As the famous architect Mies van der Rohe once said, “Less is more.” His philosophy of simplicity and restraint in design translates to minimalist photography. This style focuses on clean composition, balance, and visual impact through simplicity. The iPhone camera is an ideal tool for capturing this aesthetic, helping you notice and frame minimal moments in everyday life. In this guide, we’ll show you how to capture minimalist photography on your iPhone with clarity and intention.

So, what exactly defines minimalist photography? The key principles to focus on are negative space, strong lines, and a single subject in focus. The relationship between the subject and the background color can dramatically influence the overall mood of the photograph. Whether you’re shooting in black and white or using contrasting bright colors, each choice conveys a distinct feeling and atmosphere.

When shooting minimalist photography on your iPhone, Portrait Mode is your best friend for isolating your subject and creating a soft, blurred background that enhances simplicity. Always tap to focus on your main subject and adjust exposure to achieve clean, balanced brightness without overexposing the highlights. For greater editing flexibility and detail, shoot in RAW, either through Apple’s ProRAW format or a third-party camera app, we love VSCO. This gives you more control when fine-tuning colors, contrast, and texture in post-production.

We recommend our Telephoto Lenses for minimalist photography, anything from the 2x, 6x, or 10x. These lenses ensure crisp optical focus, which is essential for minimalist photography, allowing you to highlight a single detail or element of your subject. If you’re aiming for a more expansive look, the Wide Lens is your best choice. Both lenses can be paired with the Hybrid Filter for enhanced composition.

There are four key techniques to focus on when capturing minimalist photography, which serve as great guides for achieving a clean, minimal look.

Incorporating these techniques will allow you to capture a minimalist-style photo.

When editing minimalist photos, small adjustments can make a big difference. Start by fine-tuning brightness and contrast to enhance clarity, then try desaturating your image for a clean, monochrome effect. Cropping can also help achieve better balance and simplicity within the frame. For easy, on-the-go editing, try apps like Lightroom Mobile or VSCO.

Simplicity, intentional framing, and the right gear are what will elevate your minimalist photography. By focusing on clean compositions and thoughtful lighting, your images can speak louder with less. Next time you’re out with your iPhone, look for the beauty in less and capture it.