Weekly Abstract and Experimental Thread #78 (9-16-2026)

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, pinhole, 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

This is an UV induced infrared fluorescence. When struck with UV light some things actually Fluoresce infrared light. Not many subjects do this. Unlike standard UV fluorescent images this requires a modified camera. Either for IR or full spectrum.

Pentax K-1, Pentax 100 macro lens. This is a Kiwi fruit sitting on a top of a Wanfire/Nemo 365nm UV flashlight.
Thanks for looking,
barondla

This is really cool. And indeed, very "abstract and experimental" -- you are WAY beyond me in terms of concept and technique! I "kind of" understand what you're saying about UV and IR and flourescence... but not really. Wall art... what is it? Well done. :-)

MAM parking garage stairway: Per the thread guidelines, here are some... " shapes, tones and colors" but unfortunately it is indeed a "recognizable" subject. So, I'm not pushing the abstract/experimental aspect very far. Just a picture. I saw the thread and thought... I might have something? Pretty standard stuff, nothing exotic. My wife was in the museum gift shop and I was killing some time waiting for her! LOL.

Works for me. Nice image. The reflected lights are a bonus to the composition. I like that you took this while waiting.
Thanks for sharing and participating,
barondla

Thank you. It is a slice of Kiwi fruit. With a twist vs "standard" fluorescence photos.

Fluorescence always occurs at higher wavelengths of light than the light that is illuminating it. UV light usually causes fluorescence in the visible light spectrum. Which is why these photos can be taken with standard unmodified cameras. The above image shows Infrared fluorescence. Certain subjects will Fluoresce beyond visible light and into infrared light. This requires a modified infrared or full spectrum camera. Kiwi emits both visible and infrared when struck by UV. Changing filters allows me to capture the one I prefer.

Here is the same Kiwi fruit exposed by Adaptalux 365nm UV lighting arms with same filtration as flashlight above. This is taken with a unmodified Pentax 645Z camera fitted with a Tiffen Haze 2E filter to reduce UV.
Thanks

Fascinating images. People sometimes become Siamese twins. The gentleman in the white outfit looks like a lab experiment adorned with tubes and components. Architecture turns into dramatic patterns.

I like these as they are very experimental and always show things not seen before. I enjoyed viewing these photos. This camera must be fun to shoot. FujiFilm really stepped outside the lines with this camera.
Thanks for sharing and participating,
barondla

Nice. Subtle instead of flashy fluorescing colours. Me likes. Does your camera record IR or how did you do it?

This isn't exactly abstract, but experimental - for me! Hope that's OK? I've started to buy old lenses. Got a little carried away and have more old lenses than I've had time to try properly and learn what each one does. So I've stared to take one with me when I have an errant in the neighbourhood just to get some kind of a grip. This one likes to make balls in the dark.

Forgot this the forum doesn't display my injected lens info from EXIF. It's Carl Zeiss Jena Tessar 2.8/50.

Old adapted lenses are most welcome here. It is always fun to see how they render a scene. I love cobbling things together to get new looks. Your lens and technique look excellent. Perfectly round bokeh balls with soft easy background features. Can't beat that.

If you want to have fun with indoor bokeh balls drape some cheap Christmas tree lights in the back ground. In a dark room they work great. Might need some very weak front light to balance the subject and background.
Thanks for sharing and participating,
barondla

Oh, good. Nah, I'm a beginner. My main problem is focusing. I use modern manual lenses a lot, so I'm used to the techique. But these oldies don't have the resolution modern lenses have. At least I assume that's the problem. The image in the viewfinder is very soft. Magnification only makes it worse. This lens and an old Leitz I already had, forgotten in a box since decades, turned out to give a sharper and more detailed image in the viewfinder than the rest. But still, in the dark and closeup I only see mush. At a little distance like here it works better.

Funny you should mention christmas trees. I actually stole saved a plastic bag full of christmas baubles and glitter a few weeks ago. It was left on the square after the weekly flee market there. They always pile up leftovers around the overfull bins. Thought they could be used for effect. Yet untested. And I've bought several cheap led strings that I have tested and they produce nice and airy balls.

Thanks. Yes, this Pentax was modified by Kolari Vision to be full spectrum. It might be possible to shoot a picture like this with an older camera that has a very weak IR filter on the sensor like Pentax ist DS, Nikon D200 or Olympus E-M1 1 or 2. It would require very long exposure.
Thanks,
barondla

Then I understand.