Throwdown: Abstract Flowers

[Rob Wood (Admin)]

Flowers and foliage shown in a unique or abstract way! Show us what you come up with!

[Rob Wood (Admin)]

Black and white leaf…

[Marty E]

This black and white leaf’s a real beauty, Rob!

[Dahlia Ambrose]

Love the textures on the leaf Rob! Very effective in black and white 🙂

[Patrick]

That is a good one Rob , i have nothing flowery right now but will try 🙂

Only one image came through but now i see the mono , another cracking frame mate.

[Robert Apple]

A Graceful Death

[Robert Apple]

Lichen Macro

[Dahlia Ambrose]

The details on the Lichen are sharp and love the abstract nature too Robert 🙂

[Robert Apple]

Where Death Lies

[LightandShadow]

Not sure this is abstract but I really like its contrast, textures and metaphor.

[Robert Apple]

Thanks Steve, ,

Ive been looking for a clear definition of abstract for a long time, and Ive come to understand, the definition is as abstract as the name applies.

[LightandShadow]

Yeah. I always thought, without actually studying the subject, that abstract emphasized shape, texture, color, obscuring the “real” by highlighting its qualities, often obscuring the object that was its starting point–or not having one at all. I prefer the metaphorical nature of this and other presentations in this thread.

[Marty E]

Love this one, Robert!

 

[Patrick]

Deep Purple -Pixel phone -luminar 3 legacy version.

inside out

Pigs Will Fly

[Robert Apple]

The middle one reminds me of something from Yellow Submarine during the song Nowhere Man, got a real 1970’s vibe.

[Patrick]

I know the yellow sub but not the song not my thing LOL , but cool art in that old stuff Very cool .

[Dahlia Ambrose]

Very abstract Patrick and I like your creative take on the shots, especially the first two! 🙂

[Patrick]

Thank you Dahlia , i have no idea why i added the 3rd picture even i had doubts it lol.

[Marty E]

Misunderstood Tulip

[Robert Apple]

VERY COOL Marty

[lee kivi]

I’m not usually a fan of BW with flowers, but these are an exception. Nice job

[Rob Wood (Admin)]

I am not sure you realise what an honor this is @martye

@elkay Registered 13 years ago, first commented 11 years ago and has been very sparing with his praise 😉

 

[Marty E]

Thank you so much, Lee! I am honored and appreciate your comments. Rob has taught me to appreciate the creative potential for BW, and it’s opened up a new world of delight for me.

@elkay @admin-2

[LightandShadow]

I really like the tones and textures here.

[Marty E]

Thanks, Steve!

[Dahlia Ambrose]

Love the details Marty and the abstract nature of the flower 🙂

[Marty E]

Thank you, Dahlia!

[Tersha]

[Patrick]

I really love that deep red Diane and how the light is revealing those beautiful textured ribs.

Superb 🙂

[Marty E]

Love this one, Tersha! Stunning shot

[Robert Apple]

Looks Like Something Mortica Addams might have in her garden. Pretty cool Diane

[Dahlia Ambrose]

Love the beautiful colour and textures of the petal Diane 🙂

[Robert Apple]

A small slice of a textured world

[LightandShadow]

Not sure how abstract this is but it certainly emphasizes shape, color and texture over identifiable form.

[Rob Wood (Admin)]

I mean, it’s form and shape, so I would’ve said it qualifies as abstract. I don’t think it’s a natural representation so it might even fit Patrick’s definition below too.

[Patrick]

On the subject of ABSTRACT and what is it

Abstract art is a form of art that does not aim to represent a visually accurate reality, but instead uses colors, shapes, forms, and lines to create a composition that can stand independently from real-world references. It emphasizes formal properties rather than recognizable subjects, and can express emotions, spiritual, or psychological dimensions. Abstract art is a broad category that encompasses non-representational and non-objective art and is considered a central part of modern art.

It emphasizes formal properties rather than recognizable subjects – This is the important part and going by what we all posted so far , none of us have it right at least according to this definition.

 

[Robert Apple]

The subject makes me think back to a very controversial piece of so labled “Abstract Art” that was a crucifix depicting Jesus on the cross, mounted in the tray of a urnial. It seems to me that abstract art is whatever the hipster artists think it is in any given year.

[Patrick]

People will always have an opinion which is good but definition as it is wrote is very clear on what it is and generally accepted as such , to accept it or not is totally up to the individual but it is what is is.

[LightandShadow]

this is pretty much how I think of abstract art. There is or can be a fine line between a form that is barely or at least not immediately recognizable as a familiar object–as Marty says–and one that has no relationship to a form like Jackson Pollack’s scattered colors. Still, an image that communicates metaphor by obscuring or simply overwhelming the object’s objective nature probably isn’t an actual abstract, but there’s a line in there somewhere that moves an image from representational by abstracting–in the sense of extracting–qualities from an otherwise recognizable form or its components.

In the meantime, I think I’ll let the images move me.

 

[Marty E]

[Marty E]

[Marty E]

[Marty E]

[Robert Apple]

I firmly agree to Martys response, Being fully honest, Those Kick Ass

[Marty E]

Thanks, Robert! To me, abstract cause us first to wonder what is it??? And then next to understand how it makes us feel emotionally. Abstracts take us out of the realm of the “known ” stereotypes into other ways of expression that makes us see and feel new things. No right or wrong answers, it’s only about how a piece makes you feel and gives you new insights.

 

[Rob Wood (Admin)]

Ahh, Marty’s black-and-white flowers. They kind of setting a standard for us at the moment. Incredible pieces of photography.

[Marty E]

Thanks so much for your enthusiasm and encouragement for my black and white flowers, Rob! I’m leaning into the world of chiaroscuro, it’s fun getting lost in it trying to bring out an emotional and dramatic effect with contrast between the darks and lights

[Frogdaily]

[Frogdaily]

[Frogdaily]

[Patrick]

This is a lovely looking image light and airy 🙂

[Frogdaily]

Thank you Patrick

[Rob Wood (Admin)]

Oof, @frogdaily really throwing down with that one. Very nice work indeed.

[Frogdaily]

Thank you Rob, I do have this one printed large and hanging on my wall

[Rob Wood (Admin)]

Yeah, I can certainly see why. It’s a cracker..

[Dahlia Ambrose]

These abstract flower photos are stunning Belinda. Beautifully soft focus and colours too 🙂

[Frogdaily]

Thank you so much Dahlia

[Robert Apple]

Pastels aren’t usually my thing, but you got me with that last one Belinda.

[Frogdaily]

Thank you so much Robert

[Frogdaily]

[LightandShadow]

Here’s an image based on a photo my wife made of me during one of our trips to the mountains. There were a couple of batches of Mountain Laurel embedded in the rock face along with other greenery. The processing work has some stylistic qualities of a variety of abstract art, even though the objects themselves are highly recognizable. The treatment, though, is intended to depersonalize it while making it more general and conveying a feeling about an activity: the picture’s description to my viewers is “Why in the world is this old man pointing a camera at a bunch of rocks?”

[Marty E]

Exploring how subtle changes in contrast can change mood.

[Marty E]

[Patrick]

[Rob Wood (Admin)]

Love the concept, mate.

[Patrick]

Thank you mate 🙂

[Marty E]

Necromancer (Does this count as Flora? @admin-2)

[Marty E]

Digital art (Krita Paintbrush)

 

[Holly K]

Some beautiful Monet influence in these art pieces!

[Marty E]

[Marty E]

[Dail F]

Marti, I love the black and whites, especially the tulip. Beautiful work.

[Marty E]

Thank you, Dail! Your floral abstracts are stunning 😀

[Rob Wood (Admin)]

I feel like Marty is body slamming us all. These are stunning, Marty.

[Marty E]

Thank you, @admin-2! I feel like I’ve finally found the “style” I love best, BE floral chiaroscuro.  Your encouragement with BW showed me the way & now I’m learning more about the finer points. Tulips are my faves, good thing I have thousands to choose from every year 😀

[Tersha]

[Dahlia Ambrose]

Lovely abstract Diane 🙂

[Dail F]

I visited Gibbs Gardens in Georgia this weekend to photograph wildflowers and butterflies. It started out cloudy and windy so I took advantage of both with a long exposure. 

[Dail F]

Here’s another long exposure using the clouds and wind. It’s a Garden Cosmos. Is it too abstract?

[Dahlia Ambrose]

This one is stunning Dail. Love how you have used the long exposure technique for flower abstracts. Love how it has turned out and the colours are beautiful too. 🙂 Did you use a tripod or hand-held the camera?

[Dail F]

@dahliaambrose  Thank you very much! I actually used my iphone, hand-held. I just purchased  two macro lenses for it and am learning how to use them.

[Jean T]

ICM (Intentional Camera Movement) with low speed.

[Tersha]

Beautiful Jean!

[Rob Wood (Admin)]

Oh, that is a very good addition to this thread – @jeant  probably one of my favourites actually. Well done on both the idea and the execution.

You’ve already got me wishing I had tried this when I was at a tulip festival a while back.

[Dahlia Ambrose]

Looks stunning Jean 🙂

[Tersha]

[Rob Wood (Admin)]

That is a stunner @tersha – so technically perfect and still maintaining your own style. Well done.

[Tersha]

Thanks Rob!

[Dahlia Ambrose]

Love the layers. Very beautiful Diane 🙂

[Tersha]

Thanks Dahlia.

[Tersha]

[Dahlia Ambrose]

Another stunner Diane and love those moody colours 🙂

[Rob Wood (Admin)]

Another complete stunner.

[Volodymyr Sorin]

Not sure about the abstract part but this one is strange non the less))

[Robert Apple]

A much closer view or tighter crop on the bottom one and its definitely abstract, could resemble a white beard. Are these milk weed, its a common plant in Wyoming that looks very similar.

[Rob Wood (Admin)]

I like that one a lot @vsorin

[Dahlia Ambrose]

Looks very beautiful Volodymyr 🙂

[Stefanie Markham]

[Robert Apple]

Look’s like my wife’s duster, good abstract.

[Stefanie Markham]

Thank you!  I struggled with this one.  It is the “beard” of a bearded iris.

[Dahlia Ambrose]

Very nice abstract Stefanie 🙂

[Stefanie Markham]

Thank you!

[Rob Wood (Admin)]

Very nice @stef

[Stefanie Markham]

Thanks Rob!

[David Baack]

“Portal” 2025

[David Baack]

[Rob Wood (Admin)]

That is a stunner @davidbaackphoto

[David Baack]

Thank you!

[Dahlia Ambrose]

Love the layered petals and pretty colour David 🙂

[Stefanie Markham]

This is stunning @davidbaackphoto.

[Robert Apple]

This just makes me think of being stoned on pain killers after a
double knee replacement, most every thing looked a bit weird.

[Dahlia Ambrose]

Love the glistening frost Robert. Stunning abstract and textures 🙂

[Robert Apple]

Thanks Dahlia

[Holly K]

[Dahlia Ambrose]

Love the textures and colours Holly 🙂

[Holly K]

Thank you!

[Rob Wood (Admin)]

Love how that sharpness really draws the eye, @hkurtz2

[Frogdaily]

[Dahlia Ambrose]

Beautiful and soft photo Belinda 🙂

[Robert Apple]

The water droplets just add the right touch Belinda.

[bucweeet]

That’s a great image, Belinda!

[bucweeet]

I took a little bit of artistic licence interpreting the theme… trees are close??

[Rob Wood (Admin)]

We’ll allow it this time @paul-3  😉

Lovely shot.

[bucweeet]

Thanx Rob.  I’ll me more judicious with my interpretations from now on.  🙂

 

[bucweeet]

Canalilly…

 

 

 

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