The Black and White Minimalist Photography Awards has marked its initiation with its first competition as it announced the winners for the year 2021. The first installment of the monochromatic collection of beautiful pictures sort of takes you to an era before the color camera was invented. From stunning architectural constructs to desolate snowbound compositions, the contest is a rich reminder of the power of minimalism.
United Kingdom-based fine art photographer Tim Nevell won the first prize and US$1,000 in the inaugural competition, for his gorgeous drone shot of a remote road in Iceland. The second prize was bagged by experienced Swiss fine art photographer Pierre Pellegrini, who captured a serene shot of a lone park bench and submitted it with a poetic caption.
The contest was started by the creators of Black and White Minimalism magazine and gathered nearly 1,500 entries for its first edition. As the minimalist photography competitions constitute no clear definition for the craft, there are very few limitations to restrict the entries other than the images must be black and white.
Here are some of the most appreciated monochromatic photographs from the Black and White Minimalist Photography Awards 2021, which will inspire you to pick up the camera and head out to capture the beauty of Mother Nature.
The photographer intended to capture the desolate volcanic landscape covered in snow and the distant endless horizon in one shot.
Image: Tim Nevell
A place to sit in retrospect, amid the beauty and quiet of nature.
Image: Pierre Pellegrini
Captured in Namibia, this shot of Sossusvlei Trees won Hector Izquierdo Seliva the third prize in the contest.
Image: Hector Izquierdo Seliva
Tibumana waterfall in Bali, Indonesia, looks so calm and serene in this monochromatic photograph.
Image: Tirta Winata
Road in the Fog symbolizes the journey of life, for no matter what obstacles it faces, it keeps going on.
Image: Krystian Koźmiński
Standing in the sand dunes, these two trees are giving some perseverance goals to humankind.
Image: Allen Koppe
This beautifully timed shot is evoking memories of home, with a lone building standing on the riverside under the sunset.
Image: Costas Kariolis
Tarn Hows, Lake District National Park, UK, is looking spectacular in a lovely morning mist.
Image: Tony Johnston
Buried under the snow, this abandoned bus in Shibetsu, Hokkaido, makes for a mysterious setting.
Image: Roy Iwasaki
Where the Two Worlds Meet: The dramatic rendezvous of sand and architecture is creating a brilliant aesthetic effect.
Image: Nicolas Pollet-Villard
Fascinated: This black and white minimalist photograph hints upon the subtleties and beautiful aspects of the craft.
Image: Simone Nagel
Under the Bridge: The photographer waited under the bridge, on a rainy day to capture this beautiful photograph.
Image: Gee Hurkmans
A single snowboard track smoothly etched in a blank snowscape with a small grove of trees on the mountain called Norikura, above Hakuba, Japan.
Image: Scott Rinckenberger
The telegraph pole running in the fields with power lines running at right angles created a dramatic effect for this shot.
Image: Darren Kentish
The mooring posts and small ducklings in this artificial lake in the Netherlands contrasted beautifully against the foggy backdrop makes for a wonderful sight.
Image: Henk de Haan
These Kirribilli Palms, standing tall, look straight out of a black and white painting.
Image: Kyle Hoffmann
Captured by Zahra Darvish Amiri, this conex box being carried by the crane looks like somebody is trying to materialize the flying house idea from the movie Up.
Image: Zahra Darvish Amiri
And the Curtains Open: A single tree is watching the light tear out from the clouds.
Image: Nathan Wirth
A swan gracefully taking off the flight, with a stark contrast of black backdrop makes this shot breathtaking.
Image: David Xu
Rowing back home after a tiresome day of fishing on the lake.
Image: Loh Soo Mui