolation

Related but not necessarily identical to negative space, spatial isolation refers to separation of your subject from any other elements in the frame. Try to leave plenty of breathing room around your subject, isolating it as much as possible and avoiding intersections with other elements.

Eve Tuft
Piper Anne

4. Look for simple geometric shapes

Basic geometric shapes are heavily associated with artistic minimalism. Explore your environment for simple rectangles, circles, and triangles. See if you can build your composition around a single basic shape.

Eve Tuft
Heather Pich

5. Square off your lines

Vertical and horizontal lines that perfectly parallel the natural edges of the photo help to establish a clean and orderly appearance that is a cornerstone of minimalist design. When working with squares, rectangles, or simple lines within the frame, avoid lens distortion or perspectives that yield oblique angles, squaring off your lines as much as possible.

Erika Roa
Sarah Wilkerson

6. Bring in a pop of color

The minimalist aesthetic in many ways returns us to the simplicity of elementary art. Look for opportunities to photograph a brightly single-colored subject against a solid color background. Complementary primary/secondary pairs (red/green, yellow/purple, blue/orange) can be particularly eye-catching, but a color pop on white has a modern appeal, color pop on black is high drama, and a color pop against neutral stone or wood suggests austerity.

Ilaria Cossettini
Erica Hacker

7. Seek out strict repetition

To the extent that a completely solid background does not appeal to you (or is not available), aim to incorporate patterns with consistent repetition that bring order, uniformity, and predictability to the frame.

Susan Jeske
Vironica Golden

8. Draw the photo in your mind

Could you clearly represent your photo on a white sheet of paper in five quick pen strokes or less? Would a pair of crayons be enough to accurately color it in? Is the composition simple enough that a young child could draw a reasonable representation of the photo without too much trouble?

Christa Paustenbaugh
Nadeen Flynn

9. Let go of deeper meanings

The Minimalist movement among artists in the 1960s was largely a response to Abstract Expressionism, which sought to convey the artist’s personal emotion and energy through art. Minimalists, in reaction, explicitly avoided the inclusion of message or metaphor. Minimalist painter Frank Stella summed it up as follows: “What you see is what you see.” Let that be enough.

Stephanie DiFormato
Meredith Raarup
Adriana Meixner

What’s the best way to improve your photography? Shoot thoughtfully and frequently! Try new things and embrace creative and technical challenges. Every month, Sarah Wilkerson posts a new tutorial and challenges our members to join in a new Creativity Exercise on the Clickin Moms photography forum. At the conclusion of the exercise, we select Editors’ Choice images from among the exercise submissions and share them here with you on the blog. Congratulations to the ladies whose photographs included in the exercise above were selected as this month’s Editors’ Choices, and thank you to everyone who participated in the exercise!

Do you want to participate in the next Creativity Exercise? Visit Clickin Moms where Sarah has posted “ 5 Ways to Shoot More Like a Film Photographer.” We’d love to see your work!

Sign up for a risk-free membership!

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How I take and edit minimalist photos — simply by christine

Taking photos is a beautiful way to document our lives, tell a story, or create a work of art. If you've followed my journey as an author and blogger, you've probably seen my photos in my book, Sustainable Home, as well as my Instagram page and blog. I have a very distinct look and feel of all my pictures that many would call natural and minimal, and as requested by many, I'm here to share a bit more about how I take and edit my photos in order to create a minimalist aesthetic.

Check out the video above for my post-processing flow, as well as details on the equipment I use and some tips summarized below. If you’re interested in getting more examples, I have an extended cut of this video on my Patreon community as well, where I go over three more examples of photo edits, including one photo off of my cell phone. Do not be intimidated and think you have to purchase my exact equipment or a super expensive camera either - it takes time and practice to become a good photographer, and you can take amazing photos with what you may already have!

This video is also sponsored by Skillshare - find more details below on how you can get a free trial of Skillshare Premium to continue learning from experts in fields such as photography, design, and more.

How I take minimalist photos

To start, here are some details on how I take my minimalist photos, from equipment to general photography tips if you’re new to using a camera.

Camera equipment

Camera

Any DSLR, mirrorless camera, or even cell phone will work - I currently use a Canon 5D Mark II with the 24-105mm lens

If you have the budget, other great camera options that I’ve heard great things about are the Sony A7 models, Canon 5D Mark IV, and Canon EOS R

Do consider renting or borrowing cameras to find what you like, and consider buying used for a good deal

Remember that becoming a good photographer is not dependent on the camera but on your skillset, it takes time, practice, and patience

Tripod

A tripod will help with still life photography, long exposures, and keeping a steady position as you take photos

Here is a newer model of the tripod I currently use - this company offers repairs too

Photography tips

Lighting

It’s all about light - if you want a clean, white, minimalist photo background, have plenty of light if you’re indoors

Shooting outdoors is best in foggy or cloudy weather, or in the early morning or late afternoon to avoid harsh sunlight

It’s best when your light source is coming from the side or from behind - straight on can look a bit harsh unless it is diffused

Composition

When it comes to minimalism, less is more - how can you evoke this concept in your photos?

Consider shooting singular items, negative space, or finding simple shapes and patterns

Practice makes perfect, so be patient as you develop your own style and always seek inspiration

How I edit minimalist photos

Now that you’ve taken your photos, it’s time to edit and post-process them to create a clean, minimalist look. Watch the video above for the full process, and consider checking out the extended cut for more examples with the link here (the photo of Cooper below was shot on an iPhone 6 and is edited in the extended cut!).

Software

I currently use Adobe Lightroom to edit my photos on an older MacBook Pro

Alternatively, you can use VSCO or Lightroom on your phone or emulate my edits with any similar photo editing program

All of my photos are shot in RAW format from my DSLR - these larger size files have more data to make editing more powerful

Things to consider while editing

To create a natural yet minimal look, make sure your photos are properly exposed yet not too contrasted - default camera settings are quite contrasted and bold, so tune down contrast, highlights, and shadows a bit

Play around with each setting to understand what they do - turn the dials all the way up and down to see their opposite effects

About Skillshare

Whether you're a photographer or want to learn skills in productivity, Skillshare has an assortment of classes to explore. There's a specific photo editing course called 'cinematic styles in adobe raw' that's a perfect fit for getting better at photo editing, as becoming a decent photographer and editor doesn't happen overnight. I'd highly encourage you to learn from the experts with Skillshares variety of classes, and the first 1000 people who click the link here will get a free trial of Skillshare Premium, and after, it's less than $10 a month with an annual subscription.

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How to take a beautiful photo on Instagram: from theory to practice

You must have heard that Instagram* is a social network for visuals, and photos are of paramount importance here. Not without exceptions, but that's how it is. What to do if you want to conquer Instagram *, but you have never been a photographer? How to take cool photos on Instagram*? Don't be upset, believe in yourself and read this article!

Benefits of Instagram* for non-photographers

If you have long been attracted by the art of photography, but are frightened by the number of complex words, technical nuances and long processing, your hour has come - Instagram* will solve problems and awaken dormant creative potential. After all, everyone can take cool photos on Instagram* and upload normal, high-quality content to their profile! nine0003

A phone is enough

You don't have to buy a big expensive camera to take cool photos for your Instagram account*. You can get by with a smartphone with a good camera.

Single photo format

By default, there are two types of photos on Instagram*: square and rectangular. This means you don't have to worry about cropping, weight, or photo size. The social network will think about it for you. Catch cool shots and upload to your account by publishing a post or story. nine0003

Read our blog about the nuances of uploading photos to Instagram* without cropping.

If you make it a rule that your profile will contain only Instagram photos*, that is, square ones, you can do the following:

No photoshop needed

In the case of a regular camera and a regular website (or social network), it takes effort to turn a simple photo into a beautiful photo. Pictures will have to be uploaded from the camera to a computer, deal with processing programs (Photoshop or similar), learn a lot of complex words, like “exposure” or “trimming”. It's easier with Instagram. nine0003

The application itself has a shooting function. You can edit brightness, contrast, saturation and other parameters in the application by moving your finger along the scale. Here, on Instagram*, there are many filters that are superimposed on the photo with a touch, even a child can handle it.

When standard photo editing tools are no longer enough, check out our articles for more applications:

  • photo and video editing for Instagram*;
  • top 25 services for working on Instagram*. nine0039

Tip: If you don't want to share a photo taken and edited with Instagram*, save it to your smartphone.

After applying the filters, click "Download"

Insta photography theory

When deciding how to take good photos on Instagram * on your phone, follow a few simple rules.

Daylight

Light from a chandelier and lamp makes a photo yellow and distorts colors, so if you are new to photography, shoot only in daylight - it is the most advantageous. Daylight doesn't mean sunny day, it's just daylight hours. In this light, the photo turns out “as if alive”: with natural colors and shadows. nine0003

You don't have to go outside to take a photo on Instagram* in daylight, you can also take pictures at home. If it's dark at home, get closer to the window, shoot on the windowsill, or set up a photo zone next to the window.

Compose

The social network is not an online store, and photos of items on an etched white background that look great in a store window on Instagram * usually do not arouse much interest. Here they love photos with details and textures that are interesting to consider. In this case, you can use a white background, but if it is a sheet or a blanket, the frame will become more interesting. In addition to them, you can use a special photophone. Backgrounds come in different textures and colors: under the tree, under the concrete, under the brick - choose any. nine0003

The photophone itself, of course, is not very interesting. To make it interesting, you need to put something on it. It can be postcards, books, magazines, cookies, flowers, travel magnets - all that junk that gathers dust on the shelves and it's a pity to throw it away.

But if you are thinking about creating an online store, read “How to take a professional photo for Instagram *”, “Hand-Made. How to make a selling photo of a product” on our blog.

Clean lens

It may be obvious and funny, but it is the smudged lens that often prevents you from taking normal photos on Instagram*. One day I decided that my phone was broken: all the photos turned out to be cloudy. A few hours separated me from buying a new phone, when I realized that I just needed to wipe the lens.

Wipe the lens. Always clean the lens.

Focus on

There may be more than one subject in the frame. The most clear should be the main one. To "catch the focus" it is enough to poke your finger into the desired object on the phone screen. nine0003

Take a lot of shots

Back when everything was shot with film cameras, every shot was worth its weight in gold. Now, in the digital age, we can click the shutter until our phone runs out of space. Then remove the excess and click again. This is good, because it is not always possible to "see the frames" the first time.

Tip: Take multiple shots at once. Swap items in places, add new ones, remove unnecessary ones. Then choose the best option and publish a post or story. nine0003

The practice of insta photography

In theory, everything is simple and clear, but in practice, accounts are full of trash pictures. Why? Because after the lecture it is necessary to work out seminars to consolidate the material. And if “just a photo” in stories is still somehow appropriate, then beautiful photos should always be taken for posts on Instagram *.

Find examples

Taste can be trained like a muscle. Perhaps now you don’t know what a “beautiful photograph” is, how to build a frame, how to lay out small things on a photo background. But there are many who know and post cool photos on Instagram* - find them! Subscribe to accounts that you like, whose style is close to you. Let their photos constantly flash in your feed. nine0003

Practice

You can't use other people's photos. But you can take your photos "based on". At first, this will help you to “fill your hand” and feel the insta-style in photography. Do not worry that you are repeating, because you are unlikely to get exactly the same photo.

Over time, you yourself will learn to invent and see shots, and the need for repetition will disappear by itself. Repetition is only needed at the very beginning while you are learning. I myself went through this, learning to photograph from other people's photographs. nine0003 Friend / foe

Gather base and ideas

Among the pictures you look at, there will most likely be those that you can hypothetically repeat for your profile. Surely you also have beautiful bedding, or a cool mug, or you can also lay out dry leaves in a book, or it’s interesting to gut a bouquet. If you like the frame and you understand that it is not difficult to recreate it, take a print screen and save the idea for creating a photo in the Instagram format*.

Change your angle.

The simplest thing you can do. What is the point? You are asked to take a picture of a person. You take your smartphone, stand in front of it and press the button. Do not do like this.

Squat or stand up so that your faces are at the same level to prevent the person in the photo from turning out to be short-legged. For the next shot, climb somewhere higher and take a picture from above. Squat down and take a picture from below. Come closer and again from below. Take a photo from the side. Go behind the tree and take a couple more shots through the leaves. This is called changing perspective. nine0003 lissa.zn and _lsvln_ just put a smartphone in an unusual place for shooting, and the result was not “just a photo”

When you look at cool pictures on social networks, not necessarily people, think for a second where was the photographer at the time of the shoot. And how would the frame turn out if the photo was taken in a standard way, from a height of human growth.

You can't say better about the importance of the foreshortening.

The technique is also suitable for subject shooting. You can take a beautiful photo of a mug on a table on Instagram* from a dozen angles: from the side, placing the smartphone on the table, just from the side, from the side of the handle, from the top in the center, slightly tilting the smartphone from above, and so on. nine0003

Reflection.

Also an easy trick. Look for reflections: in shop windows, in puddles, in mirrors, in sunglasses, and even in broken glass, if you're not superstitious.

irenaponaroshku and kristikut are experimenting while relaxing on the beach and taking Instagram photos* for posts and stories

Get deeper.

Cool trees, flowers, grass, children's climbing frames? Don't stand in the background, go inside if possible. nine0003 akmaral_bekmaganbetova and analim_oni were not afraid to go deep into the thickets

Seasonal photos.

There is something beautiful in every season. If you get stuck with ideas, remember what is now, what will not be later, and take a picture with it. In winter, it is snow, snowmen, a fairytale forest, garlands in the city and cool shop windows, snow fun. In the fall ... yes, you yourself will continue this list better than me!

In spring nature wakes up and photographer.victoria28 takes a photo with everything that woke up, filling the feed with spring content

Focus on one subject .

Often, seeing something cool, we take and take a photo thoughtlessly. Tip: Your shots will look more professional if only a small part of the beauty is in focus, and the rest goes into the background.

An example from my dacha. Pay attention to the grid - the main object is better placed along the lines or at the intersection points of the lines. The eye is so pleasing

A part of myself.

The picture will attract more attention if you shoot not just an interesting street or forest, but insert a part of yourself into the frame. Let it be your legs, or a hand with a hat or ice cream, it doesn't matter.

There is a story behind such shots...

Shoot life .

When you blog and look for footage, walk the streets of the city and take a closer look at your surroundings. We all often hurry somewhere, and do not notice many interesting things. You can also ask to take a picture of you "in the crowd." Here you are going somewhere, or sitting on a bench thinking, and people, bicycles, cars are hurrying around. Just make sure the focus is on you. nine0003 Tip: if it's difficult, imagine that you are a reportage photographer, and your task as a newspaper editor is to capture the life of the city :-)

Natural frames .

Arches, a large mesh fence, an art object, even an inflatable swimming ring can become a kind of photo frame.

When shooting outdoors, just think about what could serve as a frame for a photo, and most likely, you will quickly find the right one. v.olga3 and krutikova_yana found Instagram photo ideas*

Repeating objects, symmetry .

A row of identical cars, a long fence, even identical white sneakers lined up - all this attracts attention with its repetitions. The same with symmetry: the eye automatically begins to look for inconsistencies in ideality, and you have earned attention to your photo.

monika0305 sees symmetry in architecture, red_apple_photo in nature. When there is no symmetry around, create it yourself like ya.shedow

Use shadow .

Difficult but interesting technique. An ugly shadow will spoil even a beautiful shot. Do you want chic? Train your eyesight and repeat like a pro.

little_studio and irenaponaroshku and their shadow games

Funny shots .

The main rule is not to overwork. Such shots are best done by people with a good sense of humor. nine0003 Which of the “fu, not funny” photos do you think?

Selfie stick and tripod .

The tripod helps you avoid hand shake when taking pictures and take selfies without help. And with the help of a selfie stick, you can get breathtaking and amazing shots.

What is strength, brother? In stick, selfie stick

Camera zoom .

Do not use the zoom on the smartphone, it is better to approach the object yourself. In a smartphone, the zoom is not the zoom of a professional camera. It will ruin the photo quality. nine0003

As you can see, everything can be learned if you really want to. And Instagram itself is ready to teach you this. Your task is only to find what you like, remember and practice a lot.

Cool shots for you!

Minimalism in photography: advantages and disadvantages

One cannot deny the popularity of minimalism, although it can cause rather mixed feelings. In this article, photographer Spencer Cox shares some of the main reasons for this trend, as well as a few tips for getting the most out of style in photography. nine0003

Minimalism conveys your message to the viewer

One of the first tips for a photographer who studies composition is to form their own special message. What should your photograph convey to the viewer? What emotions or thoughts should arise when looking at the picture? And, most importantly, how can you simplify that message and get it across as effectively as possible?

For many photographers, minimalism is the answer. Minimalist photos most often have a few things in common. First, their color palettes are not distracting; usually there are only one or two primary colors that draw attention to themselves, or the photo is generally monochrome. In such images, as a rule, there are quite large areas of negative space - empty areas in the image. Secondly, the main objects are often small in size. They are not always detailed or well-defined, with sharp transitions separating the subject from the background. nine0003

In macro photography, whether you like it or not, you can't do without minimalism in the final frame. This is due to the fact that many of the above elements are present in the macro world - unified colors, significant negative space (due to the shallow depth of field) and very well-defined objects. Not every macro photography is minimalistic, but this is a good example of a genre where this style of shooting is something completely natural.

NIKON D7000 + 105mm f/2.8 @ 105mm, ISO 1250, 1/100, f/3.5

Nevertheless, minimalism can be found in any genre of photography, the main condition is the presence of negative space. If you want to take minimalistic shots, then the first thing to look at is the empty areas that you can use as a background for your main subject. Does your final photo contain only one or two objects against an unobtrusive background? Then you are right on target!

Minimalism works on small screens

People are using their phones to search for content more than ever before, and many photographers have changed their style to match the new demand. On small screens, the minimalistic style of images works best, as there is not much room for intricate details on them. One object against a monotonous background in a photo will stand out much easier.

On the one hand, it's a little sad, because in this way the viewer is deprived of the opportunity, for example, to look at a detailed landscape close-up - and this, I must say, is a unique experience. At the same time, people will always change, and it makes sense for photographers to keep up with the times. nine0003

NIKON D7000 + 24mm f/1.4 @ 24mm, ISO 100, 1/640, f/4.0

Great symphonies are complex

Think of the greatest pieces in history. From Beethoven's symphonies to Michelangelo's frescoes, almost all of mankind's most famous works have an enormous level of sophistication.

Of course, you should not compare such masterpieces with amateur photography, but one thing is for sure: minimalism only takes you away from this. Sure, a minimalist photo can look good on Instagram, but its simplicity makes it difficult to convey a much deeper thought than you "read" from the surface. nine0003

How many great photos can you remember right now? And what about the minimalism in them? Of course, some amazing photos, say, "Afghan girl" are clear and understandable, but they simply do not dare to call them simplistic or minimalistic. If they still were such, they would hardly have had such a deep emotional impact on the viewer.

There are documentary series, with one or two minimalist photographs, and this is almost always done in order to convey one particular moment (object) as clearly as possible. But the sheer lack of information in this style of photography makes it difficult to show the photographer's more subtle and complex view of the world. And this, of course, is reflected in their success. nine0003

NIKON D7000 + 24mm f/1.4 @ 24mm, ISO 180, 1/160, f/1.4

Minimalism can get old quickly

Like Instagram, it's no wonder this style of photography is starting to bore a lot of people out. If every second photo is a minimalist shot with the same composition, how can you expect anyone to see great, unique art in it? nine0003

Perhaps this is not entirely fair, because it is not its fault that minimalism becomes obsolete - the reason is that many photographers use it literally all the time.

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