by Editor Swapnil Despandhe

Abstract by definition implies a work of art that does not attempt to represent external reality, but rather seeks to achieve its effect using shapes, colours, and textures. Also abstract photography implies creating something that does not copy what is actually existing in concrete but transforming that which does not exist in real but lies in your ideas and you convert them into work of art through shapes, textures, lines and colours.

Simply quoting from Wikipedia makes it quite easy to perceive which states: “Abstract photography, sometimes called non-objective, experimental, conceptual, is a means of depicting a visual image that does not have an immediate association with the object world and that has been created through the use of photographic equipment, processes or materials.”

'Into the unknown' by Willy Marthinussen

Abstract form of art gained popularity among painters first and then photographers inherited it more so after the digital format gained popularity. Among all the genres of photography or art, abstract was something that gave a higher degree of freedom to the artists as compared to other forms. Abstract is all about transforming your ideas and emotions and putting it on canvas. Abstract frees both the viewers and creators from the monotony of realism and takes them to the journey of emotions, ideas and surrealism. Abstract is one of those arts, which can take place while practising any other genre like nature, portrait, architecture etc.

'color palette' by swapnil.

'Shadows of power' by milan malovrth

In spite of having so many definitions to simplify abstract, still there is no definition that can clarify it. More so this is the reason that it is better to go in indirect way of defining abstracts. How we do it or how abstracts are perceived and created.

The unusual angle of view or unusual perspective
This method implies creating an image from an angle, which normally is unseen. Its self-explanatory and some images below can easily clear this idea! These are used extensively in architecture to make it look surreal and out of the world.

'Sinuous Grey' by Evan Oz

'Escape The Void' by Paulo Abrantes

 
Converting to monochrome
Removing colours and looking through red and blue filters to the natural scene shifts the view from natural to something abstract, which can never be seen in the real world.

'Abstract Flamingos' by María Pía Vergara

'Curvatures' by Rami Al Adwan

'Rain on Horizon' by Graeme

Patterns in the world.
Patterns can be seen everywhere around you. As an artist you can see chaos or uniformity in any pattern around you. How you convert that into your canvas is what makes you the artist that you are. To select patterns, the most common way is to look through a macro lens or a wide  view from aerial shots.  But so many patterns also can be seen in daily life such as water bubbles, smoke or repetitive objects like shown in the images below.

'upper window' by Udo Dittmann

“blue flower' by Vangelis Makris (Mc Ris)

 
Textures
Textures around us have always intrigued the artists from the age of paintings. Textures of curtains, ceilings, barren earth, canopy of trees are used widely to create an abstract form. As mentioned before, a macro lens helps to create a uniform texture when the entire pattern is in focus creating a texture. Additionally sand dunes and fields also give us a nice texture from a telephoto lens perspective.

'Fall, leaves, fall' by Delphine Devos

'Textures' by Gloria Salgado Gispert

'Colours' by Matjaz Cater

The play of light
The play of light is an important element to how we see things as. The angle of light front, side and top makes an object look totally different in different angles. Amazing abstracts are seen through just playing with these angles.

'Matrix...' by Anna Niemiec

'Septum' by Gilbert Claes

'Light and Shadow' by Mohammadreza Momeni

Lines and curves
Using lines and curves is tough in abstract form but it is practised by many and mastered by a few. Geometrical representation helps in creating minimalist abstract forms and helps in presenting an idea in its simplest form.

 'Rice fields in Yuanyang' by Piet Flour

'Wavy red white roof' by Gilbert Claes

'straight ahead' by Hans Martin Doelz

 
As we glanced over these usual methods to create abstractions, it is worthwhile to note that these are just a few of the many possibilities to create abstracts. That's the reason why 'abstract' has so much definitions and at the same time no definition at all.

Have a great visual journey through the amazing abstractions of 1x artists here!

n/t by Dirk Heckmann

'wait' by Carmine Chiriaco'

'Alfama' by Hans-Wolfgang Hawerkamp

'Sunset' by Heidi Westum

'Break time' by Fabiola Amidei

'Earth' by Gilbert Claes

'The magic of a foggy morning' by Yvette Depaepe

'Ebony and Ivory' by Udo Dittmann

'Spoons Abstract: Forest' by Jacqueline Hammer

'Yellow ground, red heart' by E. de Juan

'Love story' by Samanta

'Hello life' by Edith Hoffman

'Octopus' by Holger Droste