In this article, I want to answer the question, “What is abstract landscape photography?” In the introduction and summary, I must say that abstract landscape photography means not following the standard principles of landscape photography to reduce the volume of information to the audience and obscure the audience’s understanding of the image.
Topics
- What is the concept of abstract landscape photography?
- The standards that we must violate in abstract landscape photography!!
- Deliberate movement of the camera vs. keeping it still
- Not using the horizon line in the images
- Extreme low or high exposure is effective in creating abstract
- Abstract seascape photography
- Changing typical to abnormal composition
- Using reflections in landscape images to create abstracts
- Aerial landscape photography
- Conclusion
- Sources
What is the concept of abstract landscape photography?
Landscape photography is an old and popular art style, and like any other method of photography, it has its own rules. Focus and composition are among these rules. The rules give you an accurate, beautiful, and detailed image.
Like all types of abstract photography, abstract landscape photography attempts to present a vague image to the audience; the goal is to challenge the audience’s mind and stimulate the audience’s imagination. ( To view more abstract photos, visit the Abstract Photos of Nature post)
When a person sees an abstract image at first, he cannot fully understand what he is looking at. After a while, the viewer can guess what the subject of the photo is. After that, guesses and imagination begin about the components of the image, which may not match reality.
Abstract photography generally aims to generate debate and doubt about the nature of reality. For this reason, abstract landscape photography breaks the rules of photography and deliberately tries to present a photo with low accuracy.
All abstract landscape photos are not entirely blurred images, and the components of the picture are precise. In these cases, the type of image and composition make it difficult to recognize the content of the photo. You can take a look at the Fine art abstract photography article if you’d like to read more about abstract photography.
The standards that we must violate in abstract landscape photography!!
Deliberate movement of the camera vs. keeping it still
While learning photography, we are usually taught to hold the camera steady and firmly in our hands to prevent the photo from blurring. This issue is a fundamental principle that includes landscape photography. Please take a look at Fine art landscape photography to read more articles about landscape photography.
However, we intentionally violate this principle in abstract landscape photography by adding some blur to the image. The goal is to make the image vague in the audience’s mind.
How much each image should be blurred is entirely a matter of taste. It depends on the subject and the photographer. You may even decide not to use this method for abstract photography and instead use the techniques I will describe later.
Impressionistic landscape photography
In impressionistic landscape photography, the photographer creates blurred and abstract images by moving the camera vertically or horizontally. At the same time, as the camera moves, the shutter speed is set to low.
Please take a look at High Quality Landscape Photos Gallery to see more images
Representational landscape photography is the opposite of abstract and impressionistic landscape photography because, unlike these two styles, it tries to present reality to the audience precisely as it is.
Not using the horizon line in the images
The horizon line is usually a permanent part of landscape photography. In abstract photography, it is generally removed. The camera angle is mostly downwards or upwards, like shooting clouds.
Extreme low or high exposure is effective in creating abstract
In landscape photography, in normal mode, the photographer tries to make the amount of exposure proportional to the ambient light; in the abstract version, on the contrary, there is a tendency to use too much or too little light.
Too much or too little lighting helps to escape reality and make the image vague.
Abstract seascape photography
The seaside is an excellent opportunity for abstract photography of the landscape. The seascape in different situations is a perfect subject for abstracts.
Changing typical to abnormal composition
You can create an abstract from the landscape with an unusual composition without blurring. It is enough to take the camera toward the trees or bushes that it is difficult for the audience to determine the correct position.
Please take a look at Abstract Photos of Nature Gallery to see more images
Using reflections in landscape images to create abstracts
The reflection can create a beautiful abstract landscape if it covers a large part of the image. Reflections may exist in the scene or be created by software during editing.
Aerial landscape photography
This style refers to high-altitude photography. The images obtained by this method from the coasts, mountains, and rivers can be considered abstract.
Photographers use drones or airplanes to take these photos. If you are climbing a high mountain by the sea, you will have an excellent opportunity to photograph the small islands near the coast in this style.
Conclusion
For abstract landscape photography, instead of following the standard principles of photography, you must create images by violating them so that the audience cannot find out the concept of the photo in the first place.