“Abstract photography can be defined as capturing images in which the subject isn’t the most interesting element. Albert Renger-Patzsch, Edward Weston 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..”

Albert Renger-Patzsch’s “Gläser“

In this photograph, the photographer was likely interested in capturing the refractions of light through these different shapes of glasses. In this image, the artist has also captured the texture of the glass that is difficult to see when one directly views through a glass. Additionally, Renger-Patzsch has captured the different shades and light that was reflected through the glass onto the surface below.

If I were the photographer, I would have called this photo “Tasses en verre,” meaning glass cups in French. In this photo, we can obviously see that we are looking at glasses; however, the light cast through the cups makes it seem far more in-depth, which makes me feel like there needs to be a more complex-sounding name behind what many see to add that extra layer of depth into the name of the image itself.

Describe the use of line, shape, Pattern, texture, tone and focus – USE

In “Gläser”, Renger-Patzsch utilizes a number of the formal elements of photography, specifically line, shape, pattern, texture, and focus. When I first looked at this picture, I was immediately drawn to the focus of the picture on the texture of the shadow cast by the glasses. The texture in each glass is a bit different, and the creation of a pattern with the lines in the shadow is also eye-catching. As you look at the image for longer, you begin to observe the repetition of the circle shape across the photo due to the original glasses having circular lips in addition to the shadows being cast, creating numerous new circles.

Works Cited:

“Albert Renger-Patzsch. The perspective of things” Fundación Mapfre, June 22 2017, https://www.fundacionmapfre.org/en/art-and-culture/exhibitions/historical/year-2017/renger-patzcsch/. Accessed 3 September 2025.