After recently showcasing the Wildlife category from The Artist Gallery’s 2026 Photography Contest, we’re returning to the competition for a very different selection of winning images. This time, the focus is on minimalism, a category that invited photographers from around the world to create strong visual impact through clarity and simplicity. The results show just how varied that approach can be.
Florian Kriechbaumer took first place with “DNA,” an aerial view of a twisting bridge over the Dubai Canal, while Alireza Bagheri’s staged and contemplative “Conditional Separation” earned second place. Charles Janson came third with “Sleeping Fox,” capturing a red fox almost disappearing into the snowy landscape of Yellowstone National Park. Beyond the top three, the honorable mentions take minimalism in plenty of other directions, from architecture and geometric patterns to solitary animals, figures, landscapes, and small details isolated against large expanses of empty space. Together, the photographs show that stripping a composition back doesn’t necessarily make it less expressive; sometimes, giving a subject room to breathe is exactly what makes it stand out.
Scroll down to see the rest of the selection of photographs, and upvote your favorites.
#21 “Metropol Theatre Bremen” By T. Karl Stelling
Honorable Mention in the Minimalist Category
Artist Statement: “Red seats and a couple, Metropol Theatre in Bremen, Germany.”
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5points
#22 “Stairs” By Eliot Allen
Honorable Mention in the Minimalist Category
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5points
#23 “Red Rhythm” By Eugenio Pizzo
Honorable Mention in the Minimalist Category
Artist Statement: “A minimalist composition featuring a stark white tiled façade against a pale blue sky. Three identical red balconies project vertically from the building's edge, casting sharp geometric shadows onto the wall, emphasizing repeating patterns, clean negative space, and bold color contrast.”
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5points
#24 “Flowing Shadow” By Fritz Mehner
Honorable Mention in the Minimalist Category
Artist Statement: “The blurred shadows of a dead branch on the shore of a lake.”
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5points
#25 “Blues” By Brigitte Burckhardt
Honorable Mention in the Minimalist Category
Artist Statement: “He sang the Blues as he almost vanished. He brought me to tears.”
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4points