The Beauty of Abstract Photography

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Dendrite: Photo taken from my father's rock museum.

Abstract photography invites you to look beyond a subject’s identity and explore its visual qualities. In its purest form, an abstract photograph's subject is often unrecognizable. The beauty derives not from the subject itself, but from its shapes, textures or colors. The work of Henry Holmes Smith is a great example of this – many of his images are mysterious studies in light. Other abstract photographs focus purely on lines, shapes, and patterns rather than portraying a subject as a whole.

Abstract photography doesn't require an unrecognizable subject, however. In fact, the subject may be easy to recognize. What changes is the emphasis: you notice the play of light and shadow or the contrast between colors.

Knowing this, we can safely say that abstract photography is not about obscuring your subject. Instead, it’s about creating an image that makes you look at never-before-seen aspects of that subject.

To put this in perspective, imagine that you’re taking a photo of a rock formation. A typical photo would show the formation’s most interesting parts, a bit of the sky and whatever landscape elements fit within the frame. An abstract of the same scene isolates a few details. Look for swirls in the rock layers, smooth and rough surfaces, or rusty rock against a blue sky.

Why You Should Experiment with the Abstract

You can apply abstract photography to almost any subject or genre. The wonderful thing about abstract images is that they cross borders between genres. Any subject at all – the human form, landscapes, urban photography, wildlife, and more – can be rendered abstract simply by focusing on a part of the whole image. If a scene isn’t coming together, look more closely. A small detail may offer a fresh starting point. I’ve found that this is often a great way to work through a creative block.

Abstract photography is also a wonderful way to train your photographic eye. Simply searching for something abstract in an otherwise mundane scene forces you to look at your subjects in new and unusual ways. Practice looking for abstraction. Those observations can bring fresh ideas to your other photographs.

How to Create Abstract Art

If you'd like to create abstract photographs, there are a few things to consider:

• Elements to be included
• Complexity versus simplicity
• Degrees of abstraction

Most abstract imagery focuses on just one or two things. That is, rather than photographing an entire building, you might instead create an image that shows the differences in the colors of the shingles on that building’s roof. Instead of taking a photo of a tree, try capturing the way sunlight streams through a leaf or the interesting patterns that you find in the bark. Narrow down the number of elements that you include, but as you do so, make sure that each remaining element adds something of interest.

When it comes to complexity, the sky is the limit. Some abstracts are very minimalistic. That is, they focus on shapes or on color contrasts. Other abstracts rely on complex patterns, a myriad of interlocking shapes, or a rainbow of colors. For instance, if you take a photo of a printed circuit board, such as you'd find in most modern electronics, you'll have several options. Zoom in to show gold circuits against the green board. Or zoom out so viewers can study the intricate pattern as a whole. You can also use colored lighting, a narrow depth of field, or any other effect to highlight or isolate parts of the board.

The final thing to consider is how much abstraction you want to use. In some images, an easily recognizable subject takes something away from the shapes, colors, or patterns you’re trying to show. In other images, viewers appreciate seeing something they know well from a completely new vantage. It’s up to you to decide which option is better based on your subject material.

Abstract photography is a form of fine art photography, but it’s also much more than that. If you teach yourself to look for abstractions, then you can use this art form as a tool to further develop your creative eye. Whether you're a portrait artist or a nature photographer, learning to create abstract images will open a beautiful new world of possibilities through your lens.

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