Abstract

Guggenheim Abstracts

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We recently had a chance to visit the Guggenheim museum in Bilbao. Aside from the exhibitions inside, the building itself is a masterpiece that was designed by the amazing American architect, Frank Gehry. The building is mostly known for its titanium cladding and twisted intersecting forms. These photographs were taken of the structure inside, deliberately abstracted to exclude as much texture and detail as possible to give an impression of the forms used. Architecture aside, the exhibits in the museum were excellent – and would justify a visit to Bilbao […]

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Abstract

Salamanca Green

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Some images of Ranunculus drawn out in the flow of the Rio Tormes at Salamanca. These were shot from the Roman bridge, using a polarising filter to cut out the reflections from the water and boost the saturation. The 3D-like effect comes from the variation in depth of the plant within the river. We are not entirely sure what the exact plant species is. Some of the white speckles are in reality small white-petaled blossom, but it was difficult to get close enough to inspect the flowers. However, this is almost certainly Ranunculus fluitans, […]

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Abstract

Bubbles – Film Photographs with a Modified 50mm Lens

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Almost all the cameras we use are chosen for their performance and image quality. But sometimes clean images are not what you see or want when interpreting a subject. For this set of images we have used a modified Centon 50mm lens, mounted on an old Minolta film camera.  The Centon was an ultra-budget lens, badged and sold by Jessops in the 1980’s and about as far from a modern Summilux or Otus as you can imagine. It turns out to be very easy to unscrew the mounting for the front element, and re-install it in a […]

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Abstract

Week 1 :: Shadows

Secrets and Lies - Occupation of our home over Christmas
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One benefit of being a street photographer is that creating a photographic record of criminal activity is an instinctive reaction, even if most of the photographs for legal reasons can not be published immediately. These images have been deliberately selected from a few of the more abstract captures this week – caused by an occasional flash misfire or from several attempts to destroy the camera (as in the lead image). The photographs were processed in the frustratingly buggy Capture One Pro 9, and have no content changes or effects other than to obscure facial features in one image below.

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Abstract

Barceloneta Double Exposure

Double exposure on Barceloneta Beach, Barcelona
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Double exposure on HP5+, taken in-camera with the Minolta XDs at Barceloneta‘s San Sebastian beach. Maybe given the outcome of recent COP21 climate talks in Paris, there is a fair chance this is will not be an accurate representation of the area by 2200. After the 120 film frames, the 35mm seem awfully small and grainy…

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Abstract

Abstract II

Abstracted skyscraper (Bibliothèque nationale de France) architecture, Paris. Photoshop composite of a black-and-white film image.
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Another abstract, aiming to construct in a contradiction (I am trying very hard not to call it a supposition) that recalls both direct and inverse characteristics from the previous post. And a slightly more airy view. Leica M7 with ZM 1.5/50 on Ilford HP5+, processed in Photoshop by merging two images.

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Abstract

Abstract

Abstracted bridge architecture, Paris. Photoshop composite of a black-and-white film image.
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Trying something slightly different, with some architectural images shot on film and then modified in Photoshop. All of the grainy reality of film, only without the reality… The first of the set is an old cliché, but fun nonetheless.

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