Minimalism in Photography (Phase 1)

1.
Minimalism to me, in the context of photography, is the act of making the main subject in an image minuscule when compared to the scale of the background/foreground.
This is somewhat unique in photography, as you'd usually desire to make the primary subject as relevant and noticeable as possible. After all, they are the main subject.
With that being said, one who captures a minimalistic image must keep in mind that make the focus subject tiny is not their only concern. It's never that simple.
It's all about how it's presented. The main subject is almost always either in a corner or off to the side in these types of images. The rule of thirds is an excellent method for deciding where the main focus should be. Also, the background should be interesting to look at, either with or without the main subject. The background should find a way to compliment the subject or vise versa.
Also, if your image demands it, then it would be a good idea to have the background meld with the image, making it appear as though the background and subject are on the same plane. Pull this off, and you've definitely done something right. Unless, of course, that was never your intent, in which case you've done something horribly horribly wrong.
And one final thing. While it's always good to have the background and subject get along, it would also be good to remember to have the subject pop out. Have the main focus of the image appear as though it's obviously the main focus. If you have to stop and determine what the subject is because you can't find it, then you've done something wrong. Unless, of course, that was the intent, in which case you've done something horribly horribly right.
Emphasis on horribly.

So as long as a photographer keeps these rules in mind when shooting, and if their not an idiot, then they should theoretically be able to take a great minimalistic photograph. Theoretically of course. Billy always finds a way to screw it up.


2.
Now that I've (vaguely) described what a minimalistic image is and how to take one (unless you're Billy), then you should be able to judge whether or not these are good minimalistic images.
And keep in mind, even though the rules I've listed above are important, the single most significant rule that any artist should always remember is this:
The work should always be pleasant to the human senses. In this case, the image should feel easy and soothing to the eyes.
Even if an image follows all the rules to make a minimalistic image perfectly, if it's painful for your eyes to look at, then the image is a failure. So yeah, no pressure...

Examples:

The things I found compelling about these images is simply the fact that they demonstrate all of my rules pretty well.

The first image shows a good example of your typical minimalistic image. The subject is small and to the side, with your eyes being drawn to the background of the image.

Notice however, that the main subject is still both large enough to be seen easily, and that it's without a doubt the main subject of this image. Also, the main subject of an egg in a bowl compliments the background in a way that is amiable and satisfying. The bowl blends with the light blue background very well, while the tan egg contrasts with both the bowl and the background without massacring the whole image composition.

In short, the subject compliments the background well.

The second image, with its bright vibrant colors, may be a bit more difficult to observe at first. But the image is saved by the fact that the background and subject are purely warm colors. This makes looking at the image as a whole much easier, sparing it from the fate that is awful composition.

But the true reason I chose this image is that it perfectly demonstrates what I meant by the background and subject melding.

It appears as though the plastic Coke a Cola cup is resting on the yellow square that composes the background. However, us S-M-R-T people know that this is just an illusion. The cup is actually on its side, and the background is just the unfortunate outcome of somebody wanting to be 'different' with their carpet design. 

This trick of making it seem that the background and subject are on the same plane can have the outcome of creating interesting scenes. So keep this in mind when shooting pictures.

And then there's the third image. Honestly, this has to be my favorite of the three.

There's great composition, the subject is instantly identifiable, and the levels of blending and contrasting are essentially perfect.

But the main reason I chose this image was that it shows off the capability of the rule of thirds in minimalistic images.

The bench is located at the bottom left corner of the invisible grid. For those unfamiliar, the rule of thirds is basically an invisible grid that has four corners. The bench shown in the third image is in the third corner, at the bottom left.

Hehe, it's the third image that has a bench that intersects the third corner in the rule of thirds. Just thought it was a funny coincidence.

Anyways, these three images absolutely nail the point on the head. We have image one with its great composition, image two with its perfect demonstration of melding the background, or image 3 with its exceptional use of the rule of thirds.

These images are what would make Billy cool. Ehh, well okay, maybe not. But hey, they could work for you!