Small Moments

In my opinion, a core aspect of photography – and especially abstract photography – is to share different perspectives and ways of looking at the world. Through my triptych, I want to capture small moments and things that people may not take the time to properly notice and enjoy in their day-to-day lives, and I want to show the beauty and tranquility in these small moments. I want the viewers to see these small things (or big things – sometimes, small moments can be made up of big things, just like how small things can hide in big moments) that bring me joy, and I want to hopefully inspire them to start noticing and finding their own small moments as well. For inspiration, I will look for photographers who explore the atmosphere and emotions brought by seemingly mundane scenes or objects – like Saul Leiter’s rainy photographs, or Jackie Ranken, whose photographs bring magic and mystique into the everyday. I want to explore color and focus to bring my photographs out of the realm of reality and into the imaginary, to show how something ordinary can also be truly extraordinary at the same time. In conclusion, I want to convey the sense of wonder that I feel when I look upon the world, and how I believe that there is significance in taking notice of these small moments. Our world is more magical than you might think, as long as you are willing to look for it.

These simple images all demonstrate at least one of the formal elements:

1) Shape, as the main focus in this image is the balance between the dark and the light rectangles filling up all the space.

2) Shape, as this image uses the positive and negative space in the image to draw the viewer’s eyes to the clear shape of the square.

3) Pattern – it could be argued that this image also qualifies for texture, but this really looks more like a sprinkle pattern wallpaper than an actual tangible thing that you could touch, so this image would be more of a pattern than a texture.

4) Pattern – This image might qualify for line or shape, and it really could be all three. In the end though, the alternating dark and light colors are the most defining feature of this image, so pattern it is.

5) Line. The two lines clearly divide the image into distinct sections and are the most prominent element in the image.

6) Shape. The singular circle at the center of the image is the clearest defining feature of the image, and thus this image is best representative of shape.

7) Line. The three straight lines divide the image into several different sections, and is a very defining feature of the image.

8) Repetition & Pattern, from the repeating circles forming a constant throughout the image.

9) Again, Repetition & Pattern. Although the lines could also qualify for line, the repetition is really more important and noticeable in this image than if the lines were the main focus.

10) Line – although it could be argued that this image also qualifies for shape, the clear cut lines that is created by the shapes guides the viewers eyes and creates a sense of perspective, which is a very important part of the image.

11) Again, Line, for the same reason.

12) Texture, as demonstrated by the straight lines of different weights, almost like a fuzzy surface like a carpet.

Here are the images that I took to imitate these compositions!

1)

2)

3)

4)

5)

6)

7)

8)

9)

10)

11)

12)

Some of the images that worked well, in my opinion, would be 4, 10, 11, and 12. 4 and 12 both accurately capture the original image, with the horizontal stripes for 4 and the grainy texture for 12. 10 and 11 also worked well in my opinion, as they not only capture the original composition, the various colors allowed me to edit the images into something that is more interesting to look at. 6 also could have worked well, if not for the random strip of lighter color on the left – I think that just a plain bright circle on a dark background could have made for quite an interesting picture. However, if I can edit out the white strip, 6 would also be up there in the successful photos category.

Some of the images that don’t work quite as well would be 1 and 9 – both images are not particularly interesting to look at, and the weird focus and camera angles don’t really make it better. 1 does have an interesting checkers pattern on the right side, and the way the checkers are positioned could lend itself into an optical illusion, but aside from that, these two images doesn’t work as well as the others, in my opinion.

This is a photograph taken by the photographer Uta Barth, who uses the focus of the camera lens to create these soft, blurry images. Some of the things she might have been trying to capture in this particular photo could have been the way the different colors create interesting shapes and forms in the photograph. The dark shape on the left side balances the large brown shape on the right, balancing the composition, and the warm colors – especially the splash of orange near the top of the photo – also add to the element of cohesiveness in the image. The range of different warm colors and values makes this image very satisfying to look at, and although the viewer cannot clearly see the subject of the photo, it still radiates a feeling of warmth. This is why if I were to name the photo, I would choose a name somewhere along the lines of “Warmth” or “A Warm Feeling”, as it conveys the way I feel when looking at the photograph without taking away the element of the charming mystique from the blurry image. Uta Barth uses several techniques when taking this photo: the diagonal lines radiating from the center of the composition guide the viewer’s eyes around the image, and the different values create positive and negative spaces despite the unclarity of the image. The use of focus in this photograph also creates a soft, almost fuzzy quality to the image, prompting the viewer to focus more on the general shapes and colors of the photo instead of any concrete, sharp detail – which makes the scene all the more extraordinary.

The Pictorialism movement in photography was a movement where photographers would attempt to make their photos resemble drawings or paintings. This was achieved through a variety of methods such as painting chemicals over the photo to imitate brushstrokes, or using a soft focus on the lens to imitate the blurriness of some paintings.

On the other hand, the straight photography movement was a movement where photographers would make a photograph as distinctly a photograph as they could by emphasizing the characteristics that only photography possesses. Straight photography is characterized by a sharp focus and the capturing of detail. However, straight photography could be used for abstraction as well, as the direct and straightforward presentation of objects can also show the underlying structures and forms of the object through a more abstract lens. Straight photography was likely popular due to this unique property, which allowed photographers to explore a new way of creating abstraction in photography.

Edward Weston and Aaron Siskind were two prominent photographers who were influenced by the Straight Photography movement, which is shown clearly in their works.

Here is Edward Weston’s Cabbage Leaf, which is a great example of how straight photography impacted his work. At first glance, this appears to be a simple, clear and distinct image of a cabbage leaf, but upon further inspection, the viewer could see how the folds of the leaf flows across the image like a piece of fabric, contrasting with the solid black background.

Another example is this image by Aaron Siskind. This photo is abstract in the way that although it has very clear-cut and distinct details, the intent of the photo is for the viewer to observe and focus on the texture and the forms of the shapes in the image, instead of trying to discern exactly what it is that the photographer has taken a photo of. This reflects the different ways abstraction can be achieved in straight photography.

Andreas Gursky’s work is abstract in that it focuses on broad shapes, forms, and repetitions in pattern, toying with the viewer’s sense of scale and often creating a feeling of being dwarfed by the big wide world around us. The viewer is not meant to focus on one specific subject, but the wider picture. This means that his works would be classified more as straight photographs.

On the other hand, Uta Barth uses the focus of the lens to create soft and blurred images instead of sharp and detailed ones to focus on the shapes and colors of the images, creating a quaint feeling that suddenly makes ordinary, everyday scenes feel so much more special. In this way, these photographs are much closer to paintings than photos, and would likely classify more as pictorialist photographs.

Formal Elements:

Line

Shape

Pattern & Repetition

Texture

Value/Tone

Focus

If I were to give a definition of what I think abstract photography is, I would define it as taking photos in interesting and unconventional ways to express a different way of looking at the world and to create visual intrigue and interest. I think that there is often a sense of wonder in abstract photography, where the viewer is exposed to perspectives and interesting moments and details that they would not have noticed previously. Abstract photography also commonly places an emphasis on certain elements of the photo, such as lines, shape, form, or color, instead of any concrete subject. I think that abstract photography could also be more expressive than representative photography, as its interpretive nature of it means that photographers could alter their photos and techniques to make their photos more unique to them, and to take their photos out of the realm of conventional reality.

What does it mean to take abstract photos? According to the excerpt on DX, “Abstract photography can be defined as capturing images in which the subject isn’t the most interesting element”.

Personally, I believe that this sentence means that abstract photography is the act of showing a new perspective through photography and the taking of photos in unconventional ways, where the focus is placed more on noticing the intricacies and wonder in the world around us than any concrete subject.

I think that this is a very interesting idea, and I look forward to taking my own set of abstract photos to share the things that I find wondrous and amazing in the world. There are so many ways you could experiment with abstract photography – for example, color or lighting – and I’m very excited to learn more!