In the last several months, I have been exploring minimalism as a way of projection and abstraction in my photography. The simplicity of minimalism reduces nature to its essence to reveal the underlying beauty of structure and form. These three images were made while hiking trails in the Sonoran Desert.

Not unlike a Rorschach inkblot, interpreting these images reveals potential insights into dynamic relationships or prompts reflection and introspection. The images draw on one’s own perceptions and interpretation. Or maybe minimalism is simply an appreciation of the vestigial elements of our natural world. Of course, not all minimalistic photography is in black and white; but the placement of subjects within white space is compelling to me. The white space enhances serenity and appreciation of the lines. While I see this approach as austere, it is not bleak or devoid of hope. Through photography, I capture details in the world that might be overlooked and seek to isolate their simple complexity.

In technical terms, I use post-processing to remove saturation, warmth, and tint to create monochrome images. I then increase the exposure, brightness, and highlights to blow out the background (usually the sky). This process leaves the residual structures and natural art forms.