Abstract Photography
Abstract photography, also sometimes known as experimental photography, is the art of creating a visual effect with an image that has no immediate attachment to reality, by using processes like focusing, framing, or retouching and editing the photograph in post-processing. For example, an abstract picture can sometimes isolate a fragment of an ordinary image to remove it from its original context and give it a surrealist edge. It can also involve playing with blurring, shadows or lighting, textures or unexpected forms. The image is often created with traditional photographic material (analog or digital cameras, dark room, computer). However, artists can also manipulate and alter the film in order to achieve the desired effect.
The first images known as “abstract photographs" appeared shortly after the invention of photography in the 1830s. In 1842, John William Draper created a new type of images with a spectroscope. This machine dispersed light beams and produced a phenomenon that was previously invisible to the eye. The negatives he produced had nothing in common with the works of other photographers, and they opened the way for innovative photographic works. Draper perceived these images as a scientific discovery, not as artworks, but today his method is widely acclaimed by critics for its inherent originality.
In England, Anna Atkins was also a pioneer of abstract photography; she was the first one to place dry algae on cyanotype paper. This scientific experiment improved photographic techniques by creating unique blue and white images. Moreover, the discovery of X-ray and radioactivity in 1896 provoked a fascination for the invisible and many photographers were immediately drawn to these phenomena. French photographer Louis Darget attempted to capture mental processes by pressing unexposed plates to the foreheads of his and trying to get them to project images from their minds onto the plates. He carried out thousands of similar experiments.
It was only during the 20th century that abstract photography truly became recognised as an artistic practice. Surrealism and cubism started replacing impressionism, especially after the Salon d'Automne in 1903 in Paris. This event highlighted new talents like Pablo Picasso, Marcel Duchamp… Ten years later, in New York, Wassily Kandinsky, Mondrian, Braque and Delaunay shocked audiences. The freedom coming from abstract art inspired some of the greatest photographers to break the rules.
Erwin Quedenfeldt exhibited the first abstract photographs in Cologne in 1914. From 1920 to 1930, Europe became the epicenters of conceptual photography with artists such as Jaroslav Rossler, Josef Sudeck, and Rössler exploring abstraction.
Post-processing became more central to photographic works in the 60s and the 70s, with artists like Josef Newman. Eventually, the growing popularity of computers in the 90s and the 2000s opened up infinite possibilities for creating original work. Some contemporary photographers like Peter Klasen, Dominic Harris, or Nicolas Dubreuille combine photography with other mediums.
Find them all on Artsper with our unique selection of abstract photographs.
David Pinegar
Don't make a pin cushion out of this big balloon, 2020 110 x 110 x 0.2 cm Photography
$1,763
Sven Pfrommer
Urban blur VII, 2015 100 x 100 x 3 cm Photography
$1,960
Joy Is outside
Menthe à l'eau, 2022 70 x 100 cm Photography
$933
Anna Levesh
City Rumors #15 - City Rumors Series, 2020 46.7 x 35 cm Photography
$1,089
Leah Desmousseaux
34° 33’ 15" N 38° 16’ 00" E, 2020 110 x 170 x 4 cm Photography
$3,629
Hervé Pezzini
Carreaux, 2022 50 x 75 x 1 cm Photography
$517 $441
Paola Dávila
28° 14' 34.127’’N, 114° 6' 44.679’’W-12, 2022 38 x 56 x 0.3 cm Photography
$1,500
Maria Chiara Re
Photographie, 2022 140 x 105 cm Photography
$310
Benedel
Sans-Titre 9, 2022 40 x 40 x 0.5 cm Photography
$228
Jason Engelund
Wingspan over Joshua Tree, 2022 50.8 x 40.6 cm Photography
$1,538
Vik Muniz
Saturn devouring one of his sons, after F. de Goya, 2005 129 x 101 x 0.1 cm Photography
$33,699
JXD1S
Locking Up, 2022 40 x 30 x 1 cm Photography
$67
Lucia Heumann
Forest Walk, 2022 60 x 40 x 3 cm Photography
$2,281
Franco Fontana
Paesaggio Puglia, 1978 63.5 x 43 x 0.1 cm Photography
$5,081
Marie-jeanne Hoffner
Mies Unfolded, 2021 200 x 132 cm Photography
$622
Luca Izzo
Oceani Mentali N°6, 2018 80 x 60 x 1 cm Photography
$1,555
Léa Dedieu
Coquelicot, 2020 60 x 45 x 3 cm Photography
$985
Jean-Paul Baret
N°2076, 2018 110 x 60 cm Photography
$850
Richard Caldicott
Untitled 109, 1999 36 x 28 cm Photography
$1,230
Patrick Chappert-Gaujal
Sans titre, 2018 94 x 74 x 0.2 cm Photography
$1,763
Sjaak Korsten
Hide 3, 2017 85 x 70 x 1 cm Photography
$1,659
Nils Eichberg
Colors Of Africa: Kyalami 1979, 2008 50 x 50 cm Photography
$1,192
Seb Janiak
Gravity liquid 58 (Large), 2015 127 x 100 cm Photography
$5,412
Aline Isoard
Station 6, 2017 60 x 60 cm Photography
$1,141
Jean-Jacques Guionnet
Nymphéas 3, 2021 40 x 80 x 2 cm Photography
$1,016
Collective
Colorimetry IV, 2021 61 x 50.8 x 0.3 cm Photography
$800
Lucas Gallego
A luminous body VI, 2020 35 x 70 x 0.1 cm Photography
$900
Alain Kramer
Par 1508-07 - série Photo abstraite, 2015 116 x 89 x 2 cm Photography
$1,078
Sophie Derrick
Close to nothing (Pink), 2015 42 x 30 x 8 cm Photography
$1,476
Paul Snell
Trace # 201904, 2019 120 x 49 cm Photography
$4,797
Corinne Cavillac
Colombes A, 2017 150 x 100 cm Photography
$1,866
Tony Soulié
Sans titre, 2020 40 x 50 cm Photography
$2,800
Pol Durruff
Sans titre, 2018 62 x 54 x 4 cm Photography
$1,120
Philippe Boutefeu
LeavesCourges, 2019 60 x 90 x 3 cm Photography
$1,244
Fei Wang
Structure, 2021 60 x 45 x 1 cm Photography
$1,244
Lilia El Golli
Corruption(s) – La Plume, 2015 40 x 60 cm Photography
$895
Yves Bordes Lapeyre
Matière avec ligne jaune, 2011 80 x 80 x 0.5 cm Photography
$923
Jan Gordon
Twisted Branch, 2015 76.2 x 76.2 x 0.4 cm Photography
$950
Hector Adalid
Pianeta pluto, 2018 100 x 100 x 1 cm Photography
$1,752
Alfons Alt
Lotus papyrique, 2017 30 x 24 x 5 cm Photography
$1,244
Zelda Zinn
Perpetual Plastic #2289, 2018 61 x 45.7 cm Photography
$1,000
Ansje Visser
Cynosure, 2021 60 x 60 x 3 cm Photography
$830
Alexandra Haasz
Tengri, 2019 60 x 60 cm Photography
$944
Roman Koenig
Futurisme, 2015 60 x 90 x 2 cm Photography
$1,244
Robin Thurel
Kundalini 03, 2018 66 x 100 cm Photography
$1,555
Benedicte Van der Maar
The bride - India - Acceleration series, 2007 50 x 50 x 1 cm Photography
$1,192
Jérémie Lenoir
#6561087, Salt lake, 2017 80 x 80 x 0.5 cm Photography
$3,007
Blechmeki
Photo Tableaux 14l, 2021 66 x 66 x 2.5 cm Photography
$1,200
Isabel Devos
Gird, 2020 74 x 64 x 5 cm Photography
$1,866
Denis Jutzeler
Composition 1480, 2016 60 x 48 x 2 cm Photography
$1,244
Sandra Gonçalves
Chaos - 02, 2020 50 x 70 cm Photography
$881
Thierry Dubrunfaut
Dsc3637, 2012 60 x 90 x 2.5 cm Photography
$1,659
Scowcza
Affrontements, 2022 120 x 50 x 2 cm Photography
$933
Fabrice Quignette
Toys for kids 7, 2021 80 x 80 x 1 cm Photography
$954
Diego Kahlo
Solo Flor Sol, 2017 61 x 40.6 cm Photography
$1,650
Dominic Harris
Japan, 2015 51 x 110 x 1 cm Photography
$2,214
Emmanuel Segaut
Cache-cache, 2020 60 x 60 x 3.3 cm Photography
$1,452
Daphnée Marie Harper
La piscine, Marseille Modulor, 2016 120 x 80 cm Photography
$1,244
Baptiste Rabichon
Manhattan Drawings - 009, 2019 36 x 24 cm Photography
$1,555
David Agius
Deterritorialisation 4, 2015 66 x 100 x 3 cm Photography
$1,141
Priska Walliman
Invitation, 2021 90 x 90 x 0.4 cm Photography
$1,555
Joseph Caprio
Boule de papier III, 2007 90 x 60 x 1 cm Photography
$830
Bernard Langenstein
Les noires dans l'Oberland 4/5, 2012 50 x 75 x 1 cm Photography
$1,866
Jean-Claude Byandb
Entre Vous & Nous, 2019 60 x 45 x 0.1 cm Photography
$632
Joey Tranchina
Belle de jour, 2016 60 x 103 x 0.1 cm Photography
$985
Edouard Golbin
Les trottoirs de Buenos Aires 1, 2020 62.2 x 88.4 x 0.1 cm Photography
$881
Eli Joteva
CryoLumen Storm Print: Snow Water in a Snow Storm, 1-hour exposure (Rila National Park), January 17, 2021, 2021 100 x 80 x 4 cm Photography
$871
Silvia Coccaglio
Parete, 2017 50 x 75 x 1 cm Photography
$1,763
Serge Hamad
Himmel #3, 2018 142.2 x 106.7 cm Photography
$7,200
Pierre Lan
Beauté de la résilience #2, 2020 50 x 76 cm Photography
$881
Gisela Gaffoglio
Mediodía, 2018 75 x 48 x 1 cm Photography
$933
Olivier Attar (Attoli)
Cell, 2021 40 x 60 x 0.1 cm Photography
$881
Richard Gaylon
Stronger, 2019 114.3 x 76.2 x 0.254 cm Photography
$2,240
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