Abstract

Multiple sheets of folded paper were used to create this amazing teardrop-shaped abstract. We really like the soft curves and the subtle shadows produced by the lighting. Another clever element is how the cool blue tones intensify with each sheet of paper.

It’s difficult to tell just how much this image has been manipulated in post-production, but the results speak for themselves. It’s crucial that wonky lines and image distortion are nonexistent in this style of image, but this office building is perfectly square.

This image was taken at Porto’s Casa da Música metro station and is a great observation, because the architecture looks like a giant eye. We particularly like how the pigeons on the roof window and against the bright blue sky resemble fish in a fish tank. The heavy shadow prevents anything from detracting from the image, while also conveying a brooding atmosphere.

This incredible image was captured at Galiff Street’s weekly pet and plant market, near the Shyambazar five-point crossing in Kolkata, India. The entire frame is filled with black and orange fish that contrast beautifully against the white background. A relatively slow shutter speed has been used to capture subtle movements, resulting in an eye-catching watercolour effect.

Marco has used a Speedlight attachment and an old projector to create his incredible projection images. The polka dots depicted in this nude abstract were created using a homemade 35mm film slide. The projection’s shallow depth of field required it to be perfectly focused and focusing the D810 proved equally as tricky due to low light.

As the title of this image suggests, the subject is a red bell pepper, but you’d be forgiven for thinking it was a tongue at first glance. It was created during a camera club evening. The subject was placed on a mirror and the scene was sprayed with water. Sharpness and good lighting are key when shooting indoor close-ups and Frank has tackled both techniques with aplomb.

Although it might look like something out of a science fiction movie, this abstract was captured within the Serpentine Galleries’ 2016 pavilion installation. The aperture of f/11 was crucial in providing a large enough depth of field to render the hundreds of cuboid boxes sharp from front to back. We also like how the LED lights in the top-right portion of the frame provide a focal point in this fractal-like pattern.

If this water droplet image looks like a technical masterclass, that’s because it is. It took no fewer than seven flashguns, coloured gels and two sheets of white acrylic (as diffusers) to produce the incredible lighting and exactly the right consistency of fluid to produce the photogenic droplet. We love how the edge of the water bowl was used to create a horizon line to fabricate a sky.

It’s not by happenchance that this fuschia flowerhead looks like a pirouetting ballerina. John had the image in mind and specifically set out to find the perfect subject. The movement was created by using a shutter speed of 1/40 sec and firing the shutter as the flower was held by its stem and spun using the thumb and forefinger. Experimentation was key, before this beautiful final image was select.

Intentional camera movement is an abstract photography mainstay and although woodland is a popular subject, you’d be hard pressed to find a better example of forest-themed ICM imagery than this. The perfect vertical panning looks stunning and we love the monochrome conversion too!

The Selfridges building in Birmingham is a popular architectural photography subject but its abstract style lends itself to creative photography too, as proven by this fine close-up. The narrow aperture of f/13 is crucial here, producing a large enough depth of field to render the entire building in focus.

Wildlife photography presents plenty of fantastic opportunities for abstract imagery. This image has used a slow enough shutter speed to blur the movement of these godwits, while retaining enough speed to capture their form so the viewer can still identify the subjects.

Coloured gels and no fewer than four flashes were used to capture this incredible close-up image of oil droplets on water. The gorgeous purple hues, super-sharp bubbles and inviting composition really make this image stand out. A stunning abstract photograph!

This painterly image is a fantastic example of intentional camera movement photography. It can be tempting to dial in an exposure that’s too slow and blur the entire image, but the 2/5 sec shutter speed used here has provided the perfect combination of brush-stroke blur and form, rendering the beach scene still visible.