Project 52 - Week 13: Use Focus To Abstract

Our assignment this week was to create a body of work to include abstract images, and to not seek to make every image we take be precisely focused.  While I have never really delved into abstract work, I found this image of a peacock's tail in my 2013 folder, taken at a local farm.

The tail is a mix of patterns and texture.  I used a filter when processing it to give it a deeper feel, and to blur the edges.

So, I guess, somewhere back in my past shooting history, my mind was seeing the patterns and textures separately from the whole object.

Still, it was a totally different feeling to be planning for unsharp images, as I've spent the last two and a half years trying to get everything in top level focus.

I also think that things that lend themselves to patterns and textures are much easier to wrap your head around in terms of doing abstract work.

I had been thinking about this for hours on end.  I would be cleaning up the dishes and wondering exactly how I was going to use a dog or cat to achieve an abstract image, and one that wasn't clearly focused.

---

I had a hard time understanding exactly what was required from our text alone, so I sought some additional materials on abstract photography and focus.

I found this piece which helped me immensely.

I took to heart the use of shadows, lines and textures for my work this week, and also our text's recommendation to not always have crisp images.

Luke, once again, seemed to be in the right place at the right time.  I saw this happen in front of my eyes and I did  have my camera within reach, thankfully.

I am using shadow, light and lines in the above image to give it an abstract feel.  I purposely overexposed the image and also did not seek precise focus. I did very little to this image in post process.  I ran Topaz Simplify at about 40% when editing the image to further reduce detail.  I transferred the image to black and white below.  This is the second snap of a multiple shot photo, and Luke's eye is just a bit changed in this one. I also did not run the Simplify filter, so you can see a little more detail, but the shadows, light and lines are still the same.

We were told, by our texts, to work hard to "not do it right."  So, in that vein, I really  overexposed the following image and got an abstract square of sunlight, along with some abstract lines of Luke. I used a warmer black and white conversion on the image to bring out the rectangular patch of light Luke is lying in.  I purposely gave it a sharp crop, taking some of Luke's body out of the frame.  All of the things I did to this image are typically frowned upon in photography.  You just can't get any more wrong than this. But, I also read that in abstract photography, it is time to break the rules, so I went for it.

Finally, because texture is acceptable in highlighting the lines and curves of an image in abstract work, I took the following image of Lilah.  I abstracted the color by using grain and texture in the background.  I used a blur effect over some of her fur to soften it.  The line of focus I was trying to achieve runs from the top of the head at an angle to the whispy fur of her tail curled around her.  I needed to open my aperture a bit more to really achieve this, but I'll go with this for now in my first efforts at abstract, unfocused images.

Head over to Pet Love Photography, serving Greater Cincinnati and the San Francisco Bay Area, and check out Susannah Maynard's abstract work this week.  Then follow the links to the blog circle until you are back here again.  Have a great weekend!