The 2024 Minimalist Photography Awards celebrated breathtaking long exposure photography, where talented photographers turned everyday scenes into dream-like masterpieces. This year’s top three winners stood out for their unique approach to minimalism, perfectly combining light, time, and simplicity.
1st Place Winner: “Torii” by Ulana Switucha
Ulana Switucha’s “Torii” is a hauntingly serene photograph that captures the mystical essence of a traditional torii gate amidst water. Using long exposure, Switucha blurs the motion of the water, enhancing the calm and stillness of the scene. The minimalist composition leaves viewers in awe of how simplicity can evoke such powerful emotions.
2nd Place Winner: “Sunrise” by Kyle Hoffmann
Kyle Hoffmann’s “Sunrise” showcases the elegance of long exposure with a single, diagonal beam of light cutting through soft fog. The minimalist nature of this image draws focus to the subtle interaction between light and shadow, creating a sense of balance and purity. It’s a perfect example of how long exposure photography enhances the beauty of minimalist art.
3rd Place Winner: “Time Less” by Martin Annand
“Time Less” by Martin Annand captures an empty bench, with its reflection mirrored in a soft haze of light. This photograph exemplifies the power of simplicity, with the long exposure technique erasing distractions and focusing the viewer’s attention on the quietness and isolation of the subject.
Long exposure photography is highly valued in minimalist photography because it removes the unnecessary details of a scene and transforms motion into something ethereal. By slowing down time, photographers can create surreal landscapes or emphasize the serenity of an environment, which aligns beautifully with the principles of minimalism: less is more.
This year’s winners of the long exposure category truly exemplify how technical mastery can enhance the elegance of minimalist art. Each photographer used the passage of time as a tool to distill their compositions down to their essence, creating photographs that evoke emotion and invite deeper reflection.
