For me, photography has always been more of a form of self-expression than it has been a chore. I love taking pictures of things that others view as bland or ordinary because it’s fun to make those things appear extraordinary. This kind of photography is considered abstract photography, the art of capturing an image of an object in a way that highlights a visual element in shape, form, color, pattern, or texture.
For example, this photograph’s abstract elements highlight pattern and form. While the distortion of the background over the shape of the glasses creates an interesting ripple effect, the pattern of the glasses creates an illusion that the glasses are contained inside one another.
In this photo, the contrast of the city lights against the water streaks highlights the colors in the photo. Water is always a useful element in abstract photography because it creates a pleasing flow while also calling attention to other elements in a composition.
Architecture is an abstract photographer’s bread and butter because there’s a million different ways to photograph architectural structures. Sometimes what makes a building special is its size, a pattern in its features, and sometimes it’s simply the way in which the light catches the building.
The possibilities for abstract photography are endless, and that’s an exciting thought for any photographer.