ebrunner Loc: New Jersey Shore

Next Monday we are having an informal "competition" (in quotes because the results don't count for anything and judging will be from members) with a theme of "abstract". This gave me a chance to experiment which is something I love to do. I came up with this idea. Just looking for impressions here. Not serious photography as such; but fun.
erich

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Frank2013 Loc: San Antonio, TX. & Milwaukee, WI.

Sorry Erich probably not the right abstract guy to comment but looks like a poorly done shot of a shack.....I guess I'm tying to say not abstract enough in my opinion.

ebrunner Loc: New Jersey Shore

So that begs the question: What is abstract enough? Not trying to be cheeky, just trying to understand. I'm wondering if an abstract that is effective can have anything at all recognizable in it? I don't really want to make a photo of shapes and colors that are unrecognizable as anything real. Do you have any examples of abstracts that might guide me here?
Erich

Frank2013 Loc: San Antonio, TX. & Milwaukee, WI.

No, like I said Erich I probably should kept my mouth shut.....I understand your statement though, I've zero knowledge......

ebrunner Loc: New Jersey Shore

Your commentary is as valuable as that from anyone else. I would not want to enter a photo that does not really fit the criteria. I also understand that "abstract" can be a lot of different things to different folks. It would be interesting to see if others have examples that they might want to post.
Erich

Linda From Maine Loc: Yakima, Washington

I like wikipedia's definition, though of course there are gazillions of articles out there:

Abstract photography, sometimes called non-objective, experimental, conceptual or concrete photography, 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. An abstract photograph may isolate a fragment of a natural scene in order to remove its inherent context from the viewer, it may be purposely staged to create a seemingly unreal appearance from real objects, or it may involve the use of color, light, shadow, texture, shape and/or form to convey a feeling, sensation or impression. The image may be produced using traditional photographic equipment like a camera, darkroom or computer, or it may be created without using a camera by directly manipulating film, paper or other photographic media, including digital presentations.

(I'm going to write more in another entry)

ebrunner Loc: New Jersey Shore

Going by what they say here, my photo does not qualify since it is vaguely recognizable as a shack? Interesting.
Erich

Linda From Maine Loc: Yakima, Washington

Generally, I like images where I get a small sense of reality (some recognizable form), such as creativ simon's two here:

http://www.uglyhedgehog.com/t-433358-12.html#7225660

http://www.uglyhedgehog.com/t-389206-1.html

This is one I had fun with last year. It was not envisioned in advance, just evolved:

http://www.uglyhedgehog.com/t-355024-1.html

On page 2 of the thread, Simon revised the image to show the umbrella itself being windblown - a very neat idea, I thought.

For your image, Erich, I see a house, but the rest of the message is a little unclear to me: perhaps an ice storm? I think it would hold my interest if I got an immediate strong emotional response, rather than feeling puzzled. Does that make sense?

Linda From Maine Loc: Yakima, Washington

Mmm, I was thinking yours qualified, per: "An abstract photograph may isolate a fragment of a natural scene..."

But that does bring up the point of perhaps some guidance should have been given for the category?

Linda From Maine Loc: Yakima, Washington

Another person on UHH who does abstracts is llindstrand. Here's an example of a sort-of recognizable subject:

http://www.uglyhedgehog.com/t-407417-1.html

There is a UHH "Special Effects Challenge" thread that is a gazillion pages long, broken into segments. You can find them in his list of topics:

http://www.uglyhedgehog.com/user-topic-list?usernum=8959

Check out the "handprint" by user William:

http://www.uglyhedgehog.com/t-433358-6.html#7199573

Fascinating stuff that may give you some inspiration. As always, I love your sense of adventure and curiosity, Erich!

Billyspad Loc: The Philippines

Abstract in this mans book covers just about anything one wishes to produce. To the average honest person they possibly make no sense at all but if they are visually attractive to the individual does it matter? Pollack was a drunken bum who splashed paint often straight from the tin onto a large areas of canvas. The pseudo intellectual type will gaze at them for hours then tell those around them in unintelligible language how it moved them and what feelings it produced.
Part of the pleasure and outright fun of any abstract work however its produced is listening to the garbage that is spoken about it. With your work here I would have just posted it minus explanation and sat back to soak up the hogwash which is likely to appear as comments.
My take is simple, being anti intellectual and desperate not to be EVER considered pseudo, is it attractive and appealing to me? Well that's a big fat no but in no way does that make it a failure. its sure as eggs is eggs abstract and if you like it then its a success. People pay loads of dosh for a Jackson Pollack paint splash jobby perhaps some art critic type with his brains in his nether region will find your effort worthy of analytical praise and I can say I knew Erich when he posted his abstracts on FYC in the vain hope of getting meaningful critique.

DirtFarmer Loc: Escaped from the NYC area, back to MA

Some of my "abstract" photos:
Row cover support hoops left in the field over the winter
Condensation on a window
Flats of lettuce seedlings showing germination problems
Frost in the greenhouse

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Billyspad Loc: The Philippines

Did not realize this was of of those delightful sharing threads but ol' dirtfarmer has blazed the trail so here is my contribution. The meaning may escape some so please PM me for clues. I realize how damaging it could appear to your street cred not to immediately understand the artistic intent of this work. I have entitled it Yellow and Red with a black line. Best viewed after downloading.

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DirtFarmer Loc: Escaped from the NYC area, back to MA

It was not my intention to "blaze a trail" since Linda posted several examples before me. True, they were posted as links but that's because they weren't her photos.'

Being male, I tend to prefer primary colors like your example. However, I like blue and green a lot more than yellow and red so I have taken the liberty of proposing an artistic edit of your example. I have also cropped it to 16:9 which I think fits my colors better. And to preserve the structure at the top and bottom edges the crop was done by taking a chunk out of the middle (as I did with another one of Linda's photos the other day).

I should add that my version was done without implying any political connotations.

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Billyspad Loc: The Philippines

I like it Dirtfarmer my man. The crop certainly suits and a wise move to crop by taking that chunk out of the middle. I can tell you are an aficionado of this type of art as you clearly spotted the political message contained within my work.

I just hope our creative talents and hard work persuade a few more to think outside the box.