Ursula Abres was born in Argentina and raised in Chile. Over time, she moved to the United States to study at university, and even later moved to Canada permanently. She still lives in British Columbia, Canada. This is a beautiful province. Here the mountain landscape is diluted with a large number of trees, lakes and rivers, waterfalls, rocks and wildlife. This place is perfect for Ursula to live.
She is married and their family has five children. Ursula Abresch's education is related to art and history, but in this moment she devotes most of her time to photography.
2) What precedes the creation of such beautiful works?
The main task is to search and discover what constitutes an object. These are certain basic qualities of any subject that allow you to penetrate into its essence. Identify something fundamental about a subject. This doesn't mean you should just look at the trees or the water. It's more about emotional perception, about mood. Ursula likes to think of all these objects as abstract. So she can put them on the image and at the same time her perception changes, she begins to see, hear and feel them.
In addition, to create such photographs, they must, at a minimum, evoke sympathy. Just like some people prefer black and white photography, or portraits or landscapes. You need to love abstraction. This affects the worldview and the way of thinking. You can appreciate other directions, but abstraction should give you special awe. This should be the reason why you take it on. Actually, this definition is typical for any of your activities.
3) Post-processing of images
Currently, Ursula Abresch only shoots with a digital camera and loves it very much. After all, it gives you much more opportunities for experimentation that you will never get with a film camera. Digital technologies are opening up new ways of self-expression for many people.
When shooting with any camera, the final version of the image is still unknown. In this type of photography, there is simply no way to finally display the image on print or on a monitor without using Photoshop or other photo software to edit the images at some stage. Printing or filming an image is the ultimate goal of the filming process and in the digital world you cannot do this without post-processing.
Even while shooting, it is important to keep in mind that you will be post-processing and presenting possible variant final image.
Some photographers believe that using a bad photo as a base image, you can process it and turn it into a masterpiece. But it's best if you start with a good photo and then edit it to bring out the best in it. Post-processing is nice part creating the final image. The trick is to determine how little or how many changes a particular shot requires. After all, it is very easy not to finish it, as well as to overdo it with processing.
Sometimes the processing process goes very quickly. And sometimes the image doesn’t need editing at all. It is beautiful in itself without modification. In other cases, the process may take some time, during which you will determine which changes are relevant for a particular image. It happens that to improve a photo you will have to process it for quite a long time.
Post-processing an image is not a creative process. After all, you are not creating a thing, but bringing out the best that is in each image. No matter how little or how much work it takes to achieve your goal.
4) Photographic equipment and accessories for shooting
Ursula Abresch uses the following to create her beautiful photographs:
Cameras: Nikon D7000, Nikon D200, Lumix DMC-TS4 (for walking and for nostalgia)
Lenses: Sigma 150mm f/2.8 Macro, Nikon E series MF 75-150mm f/3.5 zoom, Lensbaby 2.0, Sigma 70-300mm f/4-5.6 APO DG Macro, Tokina AF 12-24mm F/4 DX, Nikon AF 50mm f /1.8.
Accessories :
Tripod Vanguard Alta with Manfrotto 486RC2 series tripod head
Flash Metz 36 AF-5
Bag Kata Light Pic 60-DL.
Software security
to edit pictures: Adobe Photoshop CS6 and Photomatix on 27" iMac
Printer Hewlett Packard Photosmart Pro B9180
paper Ursula currently prefers Ilford Gold Fiber.
5) Tips for beginner photographers who are interested in abstract photography
Standard advice for any type of photography:
Understand your equipment and its potential thoroughly. Practice as much as possible. And maximum experiments.
And always remember that the technical aspects are very important, but the main thing is your artistic perception. This is what creates the photograph.
Regarding specifically abstract photos , then a more detailed acquaintance with all forms of abstract art will greatly benefit you. Start watching and reading about it. You will internalize this way of thinking and incorporate it into your worldview and your work.
And one more very important point in abstract photography. It lies in the fact that just because a photograph is beautiful, this does not mean that the viewer will be imbued with it. Typically, abstract works go beyond mere visual beauty. Feelings, mood, history dominate here. Incredible visual appeal combined with a clear mood, story, and feeling are the ingredients that create an impressive abstract image.
In the last century, the abstract movement became a real breakthrough in the history of art, but it was quite natural - people were always in search of new forms, properties and ideas. But even in our century, this style of art raises many questions. What is abstract art? Let's talk about this further.
Abstract art in painting and art
In style abstractionism the artist uses a visual language of shapes, contours, lines and colors to interpret the subject. This contrasts with traditional art forms, which take a more literary interpretation of the subject - conveying "reality". Abstractionism moves as far away from classical fine art as possible; represents the objective world completely differently than in real life.
Abstract art challenges the mind of the observer as well as his emotions - to fully appreciate a work of art, the observer must free himself from the need to understand what the artist is trying to say, but must feel the response emotion for himself. All aspects of life lend themselves to interpretation through abstract art - faith, fears, passions, reactions to music or nature, scientific and mathematical calculations, etc.
This movement in art arose in the 20th century, along with cubism, surrealism, dadaism and others, although exact time unknown. The main representatives of the abstract art style in painting are considered to be such artists as Wassily Kandinsky, Robert Delaunay, Kazimir Malevich, Frantisek Kupka and Piet Mondrian. We will talk further about their creativity and important paintings.
Paintings by famous artists: abstract art
Wassily Kandinsky
Kandinsky was one of the pioneers of abstract art. He began his search in impressionism, and only then came to the style of abstractionism. In his work, he exploited the relationship between color and form to create an aesthetic experience that embraced both the vision and the emotions of the viewer. He believed that complete abstraction provides scope for deep, transcendent expression, and copying reality only interferes with this process.
Painting was deeply spiritual for Kandinsky. He sought to convey the depth of human emotion through a universal visual language of abstract shapes and colors that would transcend physical and cultural boundaries. He saw abstractionism as an ideal visual mode that can express the artist's "inner necessity" and convey human ideas and emotions. He considered himself a prophet whose mission was to share these ideals with the world, for the benefit of society.
"Composition IV" (1911)
Hidden in bright colors and clear black lines depict several Cossacks with spears, as well as boats, figures and a castle on top of a hill. Like many paintings from this period, it imagines an apocalyptic battle that will lead to eternal peace.
To facilitate the development of a non-objective style of painting, as described in his work On the Spiritual in Art (1912), Kandinsky reduces objects to pictographic symbols. By removing most references to to the outside world, Kandinsky expressed his vision in a more universal way, translating the spiritual essence of the subject through all these forms into a visual language. Many of these symbolic figures were repeated and refined in his later works, becoming even more abstract.
Kazimir Malevich
Malevich's ideas about form and meaning in art somehow lead to a concentration on the theory of abstract art style. Malevich worked with different styles in painting, but was most focused on the study of pure geometric shapes (squares, triangles, circles) and their relationship to each other in pictorial space.
Thanks to his contacts in the West, Malevich was able to convey his ideas about painting to artist friends in Europe and the United States, and thus profoundly influence the evolution of modern art.
"Black Square" (1915)
The iconic painting “Black Square” was first shown by Malevich at an exhibition in Petrograd in 1915. This work embodies the theoretical principles of Suprematism developed by Malevich in his essay “From Cubism and Futurism to Suprematism: New Realism in Painting.”
On the canvas in front of the viewer there is an abstract form in the form of a black square drawn on a white background - it is the only element of the composition. Although the painting appears simple, there are elements such as fingerprints and brush strokes visible through the black layers of paint.
For Malevich, the square signifies feelings, and the white signifies emptiness, nothingness. He saw the black square as a god-like presence, an icon, as if it could become a new sacred image for non-figurative art. Even at the exhibition, this painting was placed in the place where an icon is usually placed in a Russian house.
Piet Mondrian
Piet Mondrian, one of the founders of the Dutch De Stijl movement, is recognized for the purity of his abstractions and methodical practice. He simplified the elements of his paintings quite radically in order to represent what he saw not directly, but figuratively, and to create a clear and universal aesthetic language in his canvases.
In his most famous paintings from the 1920s, Mondrian reduced his forms to lines and rectangles and his palette to its simplest. The use of asymmetrical balance became fundamental in the development of modern art, and his iconic abstract works remain influential in design and are familiar to popular culture today.
"The Gray Tree" (1912)
"The Gray Tree" is an example of Mondrian's early transition to style abstractionism. Three-dimensional wood is reduced to the simplest lines and planes, using just grays and blacks.
This painting is one of a series of works by Mondrian that were created with a more realistic approach, where, for example, trees are represented in a naturalistic manner. While later works became increasingly abstract, for example, the lines of a tree are reduced until the shape of the tree is barely noticeable and secondary to the overall composition of vertical and horizontal lines.
Here you can also see Mondrian's interest in abandoning the structured organization of lines. This step was significant for Mondrian's development of pure abstraction.
Robert Delaunay
Delaunay was one of the earliest artists of the abstract art style. His work influenced the development of this direction, based on the compositional tension that was caused by the opposition of colors. He quickly fell under the neo-impressionist coloristic influence and very closely followed the color scheme of works in the style of abstractionism. He considered color and light to be the main tools with which one can influence the reality of the world.
By 1910, Delaunay made his own contribution to Cubism in the form of two series of paintings depicting cathedrals and the Eiffel Tower, which combined cubic forms, the dynamics of movement and bright colors. This new way The use of color harmony helped to separate this style from orthodox Cubism, receiving the name Orphism, and immediately influenced European artists. Delaunay’s wife, artist Sonia Turk-Delone, continued to paint in the same style.
"Eiffel Tower" (1911)
Delaunay's main work is dedicated to the Eiffel Tower, the famous symbol of France. This is one of the most impressive of a series of eleven paintings dedicated to the Eiffel Tower between 1909 and 1911. It is painted bright red, which immediately distinguishes it from the grayness of the surrounding city. The impressive size of the canvas further enhances the grandeur of this building. Like a ghost, the tower rises above the surrounding houses, metaphorically shaking the very foundations of the old order.
Delaunay's painting conveys this feeling of boundless optimism, innocence and freshness of a time that has not yet witnessed two world wars.
Frantisek Kupka
František Kupka is a Czechoslovakian artist who paints in the style abstractionism, graduated from the Prague Academy of Arts. As a student, he primarily drew on patriotic themes and wrote historical compositions. His early works were more academic, however, his style evolved over the years and eventually moved into abstract art. Written in a very realistic manner, even his early works contained mystical surreal themes and symbols, which was preserved when writing abstractions.
Kupka believed that the artist and his work take part in a continuous creative activity, the nature of which is unlimited, like an absolute.
“Amorpha. Fugue in two colors" (1907-1908)
Beginning in 1907-1908, Kupka began to paint a series of portraits of a girl holding a ball in her hand, as if she were about to play or dance with it. He then developed more and more schematic images of it, and eventually received a series of completely abstract drawings. They were made in a limited palette of red, blue, black and white.
In 1912, at the Salon d'Automne, one of these abstract works was publicly exhibited in Paris for the first time.
The style of abstractionism does not lose its popularity in painting of the 21st century - lovers of modern art are not averse to decorating their home with such a masterpiece, and works in this style go under the hammer at various auctions for fabulous sums.
The following video will help you learn even more about abstractionism in art:
Abstract photography seems to be something elusive and difficult to describe with a specific term. This may be due to the abstract nature of the idea of “abstraction” and the ingrained misconceptions about this type of photography.
Many described this topic from my subjective point of view, and in this article I will try to present my structure of work with abstract photography. It will be neither right nor wrong, but it can be applied to your work, thought process, and creative ideas.
What is abstraction? A whole discussion can be started based on this question. Photographers are forever tied to the subjects they photograph. The inextricable connection with “reality” creates the illusion that we always see a photograph in front of us anything and this sometimes sets the tone of the photo, or completely ruins it. This way of looking at photography relies on seeing the subject in the world around it, relying on their connection together.
IN general outline, abstraction is a process during which information is carefully removed, leaving only outlines and weakening the object-photo connection. For example, take a piece of paper and a pen, place your hand with your fingers apart and trace it.
Now you only have an outline, a model of the hand without skin texture, color, depth of shape, etc. She doesn't even have fingerprints! This is roughly how abstraction works, we discard some of the information and leave only what we need. The outline shown in the screenshot above is not necessarily my hand. Thus, the connection between subject and image is lost.
Abstract ideas are more generalized than their original subjects. For example, the concept of “food” is more abstract than “fruit,” but “apple” is already specific. There may be an even more detailed option - “green apple”. In this way, a transition is made from abstraction to a precise concept.
You may say: “But the drawing clearly shows that this is a hand. How can this be an abstract image? This is a trap of misunderstanding that many fall into. Images become abstract not because they are no longer recognizable. This happens due to the fact that they convey not the object itself, but its other qualities - lines, textures, color, shape, patterns, rhythm, etc.
Ways to Create an Abstract Photograph
If abstraction moves away from certain and concrete things, how do we direct its movement? Let me say that all photographs are abstract to some extent! Every time you take a photo, you point your lens at a three-dimensional world and what comes out is a two-dimensional, flat image. You have just left one dimension behind. This is one level of abstraction, despite the fact that we are already accustomed to it.
Also, if you take a color photo and convert it to black and white, you throw away the color information. However, the true meaning of abstract photography goes much deeper than the examples mentioned above.
Abstraction by isolation or exclusion
When looking at a subject, you may see an opportunity to create an abstract photograph, as some areas may contain contrasting lines, textures, colors, shapes or forms that are separate from the subject itself. This can be done either during shooting or by cropping in post-production to isolate areas of interest.
The shot above is one of the types of abstraction in which the underlying object, whatever it may be, is cut away. In the end we are left with two strong lines with sharp edges and an interesting shiny texture. This is no longer a photograph of “something”, but something presented as independent part, separated from the main subject and relying entirely on lines, shapes, patterns, texture, color, rhythm and structure.
Abstractions by increasing distance
As we move away from the subject, information is lost. This may become especially noticeable on long distances, for example, in aerial photography, where visibility decreases as altitude increases.
The photo above is one of the works in my series Infrared landscapes(Infrared Earthscape). I took them from the window of an airplane while flying from Providence to Salt Lake City, using a camera capable of shooting in infrared light. The texture-like features consist of huge hills, mountains and valleys. Everything looks tiny, like skin texture under a microscope. Of course, the thick snow cover also played a role in the abstraction process, removing some details.
Abstraction by reducing the distance
When we get very close to certain subjects, things that are usually subtle can appear as isolated abstract details. The photo above has thick lines coming from an arch-like stripe and a black outline. The object itself becomes intangible. The bright solid orange color further emphasizes the abstractness.
Abstraction in motion
Another way to discard information, thereby creating an abstract photograph, is movement. The subject himself, the photographer, the camera, or all together can move. This can be achieved, for example, by moving the camera upward while shooting trees. While this may eliminate some information, the trees are still a major element, albeit in a more impressionistic manner. I'm talking about a movement that dissolves information to a greater extent, leaving behind some colors, patterns and lines.
The photo above was taken from a moving train late in the evening, somewhere between Providence and Washington. The lines and colors came from the movement of the train and my deliberate rotation of the camera.
Abstraction using random patterns
You may or may not recognize what this photograph represents - it doesn't matter. The key is that I had no control over the creation of this pattern. The only solution was the moment I pressed the shutter button. I was not basing this on what I saw, but on my expectations that the camera should capture the pattern within 5-6 seconds, no matter what shape it was. During the shooting process, I rejected many frames because the result was not interesting to me for certain reasons.
Abstraction by the method of change
Color and shades are important elements of photography. We expect to get a certain connection between different parts of the image and their colors. This expected structure can be changed either in post-processing or during shooting, creating a completely different look for abstract photography.
The photo above is another work from my series Infrared landscapes. It was made using a camera sensitive to infrared light. These photos typically have different colors depending on how they interact with the infrared light and the camera sensor. I also changed the colors myself, adding surrealism. The result is a snapshot of an unnamed area, filled with details that are difficult to recognize. Texture, patterns, lines and new color became structural elements rather than a specific location on the map. Even simple inversion can create interesting abstract images from some photographs.
conclusions
Subject recognition has nothing to do with abstract photography. I believe the fundamental difference is whether the artist is presenting an object or another graphic structure. Look at the work of Aaron Siskind, where you can see peeling paint or a pile of rocks. As this recognition quickly fades, you are left with the photograph's surface and its contents separated from the subject. Another example is a photograph of a house wall by André Kertész, which clearly shows that there is a building in front of us, but there is no point in concentrating on this, because the frame is full of different geometric shapes, creating a strong structure. The photograph may well have abstract qualities or be read in many different ways.
I've outlined my views on creating abstract photographs, giving you something to think about. I use the same structure when looking at other photographers' abstract work. This approach may be useful to you for working or understanding abstract photography, or it may be useless. In any case, I'll be ready to hear your opinions in the comments.
In the Moscow cultural environment it is difficult to surprise with abstract photography, but at the same time there is still no stable direction that would be recognizable and could loudly declare itself. This may be due to anything, but not to the lack of outstanding photographers, especially if we are talking about Moscow. This article is an attempt to overcome the existing information gap in this direction. Perhaps we are so accustomed to being afraid of something unusual that attempts to break out of established frameworks in any area are perceived as rebellion and something hostile.
Abstraction and, in particular, abstract photography is precisely the rejection of the norm, as of chains that hinder the artist. This was the art of, for example, Man Ray, Georgie Kepes and Moholy-Nagy. At some point, they felt cramped within the usual genres and wanted to escape from endless landscapes and portraits. Photography itself soon developed unique methods of producing images, such as solarization, photogram, isohelium, and autography. And now, upon the appearance digital technologies, providing enormous possibilities for image processing, we see a craze for photography, but at the same time abstract art remains something elite and inaccessible. Modern photography is developing at the pace of the 21st century and cannot wait for the public to mature. In this regard, the Association of Abstract Photography “Ecole d`essai photo”, recently created in Moscow, attracts attention due to its dissimilarity to the general trend.
Eight photographers have united under the auspices of “Ecole d`essai photo”, and this union continues to be replenished with new members. For relatively a short time Three exhibitions have already taken place, each of which has brought a new understanding of modern photography and abstraction as such into the cultural life of the capital. In March 2016, their works were exhibited at the Zverev Center for Contemporary Art, in May at the LitKabinet gallery, and in August at the Central House of Architects.
Members of the Association: Georgy Avetisov, Victor Vinokurov, Alexander Gusev, Dmitry Zolotarev, Vladimir Alexandrov, Anna Basova, Svetlana Ivushkina, Alla Andersen - their works are unique, and stand out for their common desire to search for new forms and give new meanings to established ones. What attracts abstract art, and what do modern artists want to convey to the viewer? To understand this a little, we bring to your attention an interview with some members of the Association: Georgy Avetisov, Dmitry Zolotarev, Anna Basova.
Interview with Georgy Avetisov (Moscow State University of Culture and Culture graduate, musician, photographer, member of the TSHR)
Hello, Georgy. They talk about you as the founder of the Photo Association, so I would like to immediately ask several fundamental questions related to it. At the same time, I'm afraid that regular format communication may not be suitable. After all, a photographer often uses a camera as a way to tell the world about himself, and now we will try to do the same, but in the interview genre. What is the best thing for a photographer to talk about in order to express his creativity in this way? After all, direct questions are not always suitable for reflecting the subtle motives of consciousness, and not everyone is ready to become a clear and precise answer.
One way or another, any creator tells the world what is inside him. He just chooses the form of the story. I don’t think that this is how you can express your vision of the world in a conversation. Words are often empty, or, conversely, the interview is replete with art historical or philosophical terms. We try to avoid this and not bring any additional literary delights into the conversation about creativity. Your view of the world should be displayed in photographs either as a hint or a small hint, without a final decoding.
Fine. Let’s try to talk without unnecessary “prettiness”, but ask directly: when does the desire to create something abstract appear? What was your first experience in this genre?
The desire is almost always there, but you are not always in that inspired state in which you can allow yourself to plunge into this unexpected world without looking back. A lot of things get in the way: usual form objects, traditions, inertia of thinking, doubts - will it work? Yes. There are always doubts: is this the right image, is there any internal content and development in it. But when you “let go” of yourself, you begin to see.
I started with abstract nature when I was still shooting on film. I was fascinated by the state of individual leaves, branches, blades of grass, their individuality, usually invisible among millions of their kind. I photographed for three years, carefully selecting photographs.
The result was a large and rather unusual series. Everything about her is so airy, virginal, poetic. In character it is close to impressionism, such natural graphics and play of light and color. Then I tried to continue working in this direction, but it turned out that I had already found everything there and self-repetitions had already begun. Only two years later I switched to the city, where I unexpectedly discovered a lot of interesting material, invisible in the everyday bustle. This happened in Paris. Already in Moscow, I looked at the footage and realized that there was something new here. I started thinking and working on it. This is how my first urban abstractions appeared.
Not every person in Russia, even in the 21st century, is able to perceive abstract art. What perception should the ideal connoisseur of abstract photography have, and what aesthetic influence is expected to influence him? Is there a spiritual element there?
Abstract art is very popular in Europe. At least in terms of decorating the walls of apartments and houses. Things are much worse here. People want to see something recognizable: portraits, still lifes, landscapes, city scenes. I don't think you need to have any special sensitivity to look at abstract photographs. This is all at the level of fantasy and emotion. After all, many of our works refer a person to a certain primitive state or to childhood, when fantasy knows no boundaries, and every day you discover something unusual and exciting.
Now about the spiritual. It's a difficult question. I can tell you a funny story. About three years ago, I walked around Moscow galleries with my series of abstract nature and proposed organizing an exhibition. And from one gallery owner I heard the following conclusion about my works: “They are beautiful, sincere, but not spiritual.” Understand it as you wish!
In abstract painting, the main objects of art were the figure (cubism, geometric abstraction) and color (rayonism, suprematism), through which the artist conveyed his vision of the world. What universal model of the world does abstract photography express?
We need to clarify. In abstract painting there are not figures, but geometric shapes and color combinations. Suprematism is characterized by combinations of multi-colored planes and, again, the simplest geometric shapes - line, square, triangle, circle. As you can see, color and lines come first. The same thing applies to abstract photography. Of course, the camera button cannot be placed on the same level as the artist’s brush and hand. In this regard, the photographer is much more limited in displaying his vision of the world. Therefore, he calls on technical image processing to help him. It doesn’t matter whether this is done in an analogue photo studio or on a home computer. And there are no universal models peace. The photographer relies only on his feelings, experience, developed taste and education. For example, the world of a technical photographer is more likely to be more constructivist than the world of a musician photographer. There will be more emotion and improvisation.
In this case, the question immediately arises: what themes are closest to you in abstract photography?
I am fascinated by the game of finding and deciphering certain messages out of nowhere, which I sometimes discover in different cities. As a rule, these are hints of some animals, or faces barely visible through a layer of paint, or some kind of literal space battles, or biblical scenes on metal or stone surfaces. They are short-lived and next visit From this same place you run the risk of not finding anything. Therefore, you need to be especially attentive to every little detail.
Have your works been exhibited and how has the public received your exhibitions?
We have already held three exhibitions, all of which took place in 2016. I can safely say that there was great interest. Many were simply perplexed: what is this, how, where does such imagination, such unusual techniques come from? The best part is that quite experienced photographers were pleasantly surprised that we took it upon ourselves and successfully realized our fantasies in such a complex genre - abstract photography. Everyone wished us success, which is encouraging.
I understand them. We would also like to “penetrate” deeper into your work. For example, to understand: does a photograph imply a captured moment or is it a mood inspired by a long period of time?
This is neither a moment nor a mood. If I find a story, I can stand and look at it for a long time, trying to comprehend the content hidden in it. Then I can wait for the right lighting, take one shot, and ten minutes later another.
All this time I'm thinking about how it will look in the final version. Sometimes the answer doesn’t come right away, and you have to figure it out at home. Most often, the plot already has a mood, otherwise you don’t pay attention to it and move on down the street in search of something new.
At the exhibition “Deconstruction ß” you said that you are trying to avoid recognizing familiar objects in photography: houses, everyday life, faces; talk about how this is a way to get away from traditional creativity. Are your creative motives more of a rejection of the surrounding reality or more of a search for new ways of development?
Reality as it is no longer interests anyone. Just look at how people distort images on Instagram. Even on home and everyday photographs they add some lines, dots, abrasions, image breaks, twist the color, convert the image to sepia or b/w... Everyone wants to get something original and different even from an ordinary photograph. They do this instantly, using ready-made plugins. They are just having fun, and there is no search in it. The search begins when, let's say, you go from dance to song, and from song to music. Photography has long ceased to perform its basic functions, i.e. transmission of something documentary. Therefore, we can say that we are in search of new ways to develop this genre.
How do you feel about clichés in abstract photography? In what ways is it possible when we are dealing with the artist’s individual worldview?
I am sure that clichés and abstract photography do not mix. I admit that in the modern world, due to the abundance of information (including the large number of photographers and photographs), it is difficult to avoid repetition. If following stereotypes allows a photographer to achieve success faster, this is his path. Of course, independent individual consciousness is completely impossible. Perhaps only on a desert island... We all watch films, paintings, photographs. Here it is important to be honest with yourself and not allow yourself to spy on others, to compromise for the sake of imaginary popularity.
What would the world lose without abstract photography?
He will not be able to lose her, because the ability to abstract thinking is one of distinctive features person.
Interview with Dmitry Zolotarev (Moscow State University graduate, restorer, photographer of the State Historical Museum)
Dmitry, hello. You are known as an abstract photographer, but you are also professionally involved in restoration at the State Historical Museum. What is your hobby and what is your life's work?
There were already three things in life: geology, professional photography and restoration. And parallel to these activities, there has always been a passion for photography “for the soul”: exploratory, irresponsible, in a good sense.
Currently, it is difficult to captivate young people with anything for the “soul,” especially in several areas at once. Knowing you, we can guess that there were some other activities, because at that time children were actively involved in various clubs and sections. What of this remained and influenced your creative path?
We, like many of my peers, began to study photography under the guidance of our fathers and grandfathers in high school. Grandfathers handed us captured German cameras, and dads carefully handed us their treasured Zenits and Feds. But we didn’t imagine photography as a profession. Well, how could it be then, in the 70-80s, to compare a photographer with a sailor, writer, physicist, rock musician, diplomat, doctor? Other hobbies were common for boys of this generation. Reading, music, soldering irons, light bulbs, stamps, girls, hockey, aquariums, etc. Probably, any lived experience influences, to one degree or another, the paths chosen, including in creativity.
How can you characterize your work - as a kind of instantaneous reflection internal state, or a strictly constructed composition, thought out and created over a certain period of time, fulfilling given creative tasks?
There is no doubt that all the works from the “New Kaleidoscope” series are improvisations “stop a moment!” The photo technology of the project itself makes each image unique, momentary. The frame is only a projection of the internal state at a given moment. A day later, the plot could be executed in a completely different coloristic version, for example.
When perceiving objects of art, a person always looks for logical motives in any work, even in abstract art. You feel the internal logic of each work, but it is quite difficult to convey the resulting feeling in language. It seems to me that there is a certain conflict - shapes, colors, lines, but, meanwhile, each photograph expresses its own meaning. Could you explain it, or do your photographs interact with the viewer in some other way, where the author's idea is not so important?
To be honest, when taking a photo, I don’t look for meaning in it. If I like the combination of everything in the image, I press the camera shutter button. Sometimes some associations arise, but I don’t adjust the frame to them. I don't force it. I don’t impose meaning either on myself or on a possible viewer. As a rule, each viewer sees his own image in the image, and I like to be surprised by this. Many people, including me, do not find any meaning in the works. We just love the combination of everything on the plane of the photo paper. This is a kind of game of turning off analysis. I like the work, but it’s difficult to explain why exactly. And this mystery is fascinating. Perhaps something akin to love...
Are there times when abstraction gets boring and you want something more accessible?
It does not interfere. I enjoy doing classical photography: landscape, staged, etc. I consider any creative photography as an experiment, capable of surprising, pacifying, upsetting with its results, in general, capable of much.
For art, a significant criterion is, first of all, novelty. Are you looking for something new in abstract photography? Are you familiar with new or already recognized works?
I am interested in the technical capabilities of photography, which often leads to the discovery of a new visual tool and even a new creative idea. Having received a result that is interesting to me, I try to understand the aesthetic root cause of satisfaction from work. But often I don’t do this and just experiment further.
Interview with Anna Basova (professional photographer, designer, member of TSHR)
You are a young and bright artist, who already has more than 13 exhibitions under her belt. In this regard, it would be interesting to know your opinion about the properties of talent: first of all, is it a gift or a natural result of work? What qualities should a talented photographer have?
Complex issue. It seems to me that it would be fairest to consider this a combination of two factors: a constant desire to learn new things, and therefore to learn and make efforts to achieve results, and your “vision” of the world. For example, I was always amazed that when there are a lot of similar photographs of world attractions, you can always find a new viewing angle and a new point of view on the same object. But it's not always easy. This is the kind of “work” of the artist.
Among your works there are themes of people, cities and nature. Why did you suddenly want to try abstract photography?
I have never hidden the fact that I am originally a portrait painter and initially work in the field of illustrative staged photography. This preference is caused by a love of literature, cinema, and figurative music. But the creative space is not one-dimensional. Sometimes, in order to express feelings, to try to embody something illusory and elusive, staging is not enough. Moreover, one may well coexist simultaneously with the other and even complement each other. I often resort to abstract photography techniques within frames portrait works and series. I see no point in limiting myself in this regard.
One day I was walking with my daughter to school on a winter morning, and she accidentally pressed a button on the camera. mobile phone, which captured a beautiful winter shot: a snow-covered tree, houses, a road, a tram, passers-by against the backdrop of snow falling in large flakes. There is also a story when a young man at the May 9th parade took a random photo of a crying veteran (the young man himself wanted to take something like a selfie), and this photo then became the winner of a photo competition and participated in exhibitions dedicated to the Great Patriotic War. Patriotic War. What impact, in your opinion, has the technological leap in the field of photography, the so-called transition to digital, the development of the Internet and photo editors had on art? How can an amateur be distinguished from an artist when technology allows the former to also imitate both quality and originality of vision?
In the field of photography, I welcome any progress. It just gives us more opportunities to be creative in a variety of ways. Nevertheless, excessive hobby I don’t approve of photo editors in portrait photography, for example. Or I just classify it as illustration, digital art. As for the second question, it may sound a little harsh, but what distinguishes an amateur from a professional is the “randomness” of the result. Even a street photography professional will have time to notice everything within a minute while focusing on the frame: how the shadow falls, which side the light is coming from, the glare, how to frame the frame.
Please tell us about your participation in abstract photography exhibitions. What expectations were met, what hopes remained hopes? Is there a difference compared to more traditional photography exhibitions?
There were no expectations as such. I’m just interested in participating in exciting projects, and I support this direction as much as I can. The exhibitions were not without problems, but this is natural. Believe me, not a single such event, even if it is held for the hundredth time, is complete without complications and fuss. The difference is in a certain general mood and spirit that is difficult to describe. Cozy and philosophical at the same time. People are not afraid to express their opinions and share their impressions.
What is your passion for photography, and when did you realize that it became your calling? How seriously can you take art now?
I’ve been painting for quite a long time, I even went to art college, but it didn’t work out. Then the institute musical group. Painting still takes more time. At first I just got my hands on a soap box, then my dad’s Zenit. By the way, it was the experience of handling film that greatly facilitated my further training. Because there simply cannot be a more visual “simulator” for practicing the basics. My attempts grew into something serious when I decided to purposefully take Marianna Kornilova’s courses. I started straight away with portrait photography. You can approach art in any way you like, within the framework of individual perception.
Photography is very popular these days, so many who have at least once picked up a camera with creative impulses immediately begin to worry about the question - who might be interested in this? In this regard, I would like to know your opinion: what does the phrase “fashion photographer” mean to you, and are there any success stories in the field of abstract photography?
A fashion photographer is an unstable concept; today you are fashionable, tomorrow you are out of fashion. And this natural process. Most often these are professionals who earn money. And it works in both directions. Both the photographer himself and those who hire him or purchase photographs earn money. There are a lot of success stories in the field of abstract photography: Thomas Ruff, Laszlo Moholy-Nagy, Wolfgang Tillmans (received one of the most prestigious awards in art, the Turner Prize).
Are you trying to work more with nature or transform a captured moment in a graphic editor? What does this give?
Nature is still paramount. I try to immediately take a shot that is as close as possible to the expression of the final idea. But if my imagination asks me to change something, I don’t refuse it.
There are many favorite photographs; if you give specific examples, I will overwhelm you with links. They all belong to different genres. This is not only abstract or portrait photography. I admire any catchy shot that has punktum in it. This is most accurately described in Roland Barthes’ book “Camera Lucida”. I love Japanese photographers, they always have a unique view of the world, they look not only outward, but also inward. Snails or puff pastry, many connotations.
About his passion for abstract photography. We decided to return to this topic and talk about it in more detail.
-Vlad, what attracts you to abstract subjects?
Sometimes in the most ordinary things, in what surrounds us, you can find unexpected and very interesting stories. Looking at them, you forget that this is something ordinary and boring, and you see the magic of transforming something unremarkable into a creative work. An interesting shot can be found literally everywhere - at home, at work, on a walk, regardless of the time of day, lighting and weather. Often in such scenes the grace and conciseness of objects are manifested.
They can also be seen in nature - in the pattern of snow, water, sand, the arrangement of branches, grass, and the like. They can also be seen in what is made by man. It can be an abstraction in which the main thing is color, combination and mutual arrangement objects different colors, or maybe there is a frame in which the main thing is shape and geometry, where color only distracts from the main thing, and in this case the photograph must be taken in black and white.
- How long have you been filming similar stories and can you remember where your interest in them began?
I don’t remember where exactly my interest began. Naturally, this happened; there was no sharp transition from shooting in other genres to abstractions. I took one of the first such photographs back in 2004 with my first 3.2 megapixel digital point-and-shoot camera. Surprisingly, I still like that work, which I cannot say about many of my other photographs taken later and with better photographic equipment.
Do you see them right away, do they literally catch your eye, or do you notice them already in the process of shooting and processing?
I see most of these scenes right away, but, unfortunately, I can’t always accurately convey and embody in the final frame what I found and wanted to show. Some of the scenes can be seen already when viewing the footage, including photographs in other genres.
- Tell us about the geography of your abstract photographs. Where are they made?
Wherever I had a camera at hand - in my apartment, during walks, on trips to cities and countries; even in the hospital after the operation I tried to film something like this, fighting boredom and the general atmosphere of the hospital corridors.
- How generous are Russian cities with abstract subjects?
I can’t single out any specific cities; such stories can be found almost everywhere and always, and if it works, I’m delighted. Of course, Moscow is rich in them: thanks to the diversity of architectural forms, antiquity and the 21st century coexist here. I really envy some photographers who are especially good at finding abstraction in the capital. Although it’s easier for me to do this in small towns and villages.
- Can you remember any trip or incident, especially rich in abstract subjects?
Perhaps, a little more than usual, I photographed them on a trip to the Komi Republic. I remember one March day near Syktyvkar: overcast sky, above-zero temperatures, puddles on the roads and snow in the fields, there was nothing remarkable in terms of interesting landscapes. And so, driving past such a field, I suddenly wanted to get out of the car and walk along it. I went down the road, found myself knee-deep in snow, and in front of me was a large white-white plain and a dark cloudy sky, a snow cloud. I really liked this space, contrast, balance of light and dark, I wanted to make a strange two-color shot with the horizon in the middle.
- Do you have a role model in abstract photography?
I really like abstract works by a variety of authors, some I know from publications, photo sites, some personally. But I don’t like to imitate and I try not to do it. The photographer tries to put part of his soul, his vision into the picture; Why would I imitate him if we are different and each of us can create something of our own, unique? People are all different, and that's great.
Recently I was told about one photograph that it was similar to a series of works by two interesting authors - Hiroshi Sugimoto and Mark Rothko. On the one hand, it’s nice that with one of the recognized masters the idea went in the same direction, on the other hand, it’s a shame that someone already had something similar, although I didn’t know about it, I didn’t see their work. Some may think that I was just imitating.
- What is your percentage of abstract photos for the entire shoot?
Hard to say. There are shootings without any abstract shots at all, and sometimes, out of the whole shooting, only those works, done by chance, are liked. In general, I almost always take photographs with abstraction and geometry spontaneously, when, while looking at something, a thought suddenly comes to me.
What does abstract photography mean to you - showing the photographer's eye, showing geometry and shapes, or something more?
The author's vision, demonstration of his view, embodiment of the idea. The opportunity to show a piece of the world to other people the way I see it with my own eyes. In some abstractions, the main thing is minimalism, which I really respect in the frame. In others, there is a certain chaos of objects or colors, which, however, adds up to an overall single and whole picture that is interesting to look at .
- Do you crop photos in most cases during post-processing?
Not in the majority, but it happens. Sometimes you can’t do without cropping - when you want to make a square frame; when at the time of shooting it was impossible to do it right away the way you wanted, and foreign objects get into it.
- What advice can you give to novice photographers who are also interested in abstractions?
The desire to fantasize, search and create helps a lot in this matter. Shoot for yourself, follow your feelings, but at the same time understand your actions and desired result. And it’s always useful to watch and study the work of artists, photographers, designers and architects.
- Thank you for the conversation and wish you new attractive stories!
