It always amazes me just how often it holds true, that it is the
simplest things that contain the most art and poetry.

Photographically speaking, simplicity can be shown by either selecting
a clean and simple subject, infused into an uncomplicated background,
or by taking more complex subjects and/or backgrounds, and using
photographic smarts and vision, to render it in a less complex
fashion.

The two images at the bottom of this page are mine, and are
extraordinarily simple in every sense.

The artful images directly below which are from other photographers,
in many ways are less obvious but more powerful in the example they
give us.  They show us how we can personally capture more complex
subjects and through selective composition and individual “vision”,
render them poetically simple.

While I could use the phrase “less is more”, to describe my own images
at the page bottom, these fine images from our guest artists manage to
be simple and artistic without settling for less.

This first picture is from Karen Hamilton Ashworth and shows a fairly
complex scene rendered via the infrared + black & white methods. The
subtraction of color helps keep this scene from being too complex,
while the infrared treatment produces eye popping contrasts.

Gorgeous and “simpler” than it might be, but with a startling splash
of contrast.

This amazing image from Ellen Anon, is jarring in its spectacular
color contrasts, but simple because of its lack of “revealing” edge to
edge light. Her choice of an incredibly artful but simple composition,
is the  main reason this photo remains simplistic even though it is
complex.

A grouping of leaves floating in shallow water is also somewhat visually
complicated in its nature. The artistry of Guy Tal is evident as it
always is, by his approach of once again, subtracting color, and then
by his selective composition, where he produces a rhythm and balance
to the image. That takes away confusion within the scene. The light
then produces enough contrast to add a little pop.

Well-done!

This dreamy image of a “teenage” Sandhill Crane was created by Marina
Scarr. The simple, elegant composition, that is beautifully backlit
with the colors of the rising or setting sun, still retains enough
exposure to the subject to maintain lots of detail.  This is a
personal favorite of mine.

Mixing color with elegant simplicity, along with a great subject,
makes for a great image!

While these final two from me may be artistically a level below the above
four, you can’t deny that they are simple and elegant, while still
being quite literal in letting you know by shape, what sort of subject
lives between the edges of the picture frame.

Even complicated shapes become simplistic when you silhouette them, as
they are flattened out and loose their depth. The two dimensional
aspects of the subject, become featured in a simple and artistic
fashion.

Keep it simple,
Wayne