The Minimalist Photographer

by Steve Johnson

This book covers photography from a minimalist perspective, proving that it is possible to take very good photographs with relatively cheap equipment. The minimalist process emphasizes the importance of first knowing what you want to achieve as a photographer and then choosing the most effective equipment, subject matter, and general approach to meet your goals. The minimalist photographer works with the idea that the brain and the eye are far more important than the camera.

Author Steve Johnson begins by asking you, the reader, to look inward and make the connections between your nature and your photography. Why do you want to take photographs and what subject matter are you attracted to? What type of photographer are you now and what type of photographer would you like to become? These are important questions to consider when deciding what approach works best for you.

In subsequent chapters, you'll learn about the equipment and workflow of a minimalist photographer as Johnson discusses the strengths and weaknesses of various types of cameras and explains why the biggest or most expensive piece of equipment is not always the best. He also addresses the importance of lighting and teaches you how to achieve effective lighting without spending a lot of money.

Also included are discussions about aesthetics and composition, as well as a brief history of photography and the future of the art form.

Genres: Photography, Nonfiction

144 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2013

About the author

Steve Johnson was originally a painter who took photographs. Over the last decade he has become a photographer who paints occasionally. His distinctive minimal style stems from the belief that subject matter is not as important as aesthetic considerations like composition, tone, and line.

He has taught visual art and undertaken commercial art projects on both sides of the Atlantic and in the Middle East. He and his wife also owned a gallery that specialized in both painting and photography. His work has been exhibited in both the United States and the United Kingdom. He is a dual UK/USA citizen who lives and works in the American Midwest.

He has written a book,The Minimalist Photographer The book made the Photo.Net list of the ten best photography books of 2013

Who is this book for? This is yet another excellent read for aspiring photographers. Breaking down the many overwhelming aspects and complications of photography, this book manages to focus on what is most relevant in true photographic creation. The Minimalist Photographer touches on all of the key components of authentic photography in an easy to digest and extremely helpful manner.

-Photo.Net

Steve's other main interests are both reading and watching science fiction, and cycling. He regards his mountain bike as the best and most cost effective piece of photography he has purchased to date.

Reviews

[Bahman.Mn · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book has changed my view to photography! I have a Nikon D810 camera, but after reading this book I really made my mind to buy a compact camera, take that everywhere and try to reduce the objects in the frames especially in street photography. Anyway it was joyful for me!

[Florilegium · Rating 2 out of 5]

The title is enticing, and the book production quality is excellent. The author gives some thoughts to how beginners and experienced photographers can approach their craft, such as articulating why one wants to take photos, and how to make use of the advice of famous photographers.
Overall though, this book is more about a 'reductionist' approach to equipment and what to photograph within those self-imposed constraints, than a solid foundation for what is minimalism in photography. Maybe not a bad thing given the plethora of equipment one can buy, only for much of it to gather dust on the shelves. However, the author spends a lot of time talking about the techniques and benefits of digital photography which were well accepted by 2013 and hardly needed rehashing.
At the end, we, the readers, do not learn much about how minimalism came into being, with only one chapter, at a pinch, dedicated to minimalism as an art form. The photos which accompany the text are varied, but most are macro or close-up and many are too busy to represent minimalism in its purest form. What we do get is the author's interests (mostly on equipment as noted, and five pages on Alfred Stieglitz) and personal pet hates (HDR).
It is a pity because as a philosophy of being and seeing, and as an art movement, minimalism is worth learning about and experimenting with. But this book is not the introduction its title seems to imply.

[Richard · Rating 5 out of 5]

More philosophy than mechanics, this book gets to the heart of what so much photography is truly about.

[Mahmoud · Rating 1 out of 5]

The writer talks about everything except minimalism or minimalist photographer!

[Hamidreza Jafarsalehi · Rating 4 out of 5]

یکی دو نکته‌ی جالب ازش یاد گرفتم.

[Carly Faison · Rating 5 out of 5]

A paradigm shifter.

[Annieg · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent book with many beautiful examples of Steve Johnson's work and philosophy of minimalist photography. Easy to read, encourages reader to explore his or her own feelings and goals in capturing images. Book format is beautiful, a pleasure to read.