50 Awe-Inspiring Examples of Abstract Photography

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Metropolis Abstracted #21

Posted in Photography Articles
Text and Images by Andrew Prokos

In my previous article, Abstract Photography as Contemporary Fine Art, I tied the genre of abstract photography to contemporary art and discussed the challenges that this particular genre faces in being accepted as fine art. In this article I delve into the actual creation of my own abstract series and present examples to illustrate the creative process.  I will illustrate using images from the series Gehry’s Children, Audacity of Color, ‘Refections On’, Metropolis Abstracted, Inverted, and Sylvan Landscapes. They are all very different approaches based on isolation of forms, repeated patterns, and mirroring of images. Read on below to see fifty of these striking abstract images. You can see all of my entire abstract photography collection at the link below.

Abstract Photography Examples & Series

1. Gehry’s Children – Isolated Forms & Textures
2. Sylvan Landscapes – Nature & Trees
3. Metropolis Abstracted – Mirrored Architectural Details
4. Inverted – Close-Up Views, Repeated Patterns & Negative Color
5. Archistracts – Mirrored Facades
6. Reflections On – Reflections on Glass Facades
7. Audacity of Color – Reflections on Metal Surfaces
8. Abstract Photographs in Art Exhibitions
9. Abstract Photography Videos

Gehry’s Children

Gehry’s Children was my first foray into architectural abstraction by isolating shapes and textures from one of architect Frank Gehry’s buildings, the Museum of Popular Culture in in Seattle, Washington. I have always been fascinated by the way Frank Gehry incorporates materiality into his buildings, something which he pioneered as an architect. The series used close-up views of the sinuous forms to deconstruct the building and capture distinct patterns derived from the exterior’s materiality. The titanium skin changes in tone depending on the time of day and the color of the light reflected on the surface. My intent is to bring the viewer closer to the building and give them access to another way of seeing it.

Gehry’s Children has won numerous awards, including Silver Medals at the International Photography Awards, the Prix de la Photographie, and the London International Creative Competition. The series was recently exhibited at 21_21 DesignSight museum in Tokyo as part of the exhibition Architect Frank Gehry – I Have An Idea.

Gehry’s Children #1

Gehry’s Children #3

Gehry’s Children #5

Gehry’s Children #10

Gehry’s Children #11

Gehry’s Children #9

Sylvan Landscapes

Sylvan Landscapes is a series of abstract photographs of trees and woodland landscapes. I was eager to get back out into nature again during the pandemic in 2020, and I had the idea to create a series based on trees. As the series progressed and I started experimenting with the images something entirely new emerged.

The series is conceptual in nature as the scenes are pre-visualized and the images are captured specifically for use in this series. I first scout the locations specifically for the type of tree canopies I am looking for. I then capture the landscape by shooting numerous images which are merged to produce a very detailed high-definition image serving as the basis for each landscape. This also allows me to produce large-scale and highly detailed prints from the series. Continuing the process, the single image is reflected in a process that reveals the intriguing hidden patterns of nature. The final artwork conveys a sense of mystery and awe derived from the power and beauty inherent in the natural world.

Sylvan Landscape #1

Sylvan Landscape #7

Sylvan Landscape #8

Sylvan Landscape #2

Sylvan Landscape #4

Metropolis Abstracted

Metropolis Abstracted is an ongoing series of architectural abstractions which incorporate elements of contemporary architecture such as building facades, close-up details, and reflections on glass. It is one of the more conceptual series illustrated in this article. The series takes a step further toward pure abstraction, completely cutting the link to the original source image as a point of reference. Each abstraction is composed of one unique image, which through the process of mirroring reveals more complex visual relationships. The basic premise is to utilize the simplest means possible to create images that engage the viewer and provide a springboard for their own imagination.

Metropolis Abstracted has been published at Artsy, Medium Format  Magazine, and Widewalls Art Magazine. The series was awarded a jury selection at American Photography 37 in New York, and received honorable mentions at the Prix de la Photographie in Paris and the Neutral Density Photo Awards.

Metropolis Abstracted #2

Metropolis Abstracted #3

Metropolis Abstracted #7

Metropolis Abstracted #4

Metropolis Abstracted #5

Metropolis Abstracted #24

Metropolis Abstracted #23

Metropolis Abstracted #32

Metropolis Abstracted #30

Inverted

Inverted is an experimental photography series inspired by the modernist and futuristic architecture of the Middle East. Through the use of negative imagery, the series portrays an architectural wonderland of bold color fields, abstraction, and close-up views which give us just a glimpse of the inhabitants’ lives. A bit more about the series from my interview with Widewalls Art Magazine:

“Inverted makes use of very bold negative color imagery and close-up details and patterns. The intent is to shift the viewer’s perception of the mundane, in order to see it in a new way. The close-up facades of these Modernist buildings in Abu Dhabi, Dubai or Sharjah offer a glimpse of the lives of the inhabitants. They are occupied spaces, and that humanizes the series a bit. Often the balconies of these 1970’s and 1980’s buildings have lots of personal effects on them…laundry hanging out to dry, exercise bicycles, carpets, baby strollers, etc. When looked at in the negative (inverted) realm they take on all kinds of beautiful hues and become enticing and enigmatic objects to behold. This is not me colorizing the scene, but the exact opposite of the positive perception of the scene…”

Large-format photographs from the series are displayed at a scale of up to 2.5 meters in size. Inverted has been published at DesignBoom, Harper’s Bazaar Art, Artsy, and in the Style section of CNN Arabic. The series was awarded a silver medal at the 2020 International Photography Awards and was awarded an Honorable Mention at the 2020 Prix de la Photographie in Paris. A selection of large-scale photographs from Inverted are included in a solo exhibition “Andrew Prokos: New Abstraction” at GalleryX in Sharjah, UAE.

Inverted – Circle Facade

Inverted – ZigZag Facade #1

Inverted – Dubai Reflections #1

Inverted – Sheikh Zayed Road Giants #2

Inverted – Arabesque Facade

Inverted – Linear Facade #1

Inverted – Mesh Facade

Inverted – Dome Nexus #1

Archistracts

Archistracts is an ongoing series of large-scale architectural abstract photographs. Contemporary architecture is captured and used as the building blocks in these surrealistic compositions. I approach this from an experimental perspective, capturing numerous angles and structures to arrive at the final compositions. While looking at these examples it’s important to remember the scale. Limited edition prints from the series are available as fine art prints up to 120 inches in size.

Archistracts – Blue Dubai

Archistracts – Chelsea Modern

Archistracts – Chelsea Classic

Archistracts – Modernist Atrium

Archistracts – Structured Rhythym

Archistracts – Inside Out

Archistracts – Bright Day #2

Archistracts – Bright Day #1

Archistracts – Ultra Violet

Reflections On

Over the course of my career shooting architecture I have always captured interesting reflections on building facades and various surfaces. ‘Reflections On’ is a collection of abstract images from New York, London, Dubai, and other locations. The goal is to capture intriguing patterns one finds as a by-product of the urban environment and to elevate those images to stand on their own. They take the form of partially or completely abstracted reflections that do not reference any particular edifice or built structure.

Chromatic Abstract #1 and #2 are based on reflections from the highly polished Vessel in New York City. In these images I worked hard to isolate patterns that didn’t show the more mundane location. Palace Reflections #1 and #3 are also images captured from a highly-polished metallic surface found in Abu Dhabi, UAE, but the tonality of the images is radically different. These images capture the warm tones of the rich marble and stonework found in the interior of the enormous Qasr Al Watan Palace in Abu Dhabi. I particularly like how the various Islamic architectural motifs are fractured into pieces and skewed, lending the images a surreal feeling while still being rooted in classical forms.

Reflections on a Black Glass Facade, London #3

Reflections on a Silver Glass Facade, Lower Manhattan

Reflections on a Black Glass Facade, London #1

Reflections on a Black Glass Facade, Dubai

Reflections on a Glass Facade, Lower Manhattan

Reflections on a Yellow Glass Facade, Abu Dhabi

Chromatic Abstract #1

Chromatic Abstract #2

Audacity of Color

Audacity of Color is an offshoot of my series Gehry’s Children, also released in 2012. The series plays with the materiality found in the interior of Seattle’s MoPOP museum, namely the highly polished mirror-like metallic surfaces. I was fascinated by the reflections produced on these surfaces, and especially when the reflections included vivid pops of color.

Audacity of Color #4

Audacity of Color #1

Audacity of Color #5

Audacity of Color #3

Abstract Photography Exhibitions – Images

Abstract Photography in Videos

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