Several methods can achieve

simplicity Simplicity is the state or quality of being simple. Something easy to understand or explain seems simple, in contrast to something complicated. Alternatively, as Herbert A. Simon suggests, something is simple or complex depending on the way we ...

in a

photograph A photograph (also known as a photo, image, or picture) is an image created by light falling on a photosensitive surface, usually photographic film or an electronic image sensor, such as a CCD or a CMOS chip. Most photographs are now create ...

. The most obvious (and easiest) is to place the subject against a

neutral Neutral or neutrality may refer to: Mathematics and natural science Biology * Neutral organisms, in ecology, those that obey the unified neutral theory of biodiversity Chemistry and physics * Neutralization (chemistry), a chemical reaction in ...

background such as a backdrop or the sky. Backgrounds can be entirely neutral, like a solid backdrop or a cloudless sky; or they can complement the image, like a

starfish Starfish or sea stars are star-shaped echinoderms belonging to the class Asteroidea (). Common usage frequently finds these names being also applied to ophiuroids, which are correctly referred to as brittle stars or basket stars. Starfish a ...

on the sand. A more technical method of achieving simplicity involves focusing on the subject while ensuring the background is

out of focus In optics, defocus is the aberration in which an image is simply out of focus. This aberration is familiar to anyone who has used a camera, videocamera, microscope, telescope, or binoculars. Optically, defocus refers to a translation of the ...

. Macro settings on digital cameras tend to do this automatically, as they have a narrow

depth of field The depth of field (DOF) is the distance between the nearest and the furthest objects that are in acceptably sharp focus in an image captured with a camera. Factors affecting depth of field For cameras that can only focus on one object dis ...

to begin with; the same effect can be achieved with manual adjustment. A photograph showing simplicity should have a clear reason the subject was chosen. The reason for taking the picture should be clearly evident. All unrelated topics should not be present. This relates to shallow depth of field as well, which blurs out the background and focuses on what is the main subject of the photograph. Whether said subject is in the center or otherwise does not matter as this is strictly a product of photographic composition.

See also