Some images tell you exactly what they are. They shout it from the rooftops.
“Look at me! Over here! I’m a firetruck!”
And then there are some images that don’t. Abstract photography can be like that.
You tilt your head, you scratch your head, you contemplate, you formulate…and you still don’t quite have it. Not that you have nothing, mind you—it’s just that they haven’t given up any real hints. They’re elusive and not too shy about it. Harumph to you!
These images fall somewhere in between.
They don’t shout from the rooftops—no firetrucks here—but they also don’t give up all the goods.
The first one, Black and White Texture, looks like water. Or at least, it feels like water: foam, movement, something in motion. You’re almost certain of it. But it isn’t what you think it is. The image plays with scale and expectation, letting you settle into recognition before quietly pulling it away.
The second image, Jigsaw of Cells, feels familiar in a different way. It suggests cells: organic, structured, something biological. This time, your instinct is correct—but you don’t know that at first. You arrive there slowly, through pattern and repetition, rather than certainty.
This is the kind of image where you tilt your head… and then nod your head. It takes a moment, but eventually, it lands.
Both images operate in that space between knowing and not knowing, similar to how I’ve explored abstract photography that plays with light and perception before. They offer hints—maybe even allegations—but stop short of confirmation. What you see depends on how you look… and how much you trust your own perception.
I love messing with your head this way. As a photographer, it’s a really fun place to play. It reminds me of old “trick scale” photography: you know something isn’t quite right, but you also know you’re seeing it.
Photography is supposed to be truthful all the time.
Right?
Right…?
Um… yeah. OK. Try this on for size.
I’m happy to share that these images have something else in common, besides their head-scratching tendencies. They are both included in the upcoming exhibition at PH21 Gallery in Barcelona, The Natural and the Artificial.
From their website, “The natural and the artificial are diametrically opposed concepts that evoke contrasting ideas such as organic versus geometric, spontaneous versus designed, instinctive versus deliberate, wild versus tamed, and more. However, there exists a continuum between these opposing forces, manifesting in the form of tamed nature like gardens or abandoned spaces being reclaimed by nature, for instance. The interplay, cross-border interactions, struggles, and coexistences of the two at these junctures provide unique experiences to explore, especially in the visual realm. Throughout the history of the medium, photographers have been drawn to the creative possibilities of capturing, interpreting, and presenting the natural, the artificial, and their many intertwined forms. Images of these subjects are among the most captivating ways of elucidating our intricate and often conflicting relationship with our environment. By exploring and depicting the natural and the artificial in all their varied forms, photographers can offer us insight into the complexities of the world we inhabit.”
It’s an exhibition soon to open in Barcelona and I’m thrilled to be included in it.
Until next time…
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