Abstraction and Depth of Field in Photography

Abstraction = the emphasis of ideas instead of clear subject matter

Abstraction in photography = making real life unidentifiable using photography techniques (e.g. zooming in on an object so close that you can’t tell what it is)

Examples:

Edward Burtynsky

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/395824254724989685/

This image is very sharp, but since the subject matter is unidentifiable, the sharpness doesn’t make it any less abstract.

Rachael K. Ivey

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/214132157254257073/

This image uses depth of field to bring the viewer’s eye to the center of the spiral by having that part in sharp focus and the edges out of focus. This use of depth of field emphasizes the spiraling lines, which therefore enhances the abstractness of the photo because there is no clear subject matter, only lines.

Alvin Langdon Coburn

https://officialnyasha.wordpress.com/2015/02/03/vorticism-vortographs/

The contrast of the black and white lines creates deep focus, which does not effectively enhance the abstractness of the photo because the deep focus makes the photo more realistic. Real life has deep focus.