Weekly Abstract and Experimental Thread #40 (12-23-2025)

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

Experimenting with different aperture shapes. This was shot with a Lensbaby Composer. I used an aperture disc with multiple slits cut into it. Not sure if this was one of my diy hand cut paper stock discs or the disc Lensbaby released later. It definitely adds a strange bokeh to the image.
This can be done with any lens. Just cut out a circle from construction paper matching the filter size. Cut whatever aperture shape you want. Make sure to set the internal lens aperture wide open.
Thanks for looking and participating,
barondla

A little bit of sunlight abstract

Your fantastic capture is interesting because it shows one wing moving much less than the rest. Imagine trying to control 4 wings this way. Doing so at such high speed must be difficult. Their little brains are working overtime.

Will your camera autofocus on these guys or do you use manual focus? You are also doing a superb job keeping them in frame. Looking forward to more images.
Thanks for sharing and participating,
barondla

Since Christmas.

Stars look fine on Christmas tree lights. First thought you used a star filter. Then noticed the diffraction grating on left side of photo. Not sure diffraction and star filters work together. Guessing you closed aperture down all the way to get stars and used diffraction filter for the rainbow ring.
Like this picture - it makes one think.
Thanks for sharing and participating,
barondla

Needs a note that this is an animated gif and therefore needs to be opened separately for the different frames to be displayed - and what a pleasant effect!

Your mention of a diffraction grating (there are 3 altogether) made me wonder - I assume it is a PP function - or a lens filter?

Yes they can and do control each wing independently - frequency, depth of beat and pitch.

If you think about standing, walking, running on two legs, or even coordinated movement on 4 or more legs, it is an incredible feat.

Yes I use autofocus - but the examples you see from me they are always hovering. Even then it is random as to where on the insect the camera focuses. Also they are moving up down, left right and back and forwards so there aren't many with sharp focus or without motion blur.
I gave up long ago trying to track them as almost impossible. But I am using an 800 efl lens - perhaps with a shorter lens on an FF body it might be possible. Same with manual focus and just hoping they fly through the plane - as a numbers game it is very, very low odds.

It is very fortuitous that the Dragonfly with the most colourfull eye is also one that hovers the most.

Didn't realize it was animated. That adds more levels. The diffraction rings are rotating! Probably means they were created in PP. Fabulous image and execution.
Thanks for sharing and participating,
barondla

Thanks for the appreciation!🙂
The project was designed to create an animated lenticular image. I chose a solution that would include 16 distinct images to be printed on the lenticular foil.

To ensure a "smooth transition" in the process of turning on and off the lights and for the rotation of the diffraction effect, I generated a particular situation for each image, the assembly being done in PP for each light source separately.
In order to be able to play the animated image in digital format, I chose to assemble the 16 images in .gif format.
On lenticular prints, the effect is much smoother because of technical reasons.