Abstract imagery

I'm incredibly drawn to this image; mostly I think that it is because of the colours. I love the strong green background, the paler green stems, and the pink tips. It all just works. But there's something about the composition that doesn't quite work for me. I do appreciate the razor-thin depth-of-field, but being so very low across the bottom of the frame is a little unbalanced. I wouldn't recommend going across the middle at all, but perhaps think about using your diagonals more.

Perusing the coloured papers in my local artist's supply shop was always a favourite activity as a child. I can see why you might have wanted to capture this and how you can interpret it as being abstract. When you're taking a photo that is so strongly geometric, it is important to ensure that the lines and angles are perfect. In this instance, I would recommend having the shelves perfectly level and the metals rails lined up exactly down the centre of the frame. In this instance, it would be better than an off-centre composition.

My immediate reaction on seeing this image was that it deserved to be acknowledged. I am not, as a general rule, inclined towards square-cropped images; however, this image is so well balanced and composed that a square crop is clearly a considered choice. It is the striking dynamic in this image, together with its strong composition, that I find appealing. This incredibly strong composition is enhanced by the subtle amber focal point that contrasts against the black and white. Well done.

A lot of time and thought has been devoted to this image. There are touches to it that I especially like, too, for example that the reflected image of the man in the bottom half of the image is the one that holds the details while the upper figure is totally in shadow. However, from my perspective, this is an image that adheres more closely to the principles of surrealism than abstractism. Sometimes, it pays to think in very small details, rather than in big pictures.

Whether you are shooting an abstract image or something altogether more conventional, the first question that you need to address is 'What's the story?' All photos need to tell a story and convey something to the viewer. I would suggest that this is what you need to ask yourself here and be confident in expressing it, too. I'm not certain of what you are trying to tell me. When you have a strong story, it gives you the direction to photograph it.

I love the simplicity of this image. The lines are simultaneously soothing and drawing. They work just as intended to pull you into the scene without distraction. You've managed the vignette well to contribute to this effect, too. I'm intrigued to know how you shot this, because the angle is unusual and the composition is pleasing to the eye. By excluding any and all background that would provide context for the shot, you've created a good abstract photo. Well done.

This photo is a great example of an abstract image. It is based on a real scene – a street, with someone carrying an umbrella against the rain – but it has been obscured by the rain. When you have taken a moment to appreciate it, you can work out what it is, but it isn't instantly obvious. I like that the scene is relatively colourful but feel that there is a bit of a hole in the composition in the lower right quadrant. Some more balance to the scene would have helped.

I like this image a lot. I like the leading lines that draw you into the scene and through the photo. I like the repetition of the lamps and the shadows. It has the potential to be a great abstract image, too. What holds it back from being great is the sliver of the buildings outside of this scene, peeking through behind the first pillar on the right. This gives the scene context, which breaks the spell of the abstract. Nearly there, but not quite.

In your notes, you ask us to guess which animal your photo is depicting. I have to be honest and say that I do not know. However, I am firmly of the opinion that these are feathers and that this is, therefore, a bird. And even if I cannot name the bird, this concept, the story, and the composition, support the abstract nature of this competition's challenge.

I think that the composition here, emphasising the concentric rings and contrasting colours, is effective, and that the textures have been captured well. Would I have liked a little more sharpness? Probably. All the same: well done!

There is so much to like about this photo: the sharp focus on the individual stem and water droplet, the strong colours, and the subject matter itself. For me, what lets it down is the composition. I am a lover of both negative space and radical subject placement. Having the sharp water droplet so close to the centre of the frame is just a little flat. Put it all the way up in the top left, or bring it far further down into the bottom right. Get creative!

This photo drew my eye because it is simultaneously so obvious and so obscure. This, to my mind, is a great representation of the abstract ideal. I like how the subject is so appreciably a zip, but has been photographed in such a way that it becomes something more than a fastening mechanism. Instead, it takes on an alternative purpose – it is much more like a ski slope. This dual theme really works.

The focal point is sharp. The contrast is good. The subject works and it is thought provoking. Good work.

The underside of a mushroom is a brilliant subject for an abstract photo. They look ever so slightly other-worldly and getting in close ensures that you force the viewer to look twice to determine what you have photographed. I especially like the monochrome image: it's very striking. I'm just ever so slightly distracted by the tiny patch of plain that's in the top right corner. it somehow doesn't fit with the rest of the scene. A minor crop would have elevated this from good to great.