“Abstract photography can be defined as capturing images in which the subject isn’t the most interesting element. Albert Renger-Patzsch and Aaron Siskind photographed the ordinary to reveal their beauty. Uta Barth reversed the typical use of the camera, shooting out of focus and Andreas Gursky photographs the repetition of elements. During this unit, you will investigate appropriate examples of abstract photography and respond in your own way.” – Definition of Abstract Photography

In the first sentence, the definition refers to abstract photography as “capturing images where the subject isn’t the most interesting element”. Since the concept of abstraction in other fields like computer science refers to reducing something complicated into simple, easy-to-understand concepts, I think that abstract photography aims to do the same by taking a complicated subject and reducing it into simple shapes and lines.

My definition of abstract photography:

“Abstract photography is a genre of photography that aims to capture simplified ideas and concepts rather than traditional subjects. It can be characterized by the prominence of shapes and lines rather than objects. Abstract photography uses various techniques to represent ideas rather than events, including adjusting the focus and shutter speed.” – Jack, 2024