Midday sunlight often gets a bad reputation for being too harsh. However, clear blue sky is a great backdrop for minimalist shots!
The great news is that you can easily capture these images using your phone. In this post, I will show you how to use it to your advantage.
Background
Minimalist photography highlights the elegance of simplicity. Choose an uncluttered background for your subject. It can be a clear blue sky, snow, water, or a concrete wall. Keep it simple.
Subject
Selecting a single, strong subject is essential. This can be anything from a lone tree in a vast field to a solitary figure on a beach.
Space
Negative space plays a crucial role in minimalist photography. Letting the blue sky or a blank wall take up the majority of the frame creates a sense of openness.
Clean Lines
On sunny days, I find myself on the lookout for interesting corners of high-rise buildings and lamp posts.
I often joke that it makes removing backgrounds an easy breeze, and the edges are so crisp.
Color Palette
Minimalist photos often consist of just 2 to 3 colors. For example, you might capture the blue sky, white clouds, and an accent color from a kite. The accent colors should be bright and punchy, yet they should occupy only a small proportion of the image. This limited palette enhances the overall simplicity and impact of the photograph.
Scale
Using contrasting scales can create visual interest. For example, juxtaposing a tiny object against a massive landscape.
In this image, the moon looks tiny in the sky during the blue hour, with clouds reflecting the colors of the sun and appearing orange. I made the colors more vibrant by enhancing them to red. Using a slow shutter speed of 2.5 seconds, the movement of the clouds looks like ribbons, dancing with the moon, which I find dynamic.
The second shot was taken from the plane just before landing at LAX. You can see the hazy sky, and this aerial view captures the silhouette of the plane.
Photographers tend to zoom in closely on their subjects, such as birds and the moon. However, if you can resist that urge, you can show how the subject interacts with the surrounding environment and tell a richer story.
The minimalist style fosters contemplation and tranquility, inviting viewers to pause and reflect. By emphasizing subtle details that often go unnoticed and surrounding them with ample space, it transforms into artistic images.
With dry weather and no storms in sight, it’s time for a photo walk around the city. I hope you find this useful for your next shoot, using the blue sky as your canvas. When I originally wrote the Photography Handbook, my aim was to organize it according to different weather conditions.
For moody weather photo ideas, please check out this post