Abstract or not?

I have been reading a lot of definitions of abstract photography to try to clarify my own thinking. It seems to me that macro images are often described as being abstract when they are just close-ups or detail. Here are some defininitons of abstract I have culled from many sources ;-

• Abstract (adjective) existing in the mind only. Having no reference to material objects of specific examples. Not concrete.
• Abstract (noun) essence of the whole
• Abstract (verb) to take away. To remove from reality.

Perhaps the definition is less easy to apply to photography than other art forms. We know when a painting is non-representative and may be a total result of the artist's imagination, but in photography, the viewer knows that the photographer started with an object or a view of the natural world which has been abstracted. Very often the object is still recognizable but the subject has become secondary to other considerations such as shape, form, colour.

Before taking the Open College of Arts photography course these questions would not have mattered to me, but now I want to develop a language to talk about my photography.

Here are two of my photographs which illustrate what I have been talking about.

Abstract or macro?

Beads

Ice and Fire

Beads is a macro shot taken infront of blue and red cellophane taped on a window.

Ice and Fire is snow on a greenhouse roof, shot into the morning sun.

TAoP Assignment 5: applying techniques of illustration and narrative

I was not looking forward to this assignment as photographing the general public is not my favourite activity, but I thought it was something I should do. I chose to create a brochure illustrating the attractions of the local park, which is very popular. My final piece was an old fashioned cut and paste job -with scissors and glue, as I haven't got publisher, and embedding photos in a word document where you want, and the size you want is an extremely frustating exercise (well it is for me). Here I show just four of the 12 shots I used in my final assignment.

The local park is a very popular place with all ages. I had several shots of this couple strolling round the lake.

Photographing children playing is always awkward. However with a bit of zoom I felt comfortable photographing these youngsters on the roundabout. I wanted to capture the colour and movement.

I made many visits to the park to shoot the museum, but it always seems overcast and a soft light did little for this building. On this afternoon I struck lucky, the low sun cast interesting shadows, and the sudents walking up the path animated the view. I learned here that it is worth persevering until conditions are right.

Basketball practice - these lads were quite happy for me to snap them playing, but quite bemused. The light levels were low as it was cloudy and shaded so not ideal conditions for action shots. Although I took a lot of shots I did not managed to get a better one.

I did not submit my work for assessing especially at the time I had enough stress in my life, however my tutor assured me my level of work was up to standard, so although I have no grading I am quite happy to feel I achieved a pass level.

TAoP Assignment 4: Applying Lighting Techniques

For this assignment students have to choose an object to light showing its different qualities. Here are a few of the pictures I submitted to my tutor.

Showing form ( i)

Showing form (ii)

showing texture (iii)

showing texture (iv)

showing shape (v)

showing shape (vi)

TAoP Assignment3: Applying what I have learned so far - a portrait of my garden

This assignment required a demonstration of what had been learned through the various excercises covered so far mainly dealing with different lighting conditions, colour and composition. This then had to be applied to the portrayal of a place or event in your neighbourhood. My opting for my garden indicates how uncomfortable I am photographing in public, something I still find difficult. Looing back this was probably one of my weaker assignments, but it was mostly received well by my tutor.

Watering cans: diagonal line, no shadows, overcast

Watering can rose: circular/central composition, side lit, deep shadow


Seedheads: diagonal, fringe lighting


Bins: constrasting colours, horizantal compositon, low sun


Leaf: colour accent, off-centre composition, shadow

Firsts

This is my first photograph on my blog, it is also one of the first I took with a macro lens. I used it in my first OCA - The Art of Photography assignment Contrasts. This arrangement was called Pointed and I paired it with the landscape below, Rounded. This shot of the drawing pins was a real stepping off point for me, it made me aware of the potential

of the camera, and I was very keen to learn more. These two were taken in 2007 with the NikonD40. The rest of the assignment is posted on my flickr site.