Abstract Thinking...

Or is it thinking in abstract???

A number of years ago now, 2021 to be exact, I took a workshop "Creative Exploration: Pushing your Photographic Boundaries and Lightroom" led by Julia Cumes at Miami University (Ohio). It was part of Miami U's "CraftSummer Program", which I believe has been discontinued ("on pause" they say - unfortunate). Outside of the Tremont Institute Photography Workshops, any other workshop I attend, I pay particular attention to the leader(s)/instructor(s) as I prefer to have photographers with styles and/or interests different than my own. I learn more from them. In this particular case, Julia brings a totally different eye to travel photography than I do. The condensed college class approach with daily assignments (vice weekly) was also unique to prior workshops I'd taken.

Anyway, every workshop I attend has something that sticks and alters or has an impact on my photography in one way or another. In Julia's case, the assignment on "Abstract" really stuck with me. I always shot "details", many to the point that they were a bit abstract. But the assignment and presentation she gave really stuck with me. I was thinking of her workshop when I revisted the first photo below for a rework and then again when I took the four following photos with my iPhone on a walk this weekend.

Into the Void

Abstract #1

Abrstact #2

Abstract #3 - Rivers and Canyons

Abstract #4 - The Tree

Glitter

I have been fascinated the past few days with the sparkles in the snow. Here are some of my favorite from this week.


Billions and Billions of stars in the sky snow.

Blue Ice

The Leaf Cave

A Glacier in Thyme

Making Space

The Wood Has Eyes

My slightly larger project during my week at the beach required a few days of thinking and observing followed by about an hour of actual photography time. Over the span of two days, I took "portraits" of the eyes and faces I imagined in the lumber of the steps, deck and walkway to the beach. Here are a handful of my favorites.

Giraffe Says Hello

Owl Says Who

Why The Long Face?

Sad Elephant

Watching

Ice and Frost, Winter is Coming

I haven't been as active with my camera the past month or so. Usually a good frost gets me out in the morning to get at least a few photos of plants and other subjects with interesting frost and crystal patterns. This year, I just finally got my butt out a couple days ago. I spent just 10 minutes or so photographing the ice and frost on a glass table on our deck. It was reminiscent of my "Sand Project" during the summer, but much more limited in scope. Here are a half-dozen of the images.


Ice and Frost I

Ice and Frost II

Ice and Frost III

Ice and Frost IV

Ice and Frost V

Ice in His Veins

This Year's Version of Fall

I got around a bit these past couple weeks. No matter where I went, the trees were glorious, especially the maples. Here is a sampling:


Hoye-Crest, MD

Mt. Davis, PA

Earl H. Barnhart "Buzzard's Roost" Nature Preserve, OH

Out The Front Door, OH

Reflection Out the Backdoor, OH

Islands in the Sky

A photo I especially liked from the DLSR part of my The Sand Project



Islands in the Sky

The Sand Project, Part 2 - DSLR

The second half of The Sand Project
I spent a week at the beach recently and decided to do a "project" that would be naturally limited.
Images of the beach sand.

The project was limited by:
Time, I was only at the beach a week
Tide times, so the sun would be low enough to get decent shadows and contrast
People/crowds, I didn't want contend with too many people or footprints in my photos

I took two walks with my iPhone, and two walks with my "real" camera (A Canon EOS 6D Mk1 for those who might care).

Here are a half-dozen of the "real" camera images.


A Walk on the Beach

The Rapids

Sunrise

Calm

The Wilds

The Keys

The Sand Project, Part 1 - iPhone

I spent a week at the beach recently and decided to do a "project" that would be naturally limited.
Images of the beach sand.

The project was limited by:
Time, I was only at the beach a week
Tide times, so the sun would be low enough to get decent shadows and contrast
People/crowds, I didn't want contend with too many people or footprints in my photos

I took two walks with my iPhone, and two walks with my "real" camera (A Canon EOS 6D Mk1 for those who might care).

Here are a half-dozen of the iPhone images.


Scales

Creature From the Deep

Whale Tail

Tropical Islands

The Tree of Life
>

Reflections

Blue

Another phone photo from this afternoon

I like abstracts and photos that feature one color in various shades and brightness. I think of them sort of as _____ (fill in the color) and white.
This is "blue"


Blue

Answer To The Commonly Asked Question:

What is the best camera?

The one you have with you!

Two phone photos taken today while pacing in the waiting room of a hospital, waiting for a loved one to get out of surgery.


Abstract I

Abstract II

A "Project"

As I was cleaning up and wiping down the kitchen floors, I started seeing things in the knots like you "see" things in clouds
I took it upon myself to get my camera out, mount it on the tripod and take photos of the eyes I saw. I took about 2 dozen photos in just shy of an hour.
Here are some of my favorites.


Peek-a-Boo

Alligator Eye

Squirrel Morphs to Bird

Giraffe Eye

Dog, Feat Right Ear

Winter Weather

A couple from an ice storm 5 years ago and a couple from a snow storm a few days ago



Abstract Ice

Iced Tree

Snow Twigs

Snow Tree