Sharon Landis is my go-to photographer for compelling images of Bald
Eagles and Peregrine Falcons. Her images are rich in detail and are
generally amazing artistic poses. I absolutely love fact that as this
immature Eagle looks up and our own eyes are guided in that direction,
we see just the tips of some talons that are clearly descending
towards the subject.

Thierry Monchal is a Facebook friend of mine who is a great landscape
photographer but also has a flair for old architecture. I love the
warm hues in this old building which appears European. I also enjoy
the lone pigeon of the floor of the walkway.

The venerable and legendary George Lepp keeps producing fine images.
The color clash in this image is actually complementary. His
composition is wonderful. It seems the best just keep getting better.

If you have followed my writings at any point over the past 20 years,
you know that I love abstracts. Especially those which are primarily
completed on the scene so to speak. In other words, they are made
primarily with the photographer’s vision while on location, along with
his creative use of camera equipment. This desert scene is hauntingly
beautiful and was created by artist/photographer

More about abstraction.

There are countless ways to create abstract images without
“recreating” the photo during the editing process. The first step is
to  teach yourself, and yes it can be taught, to see in the abstract.
Light, shape, and motion both sharp and blurred. Layers of color, rock
or sky.

The photo below was just that, a vision of layers of color, rock and
sky. I made this image in 2006 in west Texas with my old Nikon D100.

Sometimes nature just gives you an abstract and dares you to click the
shutter. Such was the case with this dew laden hairy caterpillar. I
will give my subject credit for any incidental art that can be found
there.

Is this an abstract or isn’t it? I have shown dozens of images from
this waterfall which were made over many years of both film and
digital photography. This is the only image made from this exact point
of view. I think it is clearly a waterfall. My vision on that morning
was however an abstraction of reality. Of course, in many waterfall
images, we see this contrast or dichotomy of harsh rock and soft
water. Contrasts, both subtle and abrupt, are what all images are made
of. The question becomes how are they organized within the scene?  Do
they play against each other, or are they playing together?

So, an image needs not to be of a strange subject or to have been
given an unrecognizable treatment to be an abstract. Some subjects
lend themselves to normal everyday imagery, and can be photographed
straight up so to speak, but they are still abstracts. They become abstracts
thought their natural designs with their shapes and forms. Such is the
case with some white fluffy clouds on a blue sky day.

There is no more enjoyable natural abstract than frost on the face of
an autumn leaf, or across the growth rings of a cut tree. Of course,
it gets even better with dramatic light such as I was blessed with on
this chilly morning.

I was a happy photographer when I was wandering the fields on a frosty
morning with my macro equipment. Just as happy  as I was when pursuing
wildlife or grand landscapes on other mornings.

Have a great day and remember, there are abstracts of differing
viewpoints, in front of you every time you are in the field.

God Bless,

Wayne