Less Is More: The Stories Behind Our Minimalist Photography Winners
- The Artist Gallery Team
- 6 days ago
- 5 min read
Minimalist photography is an art of restraint — where less truly becomes more. It’s about distilling a scene down to its essence, using simplicity, space, and deliberate composition to evoke emotion and spark the imagination. In our recent Minimalist Photography Contest, talented photographers from around the world embraced this challenge, creating images that speak volumes through quiet elegance.
In this article, we go beyond the winning frames to uncover the personal journeys, creative processes, and inspirations of the artists behind them. From the first spark of an idea to the moment they clicked the shutter, these photographers share how they transformed simplicity into compelling visual narratives. Their stories remind us that minimalism is not just a style — it’s a way of seeing the world.
LUCA MENOTTI
Hi everyone, my name is Luca Menotti and I am a naval architect and marine engineer with a passion for gardens and nature. I live in a small village in Friuli Venezia Giulia, in north-eastern Italy.
I have always been in contact with the plant’s world since childhood, when I would spend summers at my grandparents' house in the countryside and help my grandmother take care of her pot plants. I inherited her passion for the “green” and now I try to take care of my garden, which is still a work in progress. My love for plants and flowers led me into the world of photography.
In 2014 I took a basic digital photography course, but it was not until 2023 that I decided to take photography seriously after being a finalist in a local photography contest in my region.
Then, in order to publish quality content I bought a licence for Lightroom and Photoshop.
As a self-taught amateur photographer I am still perfecting the technique but also the way to post-produce my photos.
I'll tell you what I like to do and what my aspirations are.
In my work, I especially like to experiment by mixing various photographic and artistic techniques or create new ones. In addition to capturing nature and landscape scenes, perhaps because I am an engineer, I am also interested in the geometries I find everywhere, but I also like to produce creative images. I'm consider myself poliedric, but the types of photography I am focused on these days are macro, still life, minimal and conceptual.
I would love to work with a gardening magazine and see some of my photos on the cover of a famous book.
The idea I have in mind now is to create my first book by selecting the best shots from my long-term project ‘Bioluminescent’ and, why not, organise a solo exhibition.
For me what is photography?
For me, photography is a way of seeing and a means of conveying a thought and realising a vision that exists within us.
I hope I did not make you bored with all this information about me and if you are more interested about my work, you can follow me on instagram or check my website.
Thank you for your time!
RICK BOGACZ
I am a minimalist landscape photographer drawn to the quiet tension between presence and absence. My work explores the subtle balance of subject and space—where what is left out becomes as meaningful as what is included. Rooted in simplicity, my images aim to evoke a sense of calm, stillness, and contemplation.
Born and raised in Toronto, I now live on the shores of Lake Vernon near Huntsville, Ontario, where the surrounding landscape continues to inspire and inform my practice. The serenity of the northern wilderness—its quiet lakes, open skies, and fleeting light—provides both my subject and my sanctuary.
Minimalism has long been more than an aesthetic for me; it’s a personal philosophy. Years spent as a journalist sharpened my understanding of what to leave in and what to leave out. In photography, as in writing, editing is where meaning emerges. Each image I create is a deliberate act of reduction—an invitation to pause, breathe, and see more by looking at less.
Through my photography, I strive to offer viewers a moment of tranquility, a quiet space amid the noise.
My influences include photographers Michael Kenna and George Byrne. Painters such as Edward Hopper and Canadian Christopher Pratt also provide inspiration. My work has been shown in galleries in Europe, the US and Canada.
Going forward my goal is to continue to improve my craft but to also keep slowing down during the process so that I can fully appreciate how light intersects with the subject matter and negative space to create an inspiring output.
ALIREZA POURKHAN
How did you get interested in photography?
When I was a high school student and when my parents gave me a Yashica MF2 as a valuable birthday gift almost 30 years ago, I would have never thought that I become so interested in photography.
“In life, you have to choose between doing something you like or trying to become someone”. Although I always wanted to receive methodical and academic education in the art of photography, it wasn’t possible for me . I learned this art from the people and from the good and unfavourable events in my life, which have served as excellent teachers for me. Since 2010, when I was able to buy my first digital SLR camera, I became even more fascinated and focused on photography.
I believe that a photograph can be far more impressive than sometimes hundreds of words. With an image, I often can express my feelings perhaps much better than with many sentences. The ability to convey deep emotions and stories through my photographs has always been my intention.
What is your favorite type of photography?
I have a particular interest in Abstract , minimalist and architectural photography; however I sometimes try to explore themes related with society, culture, and the human experience which are often based on the inspiration from my surroundings and personal experiences. (Photojournalism , Life , People , Portrait , Fine Art and Fashion & Beauty)
What are your aspirations as a photographer?
Photography is a beautiful world that is connected with our lives. For me personally, the factors such as the world, people and especially children, their lives and the next generations or what will happen in the future to the world are all my concerns. I really believe that the photography art can be utilized as an influential and helpful visual tool to make a noticeable change in the current direction of the world towards a positive and beneficial destination.
For you what is photography? And what are you thinking when you are shooting?
Honestly I always try to do something that when a person who looks at my photo can have a different feeling in her/his mind. Maybe my photo can cause the viewer to ponder over life or to remain hopeful and positive towards all aspects of life and the future and other people. I believe that life is simple and very short and the world needs good people.
Where can our readers find out more about you?
You can take a look to my Instagram or Facebook page.
Don't forget to take a look to our other open photo contests for more opportunities to showcase your skills and creativity. Explore them here: www.theartistgallery.art/open-contests.
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