Types of Street Photography - Abstract Street Photography
Public Square in Nashville
This is the fourth blog on the types of street photography. Candid street photography, street portraiture and geometric street photography, also called graphic street photography, have been the subject of previous blogs. Abstract street photography uses reflections, blurs, shadows, silhouettes and colors to give the feel of an event rather than record the event. In this regard, it is the opposite of candid street photography, whose purpose is to record a moment in time. Like geometric street photography it is generally less intrusive, so if you are a shy photographer, this may be a type of street photography that suits you.
Photo by Patrick Kalberg-Kahn. Used with permission. The use of color and silhouettes, with a dash of text makes this a very appealing abstract street photo for me. You can see Patrick’s gallery on Instagram at @waitingforthecat.
The master of abstract street photography was Saul Leiter. His compositions often had a painterly look to them. Perhaps it is not surprising that he started out as an artist. He used many techniques to give his images the abstract feeling. For example, he shot through things like small openings, which created negative space. He liked to shoot in bad weather which sometimes resulted in minimalist images. He took pictures of reflections which created distortions. He used depth of field in non-standard ways, sometimes bringing out strong colors in blurred objects. Some of his pictures had a collage effect, particularly the pictures that included signs, because he rather famously sometimes used a 150 mm lens, which has a flattening effect.
If you want to try abstract street photography, here are some opportunities to look for:
Make use of foggy surfaces.
Shoot through building or car windows that are dirty, foggy or covered with raindrops. The objects that are closest to the window will be the most in focus.
Photo by Neil Goodwin. Used with permission. This is the ultimate, mysterious portrait in my mind. You can see Neil’s gallery on Instagram at @drneilgoodwin.
Look for architectural glass block, which can vary in color, size, color and form. They can be used in windows, walls, floors or skylights
The Frist Art Museum in Nashville.
Look for reflections.
All sorts of surfaces can be reflective including windows, street puddles, and polished floors.
Photo by Kathryn Bourque. Used with permission. You can see Kathryn’s gallery on Instagram at @katusha666. This is a reflection in a subway. There are possibilities everywhere.
Use motion to blur objects.
Photo by Ron Giacone. Used with permission. Motion and blocks of color are both used in abstract photography compositions. You can see Ron’s gallery on Instagram at @nycdigital.
Use shadows.
Shoot during the golden hour. The low angle of the sun causes long shadows.
Create mystery by partially hiding the subject in shadows.
Make your shadow the main subject. When you do this, flipping the image in post processing can sometimes create an interesting effect.
Use shadows to create negative space.
Photo by Janie Griffin Claiborne. Used with permission. This is a lovely abstraction of Maggie Rogers taken at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville. You can see Janie’s gallery on Instagram at @janiemaeathens.
Take pictures with silhouettes.
Silhouettes can create drama and mystery because they leave a lot to the imagination. Your subject will be silhouetted if it is in front of the light source.
Photo by Jason D. Little. Used with permission. Jason used silhouettes and shadows to take this compelling picture of a father and a son. You can see Jason’s Instagram gallery at @jdevaunphotography, his Instagram film gallery at @halide.hustle and his website j.Devaun Photography.
Exercise
Look at the Instagram accounts of these two contemporary street photographers, Joshua Jackson @joshkjack and Craig Whitehead @sixtreetunder for inspiration.