• Members 654 posts
    Dec. 15, 2025, 5:51 p.m.

    The weekly Abstract and Experimental thread
    This weekly thread, starting on a Tuesday, allows us to showcase our abstract and experimental photos and get some feedback.
    Opening up discussions, not only on content, style, composition & techniques, but also on the creativity of the image.

    It’s easy to participate

    Post an image with a title and description. To make it easier to view in the forum, all comments should include the original title and at least one of the original images as a quote.

    Thread Guidelines:
    This weekly thread is for sharing and developing abstract and experimental photography skills.
    We want to see wild, creative photography.
    Give your entry a clear title and mention the technique used.
    Provide constructive feedback on others’ images.
    Try to go beyond simple praise or dismissal and explain why you like it, or what caught your eye.
    ”Likes” are encouraged too.
    Negative feedback and suggestions are also OK (be polite, honest, and constructive).
    Giving feedback is just as important as receiving feedback, both help to improve our artistic and technical skills.

    What is an abstract or experimental photo?
    Different ways to see and investigate the world around us. Abstract photography reduces a subject to shapes, tones or colors making it unrecognizable. Abstract subjects are everywhere.

    Experimentation might include, Stereo/3D, macro, Infrared, dragged shutter, zone plate, motion, fluorescence, multiple exposure, birefringence, ultra violet, optical including adapted lenses, tri color, fractals, manipulated Polaroids, intentional camera movement, pinhole, Kirlian (bioelectrography) and many other methods. Experimentation can be for artistic expression or pure science. It is often more difficult than standard types of photography. This is fine, we aren't expecting perfection. Every experiment enhances knowledge. Your idea can help others explore the universe around them. We love experimentation. You can explain your process or keep it a secret.

    This will be a looser collection of photos compared to other weekly threads. This is good. It will be a place to get away from standard animals, babies & sunset photos. We don't hate animals, babies or sunsets. Show us your creative abstract and experimental images. Are you unsure if the image fits the category? Don't worry, just post it. FEEL FREE TO POST MULTIPLE TIMES TO THIS THREAD. Have fun!

    Thanks for looking and participating,
    barondla

  • Members 654 posts
    Dec. 15, 2025, 5:59 p.m.

    IMGP8968GRAINAUGERBWLBP.jpg

    Pentax K-20D with Lensbaby Composer. ISO 3200 .7 seconds. Camera set to B&W mode.
    Thanks for looking and participating,
    barondla

    IMGP8968GRAINAUGERBWLBP.jpg

    JPG, 468.9 KB, uploaded by barondla on Dec. 15, 2025.

  • Members 358 posts
    Dec. 20, 2025, 2:09 p.m.

    "The Big Room at Carlsbad Caverns is North America's largest single cave chamber, spanning 8.2 acres and featuring massive formations like the Hall of Giants. Visitors walk a 1.25-mile, relatively flat loop trail to see its grandeur, with options to take the Natural Entrance (steep hike) or an elevator down. It's a must-see, known for its spectacular size and formations, requiring a jacket as it's cool inside.
    Trail: 1.25-mile loop, mostly flat, takes about 1.5 hours, with a shorter 45-minute cut-off."

    The panorama has a FoV of over 200 degrees and was assembled from 2x ten separate images, with different exposures in RAW, to compensate for the large lighting differences between bright and dark areas.

    The Big Room.jpg

    The Big Room.jpg

    JPG, 1014.8 KB, uploaded by 3DGunner on Dec. 20, 2025.

  • Members 654 posts
    Dec. 20, 2025, 6:22 p.m.

    Truly grand image. So many things to see in this one. You did an excellent job handling the extreme contrast range and stitching the pano together.
    The formations and colors are beautiful.

    This and Mammoth Cave are on my list to visit one day. Your pano must have taken quite a while to shoot? So the authorities are ok with people taking their time and doing photography. Unless they enforce a schedule I'd never make it out in 1.5 hours 😀. Wonderful photo! Amazing wall hanger if you have the room.
    Thanks for sharing and participating,
    barondla

  • Members 358 posts
    Dec. 20, 2025, 7:42 p.m.

    When I visited the cave, the rules were very simple: Follow the route and don't make any noise. Otherwise, you could stay in the cave as long as you wanted, until the program closed. I photographed the entire tourist area in about 7 hours, to integrate the photo material into a 3D photo album.🙂

  • Members 654 posts
    Dec. 22, 2025, 12:05 a.m.

    Seven hours is an awesome photo shoot. Glad they don't put time limits on photographers. Bet your 3D album is fabulous. How much did you bracket each pano section?
    Thanks for sharing,
    barondla