I am always looking for subject matter with the right photographic qualities for my abstract work–not an easy task. I've found that many subjects readily reveal themselves for what they are, rendering them representational and not truly abstract in the eyes of the viewer. This is especially true for abstracts of nature. It is surprising to me that most people, including city-dwellers, can easily identify "what something is" when viewing photographs of objects found in the natural world.
Interestingly, I've found that achieving true abstraction is more straightforward with man-made objects. Humans have envisioned, designed and produced such an immense diversity of things that many people will not immediately recognize exactly what they are looking at when viewing a tightly cropped, well-composed frame. To me, this is the primary criteria for abstract photography. However, it's just the first step–the image must also be interesting, not just mysterious.
In Playgrounds Volume One, I've found an excellent subject with which to demonstrate my approach to seeing and photographing mundane subjects using graphic compositions. Most obviously, since playground equipment is designed for children, there are lots of bright, primary colors used and the equipment manufacturing must be smooth and precise–perfect for abstract imagery. This body of work is all about line, shape and color, with a visual style that reminds me of my teenage years in the 1980s.
I'm certain that parents watching and playing with their children on this equipment do not often notice the visual playground contained within. During the two hours I photographed this particular playground, the sun moving across the sky constantly changed the photographic possibilities. Thus, I had to work quickly to isolate each composition and make the photograph before it was gone. But just as quickly, new images emerged. This is similar to the characteristics of my landscape photography: constantly changing light, quickly revealing and then eliminating the pictures before my eyes. For me, this is the most fun I can have making photographs–truly a playground.