for my final images, I’m trying to show abstraction in everyday life. It’s about finding those weird or interesting shapes, patterns, and textures that you usually don’t notice. I still want it to feel real, but more focused on how things look than what they mean including an eyecatching subject to show attract audience.

the first photo: This one is of people on a ladder, but really it’s about the crazy shadows it casts. The shadows make the shapes look weird and cool. I was trying to copy how Daido Moriyama uses light and shadow to make things feel abstract and not so straightforward.

the second photo: It’s a person leaning against a wall with a broom. The wall has all these lines and patterns, and the broom adds another texture. It’s a quiet moment, but it shows how even simple things can be interesting if you look at their shapes and forms. Moriyama is good at finding those kinds of abstract moments in cities.

the third photo: This is a parent and child hugging in front of chairs. It’s supposed to show love, but the chairs have all these patterns and colors that are kind of distracting. It makes the whole scene feel a little off-kilter. Moriyama does this thing where he finds beauty in normal or even weird places, and I wanted to try that too.

These images work because they focus on shape and form, not just the subject. I didn’t want to set anything up; I just wanted to capture what was already happening. Using black and white helps to emphasize the abstract elements.

Daido Moriyama Connection

Daido Moriyama is a big inspiration for this project. He’s famous for his street photography that’s both rough and beautiful, but also kind of abstract. Here’s how my photos connect to his work:

  • Black and White: Like Moriyama, I used black and white to strip away the color and focus on the shapes and textures.

  • Everyday Life: My photos focus on normal, everyday moments, but I’m looking for the abstract elements in them, just like Moriyama does.

  • Composition: I tried to use light and shadows to make the photos more dynamic and less realistic, like he does.

To get these photos, I played around with different angles and perspectives. It helped me find the abstract shapes in everyday scenes. I also had to practice just watching and waiting for the right moment to take a photo without making people feel like they were being watched. Before this, I used to set up my photos more, but this time I wanted to be more spontaneous, kind of like Moriyama.

 

reflection +changes for next time

  • Next time, to achieve more abstract photos like the ones shown, I will focus on isolating interesting shapes, textures, and shadows by getting closer to subjects and experimenting with unusual angles, while also considering post-processing techniques like cropping and adjusting contrast to further decontextualize the images and invite deeper interpretation.