A flat field. A dull sky. An empty beach. These are not postcard landscapes. We often ignore them entirely. But sometimes, when the world is too loud, it’s precisely these “boring” landscapes that hold us still. In photographing wide open, minimalist spaces, I’ve come to realise something surprising: the emptier the landscape, the more room there is for emotion.
This blog examines how boring landscapes—scenes often dismissed as uneventful or empty—can evoke reflection, discomfort, and even serenity. Through mundane photography, I aim to show how nothingness isn’t empty at all.
Key Points: Why Boring Landscapes Work
- Minimalist scenes leave room for emotion—stillness, melancholy, or calm.
- Emptiness becomes a canvas—our minds fill in what’s missing.
- Photographic restraint evokes mood—through muted tones, flat light, and careful composition.
- Photos sequences matter—they guide the emotional arc from beginning to end.
Minimalism as Emotional Space
Minimalist landscapes work not because of what’s in the frame but because of what’s left out. When we’re not overloaded with detail, our minds wander. Consequently, the ‘wide open space’ becomes a mirror.
A photograph of sea walls with nothing on them might seem bland. But give it time, and that same image can feel like waiting. Or longing. Or relief. By stripping the frame down, you give viewers space to feel—without telling them what to feel.
The Emotional Power of Boring Landscapes
There’s a tension in photographing the ordinary. For example, dark skies hanging low over a windswept beach, an abandoned trailer sinking into grassland beneath a flat, indifferent light, or a landscape divided into quiet stripes—sky, sea, and land layered in soft, horizontal bands. These images below ask for patience. But in that patience, they reveal things.
- Stillness: Calm, slow, and grounding.
- Melancholy: A sense of things forgotten or left behind.
- Possibility: The sense that anything could happen—even if nothing does.
- Insignificance: A reminder of our scale in the vastness.
Minimalist landscapes can carry more emotional weight than spectacular ones because they don’t shout. Instead, they whisper—inviting us to reflect quietly on the power of silence and stillness.
Visual Techniques That Let the Boredom Breathe
To bring out this emotional quality, specific visual choices matter. Such as:
- Negative space: Let the empty dominate—sky, grass, stoney beach.
- Muted colours or monochrome: Keep things restrained to support a reflective tone.
- Deadpan composition: Central framing, straight horizons—let the boredom be honest.
- Subtle details: A fence, a post, a fading sign. Human traces without humans.
When photographed intentionally, even the most mundane scenes gain attention.
Sequencing Boring Landscapes to Tell a Story
A single boring photo may confuse the viewer. But a sequence can lead them somewhere.
I often begin with a visual entry point—like the sweeping lines of a rocky cove that guide the eye inward. From there, I move into more open, elemental spaces: pillars of rock standing alone in the sea, silent and unyielding. Finally, I might end with something quietly unresolved, such as a stone fisherman’s hut, hinting at presence without revealing the story.
This triptych lets the viewer walk into the emptiness rather than merely observe it.
Conclusion: The Quiet Impact of Boring Landscapes
In a world that rewards spectacle, “boring” landscapes go unnoticed. But when we slow down, look longer and stay open to the ordinary, something shifts. We begin to see not what’s in the photo but what’s in us.
Furthermore, photographing ‘wide open spaces’ with nothing much in them has taught me to appreciate silence. Shooting boring photography has made me more attuned to subtlety and more willing to sit with the kind of feelings that take time to surface.
Sometimes, the most impactful image is one that communicates very little or nothing at all.
Author’s Note:
I took all photos in this series using 35mm film to preserve the tactile, imperfect quality that mirrors the emotional tone of “boring” landscapes.
If this post spoke to you, like, share, or drop a comment—I’d love to hear how empty spaces make you feel.