Annstracts --
Abstract photography that tells stories. And stories transform us.
Albums
Beautiful Decay Art
What is urban decay photography?
Test words that help SEO and explain what decay photography is all about. This is a section that describes these art pieces, helps Google understand what this page is about, helps viewers with getting excited about this photography, and understand that this is art ready to be purchased.
Furthermore, this is an area that I can explain where this art is best placed, give ideas, inspire them, share some stories. I could also detail more information about how to explore a piece as something they might want to buy.
I look for rust patterns, peeling paint, and old abandoned items. Sometimes I see faces in the art, sometimes it is a landscape. All of these pieces represent the old, the vintage, the forgotten.
no images were found
Abstract Photo Albums
What is abstract photography?
When I started photographing, I joined a critique group to refine my compositions and techniques. After a couple of these sessions, the leader commented, “you have an eye for textures and patterns.” However, I was in a critique group for travel photography. Our mission involved capturing images of people in places to encourage the viewer to take a mental vacation and hopefully inspire the plan for travel in the future. At that moment, although I understood the comment, I was disappointed.
We get nudges from many directions helping to point us on our path. I tucked that comment away, and when it kept surfacing, I leaned into what it was saying to me. My style of photographing does lean towards isolating a texture or pattern. I experiment endlessly to convey emotion. I’m less interested in the subject than the feeling of that moment.
So here I am, an abstract photography artist. I present to you these photography albums to encourage you to explore, interpret, and add your meaning to these images. I love the abstract world because we can transcend time. We can change reality. Our state of mind can explore within ourselves. Abstract art represents an expression of truths not bound by time or place. Your attention is the essential element.
“Art is incomplete without the perceptual or emotional involvement of the viewer.”
-Alois Riegl
Artistic Effects Photo Albums
What is artistic photography?
More than just capturing an image, artistry comes into play when there is an emotion I am trying to convey. I use my camera settings to effect motion; I move the camera while taking the picture; or I modify the photo after I’ve taken it with software techniques. Art implies creativity, and although the camera was invented to document reality, as with any tool, as humans, we inevitably ask ourselves, “what if?” The result is, hopefully, aesthetic art pictures.
“Why should not the camera artist break away from the worn-out conventions and claim the freedom of expression which any art must have to be alive?”
-Alvin Langdon Coburn, 1882-1966
Ann's Albumbs
Filter away to your heart's content, or scroll to explore all of Ann's albums.
Grand Canyon Moods
Grand Canyon Moods
Grand Canyon abstract art for sale in all her moods.
“Beauty has as many meanings as man has moods. Beauty is the symbol of symbols. Beauty reveals everything, because it expresses nothing. When it shows us itself, it shows us the whole fiery-coloured world.”
–Oscar Wilde
With such a vast, deep place, the weather and seasons color the canyon with many moods. One trip is never enough to really explore her. In these moody scenes, we see cycles in nature that seem to mimic our own.
Beautiful Decay Art for Sale
Beautiful Decay Art for Sale
Grunge aesthetic.
Dilapidated objects have a sense of mystery. They hold secrets from a long life. Their surface tells a story and the patterns make beautiful abstract rust wall art. Within the rust and paint swirls, I discover the texture of a living surface that is still developing. Who is to say when something is at the end of its useful life?
Abstract Sky
Abstract Sky
Abstract sky art.
“Only from the heart can you touch the sky.”
– Rumi
In the vast space above us, there is a canvas that nature paints. She brings clouds on the wings of the wind; she shines a spotlight where she’d like your attention; she uses color to delight your senses. After all that, she darkens the sky for rest and introspection.
California Coast
California Coast
Ocean sunset and a California beach.
“When I look at a sunset, I don’t find myself saying, Soften the orange a bit on the right-hand corner.’ I don’t try to control a sunset. I watch with awe as it unfolds.”
– Carl R. Rogers
You’ve been granted great fortune if you can watch the sun sink below the horizon of the ocean. The cool of the water, the warmth of the sun, and the great calm of witnessing the two entities seemingly join in harmony as one.
Alternate Autumn
Alternate Autumn
Digital Media Art meets Acadia National Park in the fall.
“I needed to understand that maybe sometimes we go through life seeing only what we want to see.”
― A Curve in the Road
I’ve taken the road less traveled through the sugar maple-lined roads of Acadia National Park with some artistic experimentation. Artists love to paint and photograph the curves in the road, teasing you with the lure of wondering what is around the corner. I’ve added to that with the ghost impression of a car long gone.
Objects Reimagined
Objects Reimagined
Seeing things differently.
“Photography makes one conscious of beauty everywhere, even in the simplest things, even in what is often considered commonplace or ugly. Yet nothing is really ‘ordinary’, for every fragment of the world is crowned with wonder and mystery, and a great and surprising beauty.”
—Alvin Langdon Coburn
What do you see in these everyday objects presented as a completed work of art? Here is your place to wonder, to imagine, and to release reality. I love giving the ordinary their day to shine, to be appreciated, to be celebrated. For in someone’s eyes, we are also ordinary. And yet, in another’s, we are a treasure. Hopefully, our own self-perception lands in the latter.
Grand Canyon Illusion
Grand Canyon Illusion
Grand Canyon art of illusion.
“Never lose an opportunity of seeing anything beautiful, for beauty is God’s handwriting.
–Ralph Waldo Emerson
Spend time at the rim of the canyon and you’ll feel the illusion of her shifting: through seasons, time of day, weather; the place takes on a different personality at every shadow tracing along the rock cliffs. By using slight motion techniques, I share with you her sharp edges along with her soft, serene moments.
Arches in a New Light
Arches in a New Light
Abstract landscape art inspired by Arches National Park.
What draws us into the desert is the search for something intimate in the remote.
–Edward Abbey
The desert is anything but plain. Instead, behold the treasures of rich golds, blushing reds, and royal purples. Rugged rock formations, wind-swept vistas, and a vast space allows your thoughts room to spread outwards and your eyes a gaze to wander around. Spend some time drawn into the abstract lands of Arches captured in impressionism photography.
Alternative Utah
Alternative Utah
Digital art pieces show off Utah’s unique landscape.
In its own natural way, Arches National Park and Canyonlands is a surreal landscape with spires standing up to the endless wind and arches gracefully bending overhead. I’ve taken the liberty to modify some of my photographs of the area into an alternate way to view the landscape. Digitality meets reality. Starting with a photo, I use digital techniques to create one-of-a-kind fantasy images. This collection takes you through tapestry, gemstones, and a play on words.
Game of Tones: Neutrals
Game of Tones: Neutrals
Abstract neutral color art.
“I found I could say things with color and shapes that I couldn’t say any other way – things I had no words for.”
–Georgia O’Keefe
Neutral colors are anything but dull. Instead, a palette of whites reveals a softness, a place you’d like your eye to linger and relax. So I’ve gathered a group of photos that complement each other in white tones to create modern abstract neutral color art. And they are close-ups too. However, I just couldn’t fit all of that in one sentence.
no images were found
Mountains
Mountains
Black and white mountain photos.
Mountains are symbolic of elevated wisdom. If we take the spectrum of color away, we are reduced to interpreting our own meaning from the slopes, the peaks, and the valleys they form. We see in the ranges, the cliffs, and the rugged upheavals part of our own progress and overcoming obstacles. Journey into the simplistic natural world of black and white mountain photos.
Water
Water
Wave and waterfall photography.
Normally, we associate water with the color blue. However, reduced to black and white, water can be seen for much more: soft on some occasions, powerful on others. But extracting the color, you are left to enjoy the movement, form, and beauty of water itself. Can you hear the roar in the waterfall or the crash of the waves?
External Forces
External Forces
Yoga wall art.
Can we be at war and spiritual at the same time? While yoga is well-known for improving flexibility and strength, there is an element of warrior preparation underlying the practice. In today’s world, while many of us may not be serving in the armed forces, we still encounter outside pressures which can be destructive. My symbolic representation of these yoga poses with army toys is to illustrate graphically that we are in charge of our inner peace. Your yoga studio wall would approve.
Minimalism
Minimalism
Black and white minimalist art.
Simple abstract art exposes the essence of the scene. By using order, harmony, and repetition, minimalistic abstract images remove clutter. With black and white, I eliminate one more distraction. You’ll find this photography collection to have lines, angles, and shapes that subtly tell a story. Simple black and white art makes a sophisticated statement on a wall.
Autumn Abstracted
Autumn Abstracted
Colorado aspen trees in the fall.
Take a new look at fall, one that dances, swirls, turns, and rushes on by. These abstract fall colors will open you to new sensations of the season of maturity and preparation.
Winter in the Tetons
Winter in the Tetons
Winter photography: Jackson Hole, Wyoming.
Winter in the Grand Tetons is not just cold; it is one of the most pristine, quiet, and spiritual times to enjoy the rugged landscape. The crowds of summer are a mere memory. The mountains stand taller; the lakes are frozen over. Storms move in sudden and vacate just the same. The setting inspires intimate landscape photography–the intimate kind that only a Wyoming winter storm can create.
When times are tough, you can barely see your way forward. But trust that those times will pass.
During the stormy moments, we lack visibility to the future. But even when times are good, do we really see everything in our path? We see enough.
After every storm, there are moments of clarity and beauty like a burst of setting sun on the mountain peaks that we glean from our traumas.
Close enough, but still far away. Depending on how you view this, you see mountains, or you see the forest. Or maybe you see both.
Your sense of humor is your mind's immune system.
Our emotions move back and forth, like trees on a hillside. It is human to feel them all.
You are unique. Yet you are like everyone else. Appreciate both sides of yourself.
After the storm, there is a time of settling in, of calm. Let your mind drift to all the things that bring you peace.
Does beauty require perfection? All that you are is perfect already. Battle scars have stories, and stories hold our interest.
Share a moment with someone else. No words need to be exchanged. Just your presence is all that is needed.
When circumstances take a turn for the worse, still seek out what is precious in that moment. Salvage what you can when you realize your thoughts are shifting.
Fall in Crested Butte
Fall in Crested Butte
Fall colors in Colorado.
Fall is the soft shoulder of seasons, releasing us from the heat of summer, gently guiding us towards the inevitable, relentless cold of winter. Come enjoy these aesthetic photos and a virtual trip with me to Crested Butte, an epicenter of autumn foliage.
Kissed by sunlight at the day's end; flanked by golden aspens; the ground cover turned russet by frost. I wonder where the dirt road leads?
Enjoy what is right in front of you. Don't just rush down the road.
Just a little bit of light makes the difference, like a little bit of hope. We all need a touch of that.
There are times that we have expectations; like aspens in fall are gold. If we let the expectations drop, we get more than we expected.
Without the sun hitting the tips of these bare aspens, they would have looked dull and uninteresting. Without our brightness, that is how we appear.
The timing of capturing two gondolas meeting reminds me of what seems like a chance meeting between people. You need to be patient and ready.
In training, following the fence line allows the horse to pace itself without much rider interference. We all move most confidently at our own pace.
Yellow aspens on a hillside surround some larger pine trees. Sometimes it is what is below the surface that is the strength of the forest: the roots.
A set of bear claw marks are embedded on the bark of an aspen tree. "I am here."
Winter Migration at Bosque del Apache
Winter Migration at Bosque del Apache
Wildlife photography of birds.
I am waiting in the cold stillness of a winter morning. Darkness is barely lifting. There is a hint of the sun inching towards the tip of the San Pasqual mountains. I feel a hint of something about to happen. Is it a sound? A movement in the distance? No, I realize that I am feeling the vibration of wings. Hundreds of thousands of wings. Then the silhouetted cloud of hundreds, maybe thousands, of snow geese appears. They circle in a mad symphony overhead, both deafening and glorious. My heart is racing. I forget how cold my hands are, and I watch in amazement. The wetlands at Bosque del Apache in New Mexico offer an important winter stopping point for Sandhill Cranes, Ross’ Snow Geese, and many varieties of raptors and shorebirds.
Manmade Motion
Manmade Motion
“In truth, I suspect that merely slowing down is not a very satisfying answer. What I need has less to do with my pace of life than my peace of life. At any speed, I crave a deep and lasting inner peace. And if it’s solace I’m after, I don’t need to pace myself like a turtle, change jobs or set up house on a quiet island. It is usually frenetic living, not high energy, that robs my peace of mind. — Steve Goodier
We set our own pace. Slow down and enjoy this collection of abstract architectural art that I’ve literally set into motion.
Motion in the Garden
Motion in the Garden
Impressionistic, abstract photography.
I wonder if Monet were alive today and had the benefit of a digital camera in hand, would he create the gentle brushstrokes a camera records with movement? Is the soft subtle motion of a breeze stirring up a patch of red flowers in a green field of grass? Or the tussling of the branches of a tree? Imagine how the landscape changes at the hand of the artist in these photo-impressionism images.
Faces
Faces
The art of pareidolia.
There’s a parallel experience at work here. Almost anywhere I can see an object and also see a face within that same object. I see faces everywhere. And I believe they make for intriguing abstract decay art. Don’t you just want to know what is on their mind?
Abandoned
Abandoned
Explore abandoned places for the grunge aesthetic.
“We are not victims of aging, sickness, and death. These are part of the scenery, not the seer, who is immune to any form of change. This seer is the spirit, the expression of eternal being.” –Deepak Chopra
Your exploration will lead you to old vehicles, antiquated equipment, dilapidated buildings–and the beauty that exists even in the forsaken. So many see dirt, grease, cobwebs, and jagged edges. Instead, I’ve found mesmerizing patterns, a focus from another time on quality in manufacturing, and wise old messages.
Rust Art
Rust Art
Grunge aesthetic.
Dilapidated objects have a sense of mystery. They hold secrets from a long life. Their surface tells a story and the patterns make beautiful abstract rust wall art. Within the rust and paint swirls, I discover the texture of a living surface that is still developing. Who is to say when something is at the end of its useful life?
Beautiful Decay Art
Beautiful Decay Art
Beautiful Decay Art
In rust, corrosion, and decay, we see impermanence. Could the effect of time and the elements on metal, paint, and glass be mirrors for ourselves? As a society, we value youth. We shun aging. Yet, when you really think this through, isn’t it amazing that we’ve been granted another day to explore? We got to be young, and here we are, still able to learn and experience. Our bodies and minds are sacred and deserve our kindness and attention. Let’s embrace our aging, whether it is an old car, bad knees, or forgetting details. In all of it, your attention is what determines if something is beautiful.
“The world is afflicted by death and decay. But the wise do not grieve, having realized the nature of the world.”
-The Buddha
Black and White
Black and White Abstract Photography
Our lifestyle fills up with hectic schedules, chaos, and endless details. The rapid pace and piling on materialism lead to a chronically cluttered mind. Getting back to the basics is crucial for our sanity. This collection of minimalist abstract art will remind you of the simplicity you seek.
Black and white photography has been an appealing art form and versatile as home decor no matter how many times you may change your color scheme. Monochrome photo prints make a statement: less is more. With no color to distract your attention, you concentrate on the contrasts of light and shadow. Patterns are more discernable. Simplicity calls you back to appreciating the small things in life.
“Black and white is abstract; color is not. Looking at a black and white photograph, you are already looking at a strange world.”
-Joel Sternfeld
Up Close
Up Close Albums
Up Close Photography
I have a bad habit when it comes to taking photos: I want to get closer to my subject. Really close. Zoomed in. Sometimes I miss the bigger picture, pun intended. However, the appeal to me is to discover details that usually go unnoticed. Because the context is new to our eyes, these photos generally make for appealing abstract fine art.
“Viewed close up, nobody is normal.”
-Caetano Veloso
Let’s Stay Home
Let’s Stay Home
Lockdown art.
“The arts don’t exist in isolation.”
–David Bryne
After a few shell-shocked mornings at the start of the Covid-19 lockdown, I looked up from having checked my phone for news updates. The subtle movement across the wall caught my attention. Slowly, methodically, a shadow invited me to focus on the present moment and appreciate what was unfolding in front of me. What resulted was making art in isolation.
A small contour feather no longer than an inch long reveals downy softness in this close-up.
A false Christmas cactus bloom looks like a sweet baby dragon trying out its first fire-breath.
An orchid plant sends up a long-awaited branch of flowers that looks like a bonzai tree.
No larger than an inch long, a baby blue egg shows the crack from the hatchling and a clean break out into the world.
Seed head from a weed with the top seeds already lifted, revealing the masculine dark interior and a feminine, light exterior of wispy stars bursting outwards.
A close-up of an Easter lily's stamens lifting up gracefully. An Easter Lily's stamens close up and abstract with the flower blurred in bokeh as the backdrop.
A weed head in bloom close-up looks like an explosion of wispy stars.
Two fallen leaves in the driveway caught a pattern of drops from the sprinkler, which dried up within the hour.
An orchid bloom opening shields its face from full view.
A catrina sculpture of a dog on a leash out for a walk with a shadow dog and alternating bars of dark and light. This close-up photograp symbolizes the equalizing force of the pandemic: we were all susceptible.
To learn more about how the “Stay at Home Command” photo evolved, see the journal entry by clicking here.
Color at the End of the Tunnel
Color at the End of the Tunnel
Colorful abstract art.
Upbeat colors and a dreamy effect of shapes from an unlikely place: underneath a highway. This tunnel’s walls were painted with geometric patterns. I twisted my camera around and around. I fell in love with the gradient colors, the lines, and the swirls, all giving off a fun, youthful vibe. Enjoy the variety of geometric abstract art that the tunnel and I produced in collaboration.
Defocused gradient colors flow to create a circular pattern with lines and angles. Add some cool vibey art where you need the energy of color.
A kite seemingly drifts on winds of multi-color swirls in an abstract of gradient colors. Decorate a child's bedroom or a pediatrician's lobby with this colorful abstract.
A yellow wave crests over a blue wave rising in a smooth flow. Soft gradient color art with a sense of motion and hidden angles to give a pop of calming blue and energizing yellow to any situation. A perfect gift for the LA Rams fan.
Beams of light pierce through the density of various colors like a searchlights. Dramatic wall art with pleasing lines that reach upwards, searching for something in the distance.
The geometry of blues and whites, clean and refreshing. Imagine one triangle balancing, teetering on the tip of the other. A beautiful distraction from the edginess of everyday upheavals.
Repetitive colorful geometric patterns hold the attention in thie kaledescope therapy artwork. Set in motion as if a child twisted the lens. Trippy tie dye pattern to decorate any room in a youthful style, especially appropriate for a child's bedroom or pediatrician's lobby.
An abstract of muted colors form a sort of tapestry set off by a gray pyramid. As a child, I was entranced in the culture of the Navajo, so when I saw this image on my viewfinder, I immediately thought of a modern version of the Navajo weavings known as Two Grey Hills. A modern way to weave a bit of heritage into your contemporary space.
This waning crescent moon image represents a time when things become more focused. Place this astrology wall art in a place that reinforces your desire to seek new opportunities with optimism.
Alternative Grand Canyon
Alternative Grand Canyon
Digital art examples using the Grand Canyon as a model.
The importance of creativity is that the more you flex your creative muscle, the better you get at innovating and solving problems. Experimenting with techniques for digital nature art, I created a new look for the Grand Canyon. Let your imagination wander is to explore her depths and moods.
The temple of Isis in the Grand Canyon takes on a different form with the Egyptian goddess's magic.
Spinning into the depths of the Grand Canyon with her web, a giant spider connects and integrates all levels.
The Colorado River shimmers in the distance, satisfied with its job carving through the canyon.
All the earth at the canyon is supercharged, showing the power of Isis, the Goddess.
A melodramatic Wotan's Throne in the Grand Canyon looks otherworldly with a comet streaking by, perhaps on its way to create the Meteor Crater.
The texture on the walls of the canyon appear like the underside of a fiberglass-formed swimming pool.
Neon laser tripwires installed on and around Wotan's Throne protects this iconic landmark in the Grand Canyon.
Everything is connected by energy, including these Grand Canyon walls with a soft evening light washing over the scene.