Weekly Abstract and Experimental Thread #56 (4-14-2026)

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 viewing and participating,
barondla

Pentax Q with Pentax #03 fisheye. Appreciated the Q system's ultra small size while climbing the many steps to capture this view.
Thanks for looking and participating,
barondla

OK. Fish it is. TTArtisans 7artisans 7.5mm fish on Oly E-M1.

Excellent. Looks like a mechanical flower. The 7Artisans fisheye is sharp and well behaved optically. I think the multiple "petals" add nice complexity to the composition. Cool image.
Thanks for sharing and participating,
barondla

I should have said it's our water tower. What is yours? Some kind of monument?

Oops! I made a boo-boo. It's the 7artisans fish, not the TTArtisan one. Alas. I think the latter is better. Corrected it in my post above.

You won't believe it. It is also a water tower. Next to Giant City Lodge in Giant City State Park. 12 miles south of Carbondale IL. The climb up is on one of those circular staircases. It is tight and a little stressful if you meet a family and little kids. First time I drug a huge camera bag up there. Never again. Now I pack light. Was climbing involved in your Photo?
Thanks for sharing and participating,
barondla

I wouldn't have guessed that!

Heck no. I was on flat ground under it. I was standing in the middle there. The other watertowers I know of in town are built like mushrooms with a solid foot. But this, the big main one, is built like a spider with very long legs.

Borrowed from Wikipedia.

That is a strange looking water tower! It appears alien with all those skinny legs. Your use of the fisheye makes it beautiful. I first thought this was a building and some of those panels were windows. Now I wonder what they really are?

Not sure I have a normal view of my water tower. If I do it might be from my film days. I'll have to rectify that on the next visit. Here is a borrowed picture from a tourist website:

Not my photo.
Thanks,
barondla

Yours is very cool. Like a modern sculpture or a spaceship. Know how high it is? I read what Wikipedia had when I snatched their picture of my tower. It's 48 meters.

IIRC there's a lot of cables inside those windows. Maybe it's built that way so they'll be able to access any part of that from the outside.

Cable access makes sense. Total height is 82 feet (24.99 meters). The observation deck is 50 feet (15.24 meters). There are 123 steps and it holds 100,000 (378,541.1 liters) of water. Built in 1970 and is due for painting and tlc. Must take a documentary photograph from the ground next time I visit. Fall leaves are amazing from the observation platform because the tower is built on the highest land around.
Thanks,
barondla

I win! Mine is bigger than yours. 😋😉

I'm envious of the stairs. I'd like to see the view from ours. I guess they are scared of accidents, suicide attempts and sabotage if they would let people go up there.