Abstract Photography

dan759

Hi guys, Im new to this part of the Boards Website.

In october i started a one year PLC Course in Photography and its Great! I'd never really held a camera in my hands before it so im still quite new to it!

Anyway now to the subject at hand, we start a new module from this week on, "Colour photography" Having already done Basic, B&W and Portraiture

Anyway, the theme i've chosen for my project is Abstract in the form of shapes, shadows and texture while keeping in mind its for the colour module! I've tried two shots so far and was looking for some feedback and C+C

Also if anyone could try help me with some more ideas? I have to produce 20 images for this project

Borderfox

couple of bags of skittles in a bowl? there would be loads around the house

AnCatDubh

I don't really understand the principles of abstract (if that aint a contradiction of terms) so i'm not much use to you here. I would say though that i like the two images posted. With the second image there's an obvious bit of shade on the left hand side which i think if retaken without would improve the overall aesthetics of the image but hey, then again, it's abstract isn't it.

Really like the first one posted. A nice idea.

Some people here have done (and posted if you do a search) the drop of food colouring into the water trick - something that i hope to set up fairly soon myself. There are some nice examples posted and even advice may ensue if it were something that you wanted to do.

The other that springs to mind is smoke - which from what I gather works best with incense sticks rather than boiling kettle. Try a couple together - you may even feel light headed at the end of the take but that could be a beneficial side effect

Again, I don't really understand the principles of abstract (if there are such things) so the above may be dross. Buyer beware.

Good luck with it.

ThOnda

Get some good smoke :-)

Abstract photography is just something special. You have to come with the idea, realisation and then you have to open your mind. Once you get sober, sort out the pictures and be very critical on yourself. But there is always at least one shot that is really good and interesting for many people.

Go for it, you don't have anything to loose!

oshead

Here are three images I took tonight. Nothing too special. You could try something along these lines.

Hope this helps.
Dave OS

Water Bubble


Sugar Grains


Soapy Bubbles

dan759

Wow, they are amazing! I really like the flower shot

Are you using a macro lens? Unfortunatly all i have at the minute is a 17-55mm lens.. its okay but can be quite hard to work with for certain shots!

I've been planning to start trying some smoke shots this week, just gotta wait for payday to actually be able to afford some inssence sticks Yes im that broke lol

WexfordMusings

I suppose it all depends on what you define as abstract. I think of abstract as a piece of work that is not readily apparant what it is. with a painting this may be easier to achieve as you can just go nuts with the paint brush but with a photograph its a different kettle of fish as mostly - what you photograph is exactly that - what you photograph.

Yes, with some work on the computer you can make the picture look more abstract, changing colours, shapes, shadows, whatever but do you want to do that or do you truly want to take an "abstract " photo.

Start by thinking of what you consider abstract, what you like and what you can achieve. Try some tight crops of pictures, only show a particular element - so the viewer has to "fill-in" the blanks around the picture...eg

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and

John

I like a lot of abstract photography (or at least the kind of photography that leaves you scratching your head and wondering what the hell is it you're looking at). These are some shots I played around with a while ago (one of them I selected for the book):








David Lynch has done some wonderful shots of machinery both in his films and stills. There's a book of his called The Air is On Fire that is well worth looking at if you like abstract photography.

ThOnda

The last one is a cracker!

dan759

Wow thanks guys, some of these are great!

I started experimenting with smoke yesterday and made a few cools pics so far!







Let me know what you think!

Pivot_Al

As Borderfox said !