Blog Four - Micheal Kenna

    Micheal Kenna was made popular for his landscape and minimalist photography. Minimalist photography includes extreme simplicity in photos. Kenna took advantage of long exposure times to capture high levels of light. Kenna also took photos early in the morning or at dusk to ensure he had optimal levels of light. The light levels during this time of day in conjunction with long exposures helped soften the texture of water and clouds. Kenna's photography of landscapes often look dream like. Kenna used black and white cameras and made use of shadows and light to create numerous shades of grey in his photos. Often Kenna used very simple landscapes and used his strategies to create his photos. Kenna points out the idea that photography forces viewers to see their environment in different ways.

    Kenna's photography is inspired by the traditional Japanese aesthetics. Kenna was also inspired by other 20th century photographers like Alfred Stieglitz and Bill Brandt. Both of these photographers create an emphasis on mood and abstraction. Kenna used long exposures sometimes exposing the film for hours. The goal of long exposures was to create photos that is removed from time. The long exposures in conjunction with simple photo composition allow to create soft contrasts that take advantage of negative space in photography. Kenna's long exposure minimalist landscape photos can be seen displayed in galleries around the world. These photos continue to inspire appreciation for simplicity. Kenna's photos often provide the motivation to meditate and create a feeling of relaxation to viewers.

    Kenna's work has made an impact on the landscape photography world. Countless artists use his methods as inspiration to create long exposure photographs of their own. Through Kenna's photos viewers are able to appreciate the ability Kenna has to find beauty and abstraction with simple landscapes. Kenna's work serves as a way to exhibit the power of black and white photography by using the shades of grey and soft smooth contrasts. Kenna's photography serves as a reminder for viewers that beauty can be found in simplicity.

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