Abstract Landscape Photography
Offering big emotion in small-scale scenics.
“My emotions, instincts, and interests are all with nature.”
–Eliot Porter
The turquoise waters of the Colorado River push swiftly downstream. The path it takes is forever changed. Enjoy the journey downstream with this soothing abstract adorning your wall.
The rush of the rapids in the Colorado River looks chaotic and turbulent. If you are looking for the energy of passion and emotional growth, let this abstract river rapid set the pace.
Whether it's just a season or a major shift in life, there's an option of how you contemplate change. Be open to empty space so you can discover options. Trust the state of transition for that is where transformation grows.
The calm after the storm, wind-swept to perfection. Soft light accentuating the curves and ripples. Perfection for this moment in time. Every grain of sand in place. A testament to enjoying the present moment.
Two juniper trees on a rocky ledge are being enveloped by storm clouds at the south rim of the Grand Canyon. A gorgeous scene for a living room.
Deep in the Grand Canyon at mile 21 on the Colorado River, a lone tree lives in the close confines of North Canyon's exfoliated sandstone walls. During the monsoon season each year, there is potential for flash floods sending boulders down this narrow chasm. Regulars down the river have seen times when the tree was literally ripped to the roots. But it continues to grow. A stunning piece of wall art to reinforce the message of determination.
There's no doubt how this sandstone appears jagged at water's edge. The Colorado River surges past North Canyon Rapids in a rush.
You might think I took this after a few drinks, but this is how the Grand Canyon really looks down below. The plateaus all have different eras of geological activity and shifted in massive movements.
Quiet the world around you with soft folds and ripples like silky sheets. This serene moment is yours whenever you want to escape and drift off.
A scramble of a hike up boulders finally awards us with greenery and flowers that should not exist in the dry southwest. Tired but amazed, I understand that only elves could create and maintain such agarden as this.
The glassy-look of water that precedes a rapid hypnotizes. A momentary calm before the rapid wakes you up. Looking towards North Canyon camp.
A close up of the morning sun hitting the plateaus and the shadows advancing up the cliff walls at the south rim of Grand Canyon National Park. The lines lead your eye up and down the canyon walls and makes for an appealing and mysterious piece for your art collection.
Hilltop Indian Ruin on the Escalante Trail deep in the Grand Canyon is showcased by the setting sun lighting up the rock walls during a magic moment. Stunning abstract landscape art that will catch attention and stir the imagination in your home.
A rainbow forms from deep in the Grand Canyon, reaching up to the rain clouds above. Hang this photo where a hopeful message would be appreciated. A great decor idea for a physician's office.
Moody layers being enveloped by sheets of rain form shadowed silhouettes in the Grand Canyon at sunset. A contemplative art piece that stands the test of time.
I didn't realize that as I captured these stoic mittens at Monument Valley while the sun was setting that a distant storm photo bombed my shot with a lightning bolt. Nature has a sense of humor. Enjoy the glow of sunset and the bolt of surprise on your wall.
The late afternoon sun lights up the tops of aspens that have lost their fall color, creating an intricate lacy white pattern with their branches.
How fast the seasons shift. A pond with green grasses and lily pads catches the reflection of fall colors from the trees.
A golden carpet of fallen aspen leaves lines a drive through a grove.
Gothic mountain is kissed by the last rays of day, and surrounded with a meadow of aspens in autumn yellows. Symbolically, since aspens share a root system, they share with us the importance of a sense of community.
See the arc in the puzzle pieces in the mud cracks abstract landscape? A small animal walked through mud of a receding pond. What emotional footprints do we leave in our walk through life?
Looking at an abandoned lumber mill's windows, I realized that instead of seeing inwards, the windows reflected the hillside in front of the mill. We are told to look inwards, but it is also healthy to evaluate how our actions will effect others. I love the story that a mill who harvests wood is looking out at a grove of trees reaching to the sky.
Dogwoods blossoming in spring look lacey against the rough texture of ponderosa bark. Bring the beauty of spring in Yosemite National Park into your home.
A stately live oak tree like this one in Charleston, South Carolina can live for centuries. A powerful image to display reminding you of strength.
The charm of walking through Charleston, South Carolina is peaking down the walkways in between homes. Invite the neighborly southern feeling into your home with this inviting print.
Swaying in a tropical breeze, don't palm tree fronds just remind you of vacation? We love them for the shade, but as art, they offer symmetry and balance that soothes our mind.
Swaying in a tropical breeze, don't palm tree fronds just remind you of vacation? We love them for the shade, but as art, they offer symmetry and balance that soothes our mind.
Swaying in a tropical breeze, don't palm tree fronds just remind you of vacation? We love them for the shade, but as art, they offer symmetry and balance that soothes our mind.
A frozen wave splashes up a heart-felt message. The perfect gift to adorn a wall and send the message of love to them each and every day.
Abstract lines and curves bounce on the waves of the surface of a pool. Repeatitve patterns are pleasing to the brain. Give your brain a theta bath with this mesmerizing pattern art.
There is water and there is motion. A wave could not be unless both existed. Ponder on doing and being with this beautiful wave image.
A slow-motion capture of waves crashing against the pillars of Scripps Pier. In the distance, there is an open door to the ocean. If you are looking for a momento of your San Diego vacation or wall art for a surfer, open the door to this image.
A simple wave crashing into the beach with a touch of transparency. An image with the simple message to be open and vulnerable, and that you have nothing to hide.
The California Coaster rushes by Torrey Pines State Beach carrying commuters at sunset. I imagine how they look out longingly to the beach and the sun setting over the water. A gentle reminder on your wall to slow down and enjoy the moment.
Wish I may, wish I might, fill the sky with stars tonight. What a beautiful way to lull yourself to sleep.
Artistic photography of intimate landscapes brings you into the view.
Eliot Porter coined the term “intimate landscapes” and introduced America to focus on the grand landscapes’ detail. Sweeping vistas offer stunning views, but there is something special about brevity in art. Trying to capture those big scenes overwhelms me, and I guess it is my style to seek the smaller story. The middle ground between the big vista and the tight close-ups requires us to pay attention to what contributes to the big picture.
Enjoying the grand landscape, I look around for the vignettes to try to create something new. Then, if I’m lucky, I find myself in the right place at the right time and witness an unrepeatable moment. In the Grand Canyon, for instance, I wanted to photograph an ancestral ruin. I’d never been to that location before, and as I was setting up, I could not believe my eyes. Right then, the setting sun lit up the top of the hill and ran a beam of light right to the structure in front of me.
Beautiful abstract nature is all around us.
But to capture that beauty, we have to pay attention. I remind myself to walk around for different angles, look down, look around, and look back. This was a lesson that an old building tried to teach me. I took a photo of an old lumber mill, thinking the antique glass in the windows would make a good abstract close-up shot. But, as I worked with my camera, I was confused. Why did the color blue keep showing up in my shots? Then I stepped away from my camera and backed up. What I failed to see right away was that this old building was trying to show that there was a reflection behind me, of how beautiful the blue sky over the meadow behind me was in the glowing afternoon sun.
Intimate landscape photos remind us of connection.
We spend so much time inside. But we can still surround ourselves with nature photos in our homes and offices as a reminder of our connection with the natural world. Abstract landscape art prints reinforce our gratitude for the beauty in nature and the wonder of special moments we do get to experience out there.
When you seek simplicity in your decor, look for a place where abstract landscape art can help you convey mood and emotion. Isolated elements like a single tree, a lone structure, a crashing wave, or one egret form a simplified scene; this pulls you into the story and connects you with nature. Fine art nature photography is like bringing the outside indoors to work its magic on calming and bathing you in wonder.