Tags

, , , , , ,

Hello dVerse Poets!

Sanaa here (aka adashofsunny) to stir your muses. The days are leading us to summer, when the leaves are dark green and full, open toward the sun and breathing in the warm, aromatic air.

Minimalist photography draws inspiration from the idea of minimalism in art, which emerged in New York in the early 1960’s.

‘Minimalism,’ is a movement in sculpture and painting which arose in the 1950s, characterized by the use of simple, massive forms. It’s marked by clarity, purpose and intention.

At its core, being a minimalist means intentionally promoting the things we value the most and removing everything that distracts us from it.

That being said, the goal of minimalist photography is to convey a concept, or an idea, to provoke an emotional response or provide a visual experience that is unique.

Picture courtesy: ‘Person holding a camera,’ by Fauxels, Pexels.com

Minimalism is a style employed by many 20th Century artists, using a minimum amount of components such as colour, shape, line and texture. Within the art world it is considered an extremely subjective concept, leaving interpretation and meaning up to the viewers perception of the work.

There are many factors that contribute such as simplicity; the idea is to pick a striking and engaging subject that will catch the eye. The subject, in general, has to be the strongest element of the shot, even though it might not take up majority of the frame.

In addition, achieving a powerful compositional element to a minimalist photograph is key in enhancing the impact. Complimentary colour, the effectiveness of line within a shot can also be vital in adding to the subject matter of the image.

Can you tell a story through a photograph in minimalist style? Is it possible to convey a scene or event using textures, colours and shapes? The answer, is yes!

It gives me great pleasure to honor and to showcase Glenn A. Buttkus’s site “South Sound Minimalist Photos,” this evening. You can find his fabulous site by clicking on the link below:

SOUTH SOUND MINIMALIST PHOTOS

This is what he has to share about Minimalist Photography and his experience:

“Minimalist Photography” has really blossomed over the last decade. I was snapping minimalist images for several years, simply because the concept intrigued me. You walk up to an old classic car, and right away you begin to dissect the various parts—the grill, bumpers, hood ornament, chrome model words and brands, doors windshield door handles, headlights, tail lights, interior; and on and on, being fascinated with “part of the whole” and less is more. Three years ago I discovered online that Minimalist Photography was an international phenomenon. Dozens, even hundreds, of minimalist sites exist. I immediately started my own Facebook photography site, hoping to get my images out there. Most of the sites use prompts, and they give awards for what they consider are the best ones. Initially I joined 30 of these sites, and slowly became known and accepted. My site, SOUTH SOUND MINIMALIST PHOTOS, has grown to 1,500 members, spanning much of the globe. As many of you have demonstrated with wonderful images of your own to illustrate your poetry, minimalism is an art form, and poetry can spring out of it.

In addition to the photographs, Glenn has also offered us poetic prose as accompaniment, whose beauty took my breath away! If you decide to use it as inspiration, please do remember to give credit.

  1. The fancy 30’s hood ornament.

“I was created during the Great Depression, and taught to speed on by all the unpleasantness.”

  1. The fishing net floats:

“Terrible storms tore many of us from our nets, and left us at the stone feet of the peeling Lighthouse.”

  1. Railroad track crossing concrete.

‘“Raw steel tracks vibrate as they run across concrete at crossings, forming geometric bliss.” 

  1. Leaves and yellow curb.

“Autumn leaf gliders pile up their brittle bodies against blackened curbs, both hug and death throes.”

  1. Green Tomato Plant:

“Juicy tomatoes thrive in the Northwest, first as green goblins, then as love fruit.”

  1. Blue Pickup

“The 50’s blue Chevrolet pickup sported both its patina, and its untarnished chrome.”

  1. Old Rusty Truck

“The isolated Model T truck bears the weight and pride of a hundred years of rust, becoming prairie art and sentinel.”

  1. Green Succulents:

“We succulents seem so hardy, but actually we have fragile roots, and require gentle repotting.”

  1.  The Red Door:

“The imposing red door towered above me, and it had no handle, opening only from the inside.”

  1. The Totem Pole:

“Most totem poles are well anchored by the sea, but eons of stormy weather can strip it of its decor.”

  1. Yellow School Bus

“A school bus must have a plethora of pulsating and reflecting lights, because nothing is more precious than its cargo.”

  1.  Clock Tower:

“From my cage, I could clearly see the clock tower, and at times it made me weep.”

Thank you so much, once again, Glenn for everything. I so love the prose pieces as accompaniment, they truly give us a further glimpse into the intent and emotion behind the photographs.

For today’s Poetics, I want you all to select one out of the twelve photographs shared above and write a poem. It can be an Ekphrastic poem, if you like. Go philosophical. Go dark or romantic or solemn. Share what you feel about Minimalist photography when you see it. The idea here is to provoke an emotion, and what better way to pour them out other than poetry?

New to dVerse? Here’s how to join in:

  • Write a poem (in any form) in response to the challenge.
  • Enter a link directly to your poem and your name by clicking Mr. Linky below
    and remember to check the little box to accept the use/privacy policy.
  • You will find links to other poets and more will join so please do check
    back later in order to read their poems.
  • Read and comment on other poets’ work– we all come here to have our poems read.
  • Please link back to dVerse from your site/blog.