When is a shot too minimalist?

[Urbanflyer]

My husband does not respond to this shot but I like it. When is minimalism too minimal?


Four Trees on a Hill by urbanflyer, on Flickr

[Mike Buckley]

Minimalism is never too minimal in my mind. However, the characteristics that make any image excellent almost always also apply to minimalist images. It's in that context that this image would be better in my mind if the light had not been so flat and if it had displayed the contour of the land better.

Your husband might not have responded well to the image perhaps because he doesn't like minimalist images and/or perhaps because the lighting is so flat.

[Manfred M]

+1 to Mike's comments, Judith.

A good image is a good image. Minimalism can result in a stunning image just as easily as it can work out to be a so-so shot.

Photography is all about the light and the light is not working for you in this image.

[lovelife65]

Agree with the other comments. I don't think there is such a thing as "too minimalist". The idea of it IMO is to have an impact w/o too much going on. It's a type of photography that I love.

[Wavelength]

He is observing silence, because he is meditating upon this.... I liked it very much

[Urbanflyer]

Thanks, Sharon, Manfred and Mike. Your comments, I now see, are spot on. Gives me something more to work on. I appreciate the chance to grow!

[Mike Buckley]

The idea of [minimalism] IMO is to have an impact w/o too much going on.

Agreed. I would even go so far as to say that minimalism creates impact because so little is going on.

[lovelife65]

^^ yes!

[lovelife65]

Thanks, Sharon, Manfred and Mike. Your comments, I now see, are spot on. Gives me something more to work on. I appreciate the chance to grow!

We live in such a beautiful state. Lots of opportunities here

[Urbanflyer]

He is observing silence, because he is meditating upon this.... I liked it very much

Yes--he said he was meditating to figure out how to tell me he did not really like it!!

I think the light is the problem here as has been pointed out. Glad to get help thinking about it!

[Urbanflyer]

For the sake of challenging myself to see light better I used dodging and burning to simulate better light conditions. Have I improved the shot? Is this what I should be looking for at the point of capture?

Four Trees on a Hill by urbanflyer, on Flickr

[Shadowman]

Nicely done.

[Urbanflyer]

Thanks--I so often get these shots from a car driving by at any time of day that it is good to start recognizing when the light is good and when it is not.

[Mike Buckley]

Have I improved the shot? Is this what I should be looking for at the point of capture?

Yes and yes.

As to your last question, one of the important decisions improving photographers learn to make is when to enjoy the scene in person while realizing that it won't make a good photo.