27 Award-Winning Fine Art Photos That Celebrate the Power of Minimalism

Minimalism isn’t about emptiness—it’s about intention. In a visual world overloaded with noise, clutter, and constant stimulation, minimalist fine art photography feels like a deep breath. These 27 award-winning fine art photos, selected from the Minimalist Photography Awards 2025, prove that less really can say more—sometimes way more.

Each image strips the scene down to its core. No distractions. No visual filler. Just shape, light, shadow, and emotion working together in perfect balance. Negative space becomes a character. Silence becomes a mood. And suddenly, a single subject floating in space feels louder than a crowded frame ever could. That’s the magic of minimalism—it doesn’t beg for attention, it earns it.

The 1st Place Fine Art Winner, Robert Bolton, delivers a hauntingly poetic image titled “Dream Land.” It’s soft, surreal, and quietly powerful—a photograph that feels more like a thought than a scene. Coming in strong at 2nd Place, Bruin Feskens mesmerizes with “Mrbrown,” a bold yet restrained visual that plays with form, tone, and presence. Rounding out the top three, Larisa Schubert claims 3rd Place with “Grace in the Dark,” an image that proves shadows can be just as expressive as light.

What ties this collection together isn’t subject matter—it’s discipline. These artists know when to stop. They trust simplicity. And in doing so, they create images that linger, inviting viewers to slow down and actually feel something.

This is minimalism at its finest—quiet, confident, and unforgettable.

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#1. 1st Place Winner: "Dream Land" by Robert Bolton

"Lencois Maranhenses is a vast area of sand dunes and fresh water lagoons in the north east of Brazil. In Portuguese “lencois” means bed sheet. The allusion to the idea that a white bed sheet has been lain over the landscape. It is a perfect location for minimalist photography, very otherworldly. The colours emphasise pastels but with some patches of greater intensity. All these images were taken in April 2025."

#2. 2nd Place Winner: "Mrbrown" by Bruin Feskens

#3. 3rd Place Winner: "Grace in the dark" by Larisa Schubert

"Frankfurt | Shot on Fujifilm X100V"

Honorable Mentions

#4. "Coexistence" by Sungdong Choi

"Baikal Teal is Korea’s emblematic winter migratory bird, offering a breathtaking display of flight that serves as a profound message to humanity. These birds, originating from Siberia and Sakhalin in Russia, spend their winters in South Korea, where they gather in massive flocks numbering between 600,000 and 800,000—about 90% of the global population."

#5. "A Winter Morning" by Rosario Civello

"The space surrounding us is often composed of numerous elements arranged chaotically. Everything I do is to put order in the composition, creating a balance of elements – light and dark, points, lines, planes and forms. I visually deconstruct the scene, discarding the superfluous, so that it fits to my natural inclination towards minimalism."

#6. "Some walls, many lines" by Angélica Gómez-Morán

"Sequence of decontextualized walls, observed as simple, regular, schematic compositions."

#7. "Symphony" by Regula Rebecchi

"With a look at the ceiling at the right moment, you discover unexpected colors and shapes. Each picture is unique, but still part of a symphony."

#8. "Triangle" by Masaki Yazaki

"A triangular fragment of a storefront sign — the leg of an “A” — disrupts the blue symmetry of an urban wall. What appears as pure abstraction reveals itself as a glimpse of everyday signage, reframed through minimal geometry and color contrast."

#9. "Echoes of the universe" by Alexandros Othonos

"Within the dark fabric of the cosmos, a form is born from echoes of time and memory. “Echoes of the Universe” explores the delicate boundary between the personal and the universal, the “self” and the “whole.” A face emerges faintly, as if rising from the void or dissolving into it , surrounded by undulating lines that resemble orbits, sound waves, or the whispered trails of past lives. The image embodies both silence and sound, stillness and motion, a portrait of the quiet dialogue between the human soul and the universe."

#10. "Girl in red" by Dorota Górecka

"I love the color red. Full of energy, it is a perfect background for a delicate female body."

#11. "Lonely Lemon" by Fritz Mehner

"Strangely framed, single lemon in front of a yellowish wall."

#12. "Perfectly Imperfect" by Giulia Filippi

“Perfectly Imperfect”, self-portrait project

#13. "Whiteness as Witness" by Adrianna Muffat Jeandet Wojcik

"This photographic series explores the fragile tension between architecture and nature in alpine winter landscapes. Wooden chalets and rural structures are reduced to minimalist silhouettes, partially buried under snow or fading into the whiteness, often isolated in a vast, silent void. Snow acts as both an eraser and a sculptor — softening lines, erasing context, and revealing essential geometry. In the background, a subtle sense of absence lingers: that of a landscape changing, of winters growing lighter. These images invite contemplation on stillness, solitude, and the quiet resilience of built forms facing time, erosion, and impermanence."

#14. "Holiday on Ice" by Richie Johns

"I took this image on the frozen River Ottawa in Ontario, Canada. The local fishermen usually use wooden huts to shelter in while fishing. The odd few utilise old trailers or caravans like this one."

#15. "Two Firs and Twenty-one Skiers" by Rosario Civello

"The space surrounding us is often composed of numerous elements arranged chaotically. Everything he does is to put order in the composition, creating a balance of elements – light and dark, points, lines, planes and forms. He visually deconstructs the scene, discarding the superfluous, so that it fits to its natural inclination towards minimalism."

#16. "Whisper of Life" by Katrine Moite

"This evocative black-and-white photograph beautifully portrays a pregnant figure shrouded in ethereal, flowing fabric. The soft, billowing material symbolizes the protective embrace of motherhood, highlighting the gentle curves of the expectant form. The minimalist backdrop enhances the serene atmosphere, inviting viewers to reflect on the profound journey of creation and the anticipation of new life. The image encapsulates the harmony between vulnerability and strength, embodying the transformative power of bringing a child into the world."

#17. "When Icicles Hang By The Wall" by Sue Oakford

"Silver Birch tress shivering in the early morning mist on a cold winters morning. The feeling of shivering is enhanced by using intentional camera movement emphasising natures quiet masterpiece and beauty. “When Icicles hang by the wall” -is a song from a William Shakespeare play, Love’s Labour Lost, that describes the harshness of winter symbolising the cold and the challenges of surviving winter. This title came to mind as an apt description of this image which appears black and white but is in fact colour demonstrating the iciness of the setting."

#18. "Dog Walk" by Mark Richards

"Taken on 31st January 2025 at West Mersea Beach, Essex. I initially went to photograph the beach huts, but when the cloud didn’t lift, I looked for a different subject. This sand spit jutting out to sea caught my eye – and I was lucky when a woman and her dog paused at the end. Shot at 200mm, f/6.3, 1/200s, the image was composed with a minimal aesthetic in mind. I lifted the whites to lose the horizon and used a gradient to subtly draw focus to the subject."

#19. "Blessed" by Carolina Leske

"Just a simple connection, in an intimate gesture. Silence and tenderness witnessed by only the moon."

#20. "Cold Dreaming" by Paul Killeen

"A moment I will never forget. Making images in Lofoten in dream like conditions. My favourite moment ever with the camera, just perfect."

#21. "The Gathering" by Thomas de Franzoni

"This black and white fine art photograph features a lagoon inhabited by a group of flamingos. The scene is shrouded in fog, creating a soft and muted ambiance. The flamingos, with their long legs and necks, stand quietly in the water, adding a sense of calm to the composition. The monochromatic tones capture the details of their feathers and the tranquility of the lagoon environment."

#22. "Minimalism meets wildlife" by Yuto Hirasawa

"The moment minimal landscape meets wildlife."

#23. "Arctic blues" by Brigitte Bourger

"In Greenland, one of the most affected area by climate changes, icebergs are facing an unprecedented threat. As temperature rise, the glaciers are melting in an alarming rate."

#24. "Sentinel" by Jenn Mangino

"A tree and fence after a snowstorm."

#25. "Sunburn" by Cate Franklyn

"A gentle wave flows across the surface of the Atlantic Ocean set against a backdrop of warm, blurred colors that evoke a sense of calm. The scene captures the serene beauty of nature in a soft, dream-like manner. Coney Island Beach, Brooklyn, NY"

#26. "In motion" by Chiao-Yun Ren

"I used black and white curves to create a minimalist base, then captured a fleeting red figure to break the stillness. This contrast reflects how motion can disrupt and energize structured space."

#27. "Calmness" by Agata Budzisz

In Summary

What are the Minimalist Photography Awards?

• An international competition honoring the best minimalist photography across multiple genres, including fine art.

Which category is featured in this article?

• The Fine Art category from the Minimalist Photography Awards 2025.

Who won 1st Place in Fine Art?

• Robert Bolton for his photograph “Dream Land.”

Who placed 2nd and 3rd?

• 2nd Place: Bruin Feskens for “Mrbrown”; 3rd Place: Larisa Schubert for “Grace in the Dark.”

Why is minimalism powerful in fine art photography?

• Because simplicity sharpens emotion, highlights form, and allows viewers to connect without distraction.

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• 2025 Global Photography Awards
• 2025 European Wildlife Photographer of the Year Awards
• 2025 Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards
• 2025 OnePlus Photography Awards

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