Pink Bougainvillea Flower

Minimalism as Less Elements

Minimalist Photography By © Prakash Ghai
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Minimalism Type: Less Elements

Rules Followed: 

a) Rule of Thirds

b) Negative Space

c) Less Elements

Photo Highlights: 

a) Shallow Depth of Field

b) Two Color Palette - Pink and Gray

c) Low Angle Shot

Underneath The Yellow Umbrella

Minimalism as Less Elements

 

Photo By © Prakash Ghai
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• Category: Minimalism as Less Elements

   

• Color Scheme: Yellow/Orange

   

• Elements: Lines

   

• High Bright Effect: Overhead Sun

   

• Location: Somewhere in Jaipur

Blooming Plant

Minimalism as Less Elements

Photo By © Prakash Ghai
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Minimalism and Nature is a beautiful Minimalist Photography theme. The more you click such photographs, the better you feel.

Nature Heals !

Hope this year, I will cover more Nature Photographs. I do plan to buy a Canon Macro Lens, and that I am sure would help me in achieving this :)

So What made me click This Blooming Plant Minimalist Photo this particular way?

The slight curved lean of the green plant on the white wall crossed my eye and I stopped right near it. 

Now, the question was, whether to take a vertical shot with just the plant and the white wall, highlighting the curve keeping the photo strictly Minimalist? OR to experiment a little?

I decided to experiment a little. 

Right next to the plant you see this rough brick pattered wall. I initially thought of taking that as a separate Minimalist Shot, but then, I improvised and merged the two Shots that had crossed my mind. 

The result is the above Minimalist Photograph of the Blooming Plant.

The plant was kept to the left of the frame in the corner, following the "Rule of Thirds". The bricks were kept to the right. 

Note, how the empty plain white wall acts as an opposite, to the fully covered rough brick wall. 

That, also added to the Art Element and Aesthetics of the Photograph.

As for the Minimalism classification, The photograph falls under the Minimalism as Less Elements Category of Minimalist Photography. The only elements being a) The Blooming Plant and b) The Brick Patterned Wall

Hope you enjoyed the post.

Stay tuned for more. :)

Bicycle Tyre Colorful Lines Background

Minimalism as Less Elements

Photo By © Prakash Ghai

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Today, I am posting a Minimalist Photo of Tyre of a Bicycle with Colorful lines acting as a backdrop.

I had initially taken this photo with my Cellphone ( see: Mobile Minimalism ) but when I reviewed it on the screen, I thought this deserves to be on my Minimalism Blog. So, I took out My DSLR Camera to shoot this one more time. 

I shot this vertical so that I could use the colorful lines in the background in a creative way. Both the crop and the placement of the Bicycle Tyre on the bottom, is purposefully kept very tight. That kind of placement makes the viewer to take about one second to realize what the actual subject is. Once the viewer gives you his first second, he will surely spend more time on the photograph.

Classification and EXIF Data

The above photo falls under the Minimalism as Less Elements Category of Minimalist Photography.

You can see more examples of such photographs HERE

EXIF Data:-

• ISO speed: ISO-200
• Exposure time: 1/160 sec.
• F-stop: f/8
• Exposure bias: 0 step

Hope you enjoyed the Shot. 

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Exploring Suppressed Inner Creativity via Minimalist Photography

Minimalist Photography by © Prakash Ghai

This article will help you explore and express your Suppressed Inner creativity via Minimalist Photography

If you feel that everything around you is boring and monotonous, and that feeling makes you want to change or leave your job/work, or maybe go on a vacation, do yoga, meditate etc. 

Then, you are probably one of those Creative Individuals, trapped in a monotonous job, who has not yet answered the call of creativity coming from within. Whoosh ! that was long.

Creative individuals need expression to survive and NOT Suppression. If you have been constantly suppressing your creativity then you might be committing a big mistake.

Creative Individuals must give their suppressed creativity an outlet via some medium, like Photography, Art, Music etc. or they might end up panicking one day and take wrong and drastic decisions to fix things.

I am sure most of you are aware of such facts but certain Thought Barriers must have prevented you from taking the first step. The first step is everything. Once you begin then there is no looking back.

Last Updated: March 2026

Some Examples of Thought Barriers:

 

• I have a 6 day a week job, I don't have time for it.
• I do not have enough money for that painting class course.
• That photography course is really lengthy and the cameras are very pricey.
• I am a man, creativity is more of a female thing? (...some men)
• Someday I will definitely take out time for it.(... and you are never able to)
• Creativity is difficult to learn (.. not realizing we are all creative by birth, we all made tons of different houses with Lego blocks, remember?)
• I don't work for an Ad agency, why should I explore creativity at all.
• I will explore creativity only when it is required in my work/job. 
• Creativity... people might laugh at my work/ideas...as it would be non-standard.
• Creativity... there is no fixed definition of it, what is the point chasing it.
• Why waste time in a developing a hobby, I could make even more money in the extra time I take out each day.

The result of continuously suppressing your creativity could lead to:

• A complete mental breakdown, due to lack of variety in life/newer thoughts/ideas that refresh and re-energize the mind on a regular basis.
• Or You may suddenly give up your work/job entirely and decide only to follow your creative passion, be it music, painting, art or photography. Not the right move.

So, a better thing to do would be, that one keeps expressing his/her creativity in some portion or form (a little, from time to time) along with their work. Be it once a week or maybe once a fortnight. This keeps everything going. You, then do not need to take drastic steps to fix things.

**Self Expression is key to Mental and Emotional well-being.

For Expression = Meditation

If you are able to express your thoughts or unspoken words via some medium on a frequent basis, then there is no need for any yoga, meditation, vacations to refresh yourself. Your mind will automatically be cleared of unwanted thoughts and will remain fresh/charged for other routine works.

If you are guilty of not giving yourself the time to explore your Suppressed Inner Creativity then don't worry, for I will tell you an easy way to express and connect with your creative self.

And that way is, Minimalist Photography !!!

So now, you may ask why am I claiming Minimalist Photography to be a better and an easier medium to express inner creativity than most other mediums?

Because :-

1. You don't need to take out loads of time from your busy schedule to click a few pictures.
   
   
2. Even if you decide to shoot on Sundays(like how I do) or once every 15 days, it is sufficient.
   
   
3. Simply read this article What is Minimalist Photography? to begin your journey.
   
   
4. Note: You don't need to travel to specific places to take Minimalist Photographs, because subjects are available everywhere. See post Radiate Love where something as plain and vanilla as a white wall with just a simple geometric shape can be a great subject.
   
   
5. You can create subjects of your own combining different lines and patters/angles. See Example: Subconscious Expression.
   
   
6. Minimalist Photography, quickly gives you the knowledge of color scheme/palettes. i.e which colors look good in combination within a frame. See Minimalism as Few Distinctive Colors, under Types of Minimalism
   
   
7.  All that you need to do is See Shapes, and shoot them. For, in Minimalist Photography the elements represent their core shape/essence. Just make them speak for themselves.
   
   
8. You can create hundreds of different Minimalist frames, just by moving your body from one side to another, or by bending or taking shots from top.
   
   
9. You don't need to buy expensive cameras for it. You can manage shooting from a point and shoot camera or even a good camera phone like Apple iPhone6 or Samsung S6. I personally shoot from SamsungS6/S10 and I both love and hate it. Don't ask me why.
   
   
10. You can also shoot during lunch breaks. Yes, just floors, doors, windows, walls. All these make for nice Minimalist Photography subjects.
    
    
11. This kind of photography is meant for all age groups and for professional and non-professionals both. Basically, Minimalist Photography is for everyone.
    
    
12. Painting, Music and other mediums of creative expression might take months to learn. But Minimalist Photography is something you can begin tomorrow morning. We all are used to taking photos at occasions like birthdays, vacation trips etc. We are already familiar with the camera, aren't we?
    
    
13. Minimalist photography is more of visual art and compositions using basic elements. It has very little to do with advanced technical camera knowledge and equipments. Here, you just need to do the basics right.
    
    
14. I just did not want to finish at point no. 13 (unlucky number for some...)
    
    
15. Since 14 also doesn't feel right to end at, I thought it would be a good idea to ask the readers to sign up via email for the post updates, via point 15. Well, there is small box (with Email Address...as text pre-filled in it) on the Top Right of the website. Enter your Email address there and press the Submit button next to it, to get regular updates from our website.

OK, now that I have claimed that Minimalist Photography is easy and the subjects are available everywhere, lets take a couple of examples.

I) Four Colors - Minimalism as Few Distinctive Colors

Minimalist Photography by © Prakash Ghai
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Explanation: 

As you can see above, there was practically no subject available. I just created one for myself, out of the very boring floor carpet overlap. This is the fun part in Minimalist Photography.

I found this random overlap with shadows giving it company, at an art exhibition. I tilted the camera in my hand to place the intersection point of the four colors on the top left of the frame. I made the lines flow downward to the right, to create a sense of dynamism in the photo. And there you have it, Minimalism as Few distinctive colors. Lets take another example of a common subject below:

II) The Blue Line - Minimalism as Simple Geometry

Minimalist Photography by © Prakash Ghai
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Explanation:

Staircases are another one of those very common subjects, that one can probably find almost anywhere. So next time, be on the lookout of staircases. Maybe, you need to avoid taking the lift (and that would also help you shed some extra pounds), for a change.

OK, lets get back to the photo. The key subject here is the Blue Line i.e the side rail of the staircase. This blue line is in complete contrast to the monochromatic white structure, and that is precisely what  prompted me to take the photo. To compose, I placed the blue side rail, on the right of the frame and the horizontal lines of the staircase, were left to fall in place on their own. One can not be perfect with all the shots. Accept that. Likewise, note that I could not manage to keep all the horizontal lines of the staircase steps, straight. But it is OK. 

Minimalist Photography is not about perfection. It is more about the arrangement of few elements within the frame using varied angles and combinations. The challenge is to keep everything simple yet interesting. Incredible visual clarity and letting the shapes speak for themselves is key to this art form.

Lets Conclude: Aren't the two photos examples shown above, really easy to click? Was it very difficult to find the subjects? Well,this proves that Minimalist Photography can give your Suppressed Inner Creativity, the WINGS it needs to fly. Just go out there and shoot. The subjects are unlimited and the number of frames you can produce, are simply infinite.

True Story: This story relates a lot to me. I own and run two retail stores in my city and work 6 days a week. I dislike the monotonous nature of my work. Well, "A Lot". But, Minimalist Photography has really has helped me discover my Suppressed Inner Creativity. I shoot mostly on Sundays. My hobby helps me achieve a weekly de-stress and prepares me for the next week of monotony. 

Without this creative expression, I would have completely fallen apart or I would have forced myself to completely leave business and get into creativity. Right now, I have maintained a fine balance between my hobby and work. Photography has helped me make friends with a lot of like-minded creative people and it feels way better than at work, when I am out with them.

Note: This is my first post, after switching over to a custom domain name i.e. www.PrakashGhai.com I purchased this domain name very recently via GoDaddy.com

Earlier I was using a .blogspot.in domain extension, which was probably not the right move. I had an year long discussion with a friend of mine on this. Now, I realize I should have switched to a custom domain name much earlier. Well, better late than never. Maybe someday, I would do a long post listing the benefits of using a custom domain name for a blog. But for now, Bye. I wish you all a great day.

Read More Articles on Minimalist Photography:-

• Phases of Life and Photography: & where "Minimalism" fits in

• Train Your Eyes for Minimalist Photography

• What is Minimalist Photography

• Types of Minimalism

The Get-together

Minimalism as Parts of the Whole

Minimalist Photography by © Prakash Ghai
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Just like how friends meet for a cup of coffee or tea in the evening, here Simple Geometry is hosting a get-together.

The attendees being: 

a) An Arc
b) A Line
c) A Rectangle.

This Minimalist Photo falls under the Parts of the whole Minimalism, category of Minimalist Photography, as only a snippet or a part of each shape is shown.

The rest is left for the viewer to imagine.

The shot is taken at a low angle, and yes I was on my knees for it. I could have taken just the bicycle tyre as well in the frame, but that would have been too vanilla a shot.

Three elements, definitely makes it more interesting. But note, if there were more than three elements, doing justice to Minimalism would have been difficult.

Must Read:

• Types of Minimalism
  
  
• What is Minimalist Photography?
  
  
• 5 Minimalist Photos that Depict Less is More
  
  
• Exhibitions

Types Of Minimalism

Most photography guides talk about minimalism as if it  is just one style. But in reality, it isn’t.

Through observation and practice, I’ve come to see 8 different types of minimalism in photography. Each one works in its own way, with a different visual logic, shooting approach, and emotional impact on the viewer.

Knowing which type you’re naturally drawn to can make it much easier to shape your own minimalist photography style.

If you are new to this, start by understanding what minimalist photography is and what makes it different from other styles. Once you have that foundation, the 8 types below will make a lot more sense.

Last Updated: May 2026

There are 8 Types of Minimalism in Minimalist Photography 

I will take each one of these sub-types one by one and lay down my interpretations of the same. I will also include photo examples for each Type of Minimalism for better comprehension.

1) Minimalism as Less Elements

Explanation: Here one isolated singular subject can be used as the primary subject, so that it receives 100% percent attention span. A secondary supporting subject can also be used to enhance the composition.

But it should be made sure that if not 100% at least the majority of the attention of the viewer remains with the primary subject.

Example:

Minimalist Photography by © Prakash Ghai

Minimalism as Less Elements Buy a Print

As you can see above, I have used a primary subject i.e the Red Pipe and a supporting subject or the Gray Pipe, which shares less attention, as it is of the same color as the wall.

The number of elements in this Minimalist Photograph are limited to two and focus on them has been enhanced or redirected by using a lot of empty or Negative Space.

2) Minimalism as Few Distinctive Colors

Explanation: You can also use a mix of Few Contrasting Colors, primarily forming some shapes, patterns or lines as core in a Minimalist Photograph. Ideally, keep at least two to three colors in the palette, if not more.

At the same time you must try to restrict the overall elements in the frame and keep it simple. Plus, it should be obvious that the photographer's intent is clearly to show few distinctive colors as the type of minimalism.

Example:

Minimalist Photography By © Prakash Ghai

Minimalism as Few Distinctive Colors

👗 Love the color palette of the photo above?

Download it and use the Wear My Aesthetic tool to generate a minimalist outfit inspired by its colors.

3) Minimalism as in Small Objects 

Explanation: This form of Minimal is literal in nature, where the subject shown is very small it Minimal in size, in comparison to the overall elements within the frame. Like how I've shown a small pigeon walking on a terrace railing below. Such Minimalist Photographs remind us of how minuscule our existence is in this infinite universe.

Example:

Minimalist Photography by © Prakash Ghai

Minimalism as in Small Objects Buy a Print

 

4) Minimalism as Simple Geometry

Explanation:  Use of Simple Geometric Shapes such as circles, lines, curves, squares, cylinder, rectangles, triangles etc are some of the Basic Geometric Shapes one can use in such Minimalist Photographs. One does not need to use all of these shapes within a Single Photograph.

You can use one or more or maybe even many of these, till the time you keep the Photograph as decluttered as possible.

Example:

Minimalist Photography by © Prakash Ghai

Minimalism as Simple Geometry View NFT

Like in the above example, I have used only Squares, one of the light squares changed its shape due to the angle of light and looks like a rhombus. A diagonal line is cutting the primary square. So, you can see multiple simple geometric elements, yet the frame is kept simple.

5) Minimalism as Parts of the Whole

Explanation: In such kind of Minimalist Photographs, a lot is left to the Imagination of the viewer. Here, we only show a part or a snippet of the main subject to the viewer and make him imagine the whole/rest of it.

This creates a sense of mystery about the subject and therefore, this is a great way to make the viewer engage and connect with the Minimalist Photograph. I have only shown a part of the chairs with a clean minimalist background and negative space in the example shown below.

Example:

Minimalist Photography by © Prakash Ghai

Minimalism as Parts of the Whole

6) Minimalism as in Repeating Shapes

Explanation: Images comprising of symmetrical repetition of mainly basic geometrical shapes (ideally) fall under this category of Minimalist Photography.

The reason repetition works in minimalism is straight forward. The brain processes repeating identical shapes as one unit. One window is one unit. Four identical windows is still one unit to interpret. That cognitive ease is the reason this type works as minimalism. 

Let's take an example to better understand this.

Example:

Minimalist Photography by © Prakash Ghai

Minimalism as in Repeating Shapes View NFT

In the above Photograph, you can see 4 windows in repetition on a wall. These windows have perfect basic geometric shape (rectangles) and they are in symmetric order. Collectively they are one unit as well as standalone. 

One of the windows doesn't have glasses and thats why I captured it as it makes the composition interesting.

If the photo is too busy you can also call it Maximally Minimal sometimes, but mind you there should not be any clutter and the photo must have tremendous visual clarity and easy comprehension as discussed above.

The above photograph could have had 16 windows in repetition and yet still be minimal, provided it had  tremendous visual clarity and easy comprehension.

7) Minimalism as Low Detail

Explanation: Such Minimalist Photos generally carry very Low Detail. Most of the details are intentionally left out. This lack of detail engages the viewer quite well and are generally thought provoking. These images are not abstract in nature, one can still relate the subject depicted to real life/world. 

Below you see a low detail minimalist photograph of a palm leaf leaning against a fabric.

Example:

Minimalist Photography by © Prakash Ghai

Minimalism as Low Detail

8) Zeroism

Explanation: In such minimalist photographs the subject is not directly pointed at. The viewer is intentionally made to guess what the actual subject might be. Your eye keeps searching for the core subject.

The name Zeroism comes from a simple idea. You start at zero when you look at the image. Zero subject recognition. The elements may not be clearly identifiable always or be relatable to any real world object. But the composition still has compositional logic and  elements of minimalism required for minimalist photography.

The subject simply refuses to introduce itself. We can also call it Abstract Minimalism.
But Zeroism or Abstract Minimalism is not abstract photography. Abstract photography works purely through feeling, color, texture, or form with no compositional discipline underneath. In Zeroism, a minimalist structure is always present.

Example:

Minimalist Photography by © Prakash Ghai

Zeroism Buy a Print

source: https://sites.google.com/site/minimalismgroup/define

As you can see in the above photo of the black and white hazy arrangement has order and compositional logic but its not clearly identifiable. The elements are less and minimal,  also the photograph is not confusing. It is easy on the mind. If I don't tell you, you may not be able to guess the real world subject. The subject that I chose was  colorful boxes illuminate with light at a stationery store, as seen through a scratchy plastic curtain in focus at low aperture.

Conclusion

I hope the above examples of Minimalist Photographs help in explaining each Type of Minimalism in Photography. 

These 8 types are not rules. They are a vocabulary. Once you know the words, you stop wandering in front of a subject hoping something clicks. You show up with a question instead. Which type of minimalism am I looking for here?

How to Identify Your Dominant Minimalist Photography Type?

If you are just starting out, pick one type of minimalism from the list above and shoot only that type for a few weeks. Less Elements is a good starting point for most beginners.

If you have been shooting for a while, go back and look at your last 50 photographs. You will notice a pattern.

Most minimalist photographers keep returning to one or two types of minimalism without realising it. Someone who keeps framing lone objects against plain walls is shooting Less Elements without knowing it. Someone obsessed with windows and grids is already working in Repeating Shapes.

"The minimalist photography type you return to most without thinking is your dominant type."

Once you know it, you stop shooting minimalism by accident and start shooting it with purpose and intent. The other 7 types of minimalism become deliberate choices you can move into when you are ready.

Personally, Simple Geometry is the type I keep coming back to the most, out of all 8 types. Sharing another Simple Geometry Minimalist Photograph below: It's more of looking up or look-up architectural minimalism. Find a couple more Simple Geometry minimal shots in my portfolio.

Minimalist Photography by © Prakash Ghai

Types of Minimalism FAQs

Q. Can one photograph belong to more than one type of minimalism?

A. Yes, the types can overlap. The type that has the most impact visually and is evident, is the right type for that photograph.

Q. Which type of minimalism is hardest to master?

A. Zeroism, because there is no obvious subject to anchor the frame. 

Q. Which type of minimalism is best for beginners?

A. Less Elements. Start with one clear subject and empty space around it.

Q. Can I find minimalism in busy locations or do I need to go to a quiet, less crowded space?

A. You can do either, but ideally you can find minimalist frames anywhere. In busy spaces for example, you can switch to look-up minimalism or wall close-ups. 

Q. Can I do minimalism using landscape and people?

A. Sure, landscape minimalism is fairly common, people minimalism requires decent practice. You can find one people minimalist photo example on the Contact Me page. But, most core minimalist photographers generally prefer shooting objects.

Q. How to remember all 8 types of minimalism while on field with my camera?

A. Write all 8 types of minimalism on a cue card, visiting card size. Take it out of your pocket when in front of a subject and decide the category. Eventually, you won't need the card.

Before you start capturing your first few Minimalist Photographs, I would strongly suggest you to read my post What is Minimalist Photography? and my other post Train your Eyes for Minimalist Photography.

A little about me

I am a minimalist photographer based in Jaipur, India, with 14 plus years of practice focused entirely on minimalist photography: light, shadow, geometry, and negative space.

I founded the #LearnMinimalism movement n Instagram, which has curated over 707,000 images globally.

My work has been licensed to Nike, featured in The Economic Times and China Daily, and collected by a former Sotheby’s curator on Tezos. Collect my NFTs →

You can read more about me or see my media coverage if you want to know more.

See these Types as Fine Art Prints

Every type of minimalism described in this guide exists as a real minimalist photograph in my collection. Less Elements, Simple Geometry, Repeating Shapes, Zeroism. I have shot them all, mostly in Jaipur, over a decade of practice.

If something in this guide clicked for you, there is a good chance one of these prints will look exactly right on your wall.

Browse the collection on FineArtAmerica. Photos ships worldwide, printed on archival quality paper and canvas:

 

Shop Prints Buy Me a Coffee

If this guide was useful, a small coffee goes a long way.

Experience Minimalist Photography in Person at Jawahar Kala Kendra, Jaipur

Minimalist Photography by © Prakash Ghai
Jawahar Kala Kendra, Jaipur

If you are in Jaipur and want to experience minimalist photography in person, I run a guided photowalk at Jawahar Kala Kendra. We spend two hours together in total.

One hour learning minimalist photography theory via a visual presentation, followed by an hour of photowalk shooting geometry, light, and shadow together at one of the most architecturally rich locations in Jaipur. I have been shooting there for over a decade.

You can book a spot directly on Airbnb App under the Experiences tab in Jaipur.

 👉 Book a Minimalist Photography Photowalk on Airbnb Experiences, Jaipur

This is one of the few photography experiences in Jaipur where you learn both the theory and practice of minimalist photography in a single session. 

Whether you shoot on a phone or a DSLR, this photowalk is designed for anyone who wants to see Jaipur through a minimalist lens.

I take up to 4 people per session so you get my full attention for the entire two hours. Spots fill up fast. Book early to lock your date.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

More on Minimalist Photography: 

• What is Minimalist Photography?
• 5 Minimalist Photos that Depict Less is More
• Phases of Life and Photography: & where "Minimalism" fits in
• Exploring Suppressed Inner Creativity via Minimalist Photography
• 6 Techniques to Build Custom Subjects for Minimalist Photography