What is shooting with abstracts, and why is it important? First of all, working with abstraction helps you compose your pictures with greater dynamism, stronger design, and more engaging compositions. By focusing on abstract shapes, you learn to see beyond the literal subject and instead concentrate on the visual structure that holds an image together.
I often search for these abstract forms before I even take a photograph. In this article, I’ll share what I look for when composing my images through abstraction—and how this approach can transform the way you see and capture the world.
First, let’s look at the picture above. I shot this in Jaipur during my trip to India in 2014. It was taken at Jaipur Fort, just outside the city. Beautiful buildings. This image focuses on abstract shapes as directional aids in composition. What I saw was the middle image: simple geometric forms. I tend to shoot most of my pictures this way, largely because of my background in design. A big part of this shot is also the amount of sky I included.
So let’s break it down. The black and reddish-brown areas act as opposing directional aids, keeping the photograph weighted downward. The top section of the building thrusts leftward and upward, drawing your eye out of the lower area. The grayish-blue block then serves as a directional pull back down to the bottom of the image. Many people ask why I include so much sky in my photographs—well, one reason is for this kind of directional balance, and the other is for something called asymmetry.
The dictionary definition of asymmetry is “the absence of, or a violation of, symmetry”—in other words, when something isn’t centered. Too often people place everything dead-center in their photos, thinking it looks balanced. The same happens in homes, where knick-knacks, paintings, and furniture all get lined up in the middle. Ick. I love asymmetry because it creates a stronger, more active compositional style.
Asymmetry adds dynamics, energy, and tension to a photograph, and that’s exactly what this image carries. It isn’t as tension-filled as some of my other shots, but it has enough dynamics to make a statement.
In this image you can also see triangles. These are fantastic directional aids in photography. Triangles move the viewer’s eye through the picture, and when they point in opposite directions, they create visual motion and interest.
It’s All About the Goat
This next picture is a little more complex, but has the same underlying abstract quality that I look for.
It has a lot going for it, but the biggest element is the interplay of shapes—and the sheer weight of one black ball of goat power. This goat cements the entire picture. Without it, the dynamic quality suffers. The composition would still be balanced through asymmetry, but it would lack strength and energy. Let’s go through this one piece at a time.
First, the walkway. Its angle pushes the entire picture upward, framing the photograph and giving it structure. Like a good foundation, the blocks serve as the support system for the entire image.
Next, the wall. It not only supports the picture but also acts as a container for the upper portion. It wraps the land above—and the girls walking along it—in a kind of warm embrace. Above that, the curved triangular landmass in the sky directs your gaze back into the frame, keeping your eye from drifting out of the composition.
And then there’s Mr. Goat. He takes the prize for control, his body movement thrusting back and upward in a circular motion. Naturally, he becomes the center of interest. Every artwork needs a focal point—whether a photograph, a painting, a drawing, a tapestry, or even a play. Watch a Hitchcock film and you’ll see the same principle at work. His films are filled with abstract compositions—angles, triangles, empty spaces, and dynamic shapes—all pushing you here and pulling you there. Brilliant design.
As in Hitchcock’s work, this photograph relies heavily on asymmetry. Nothing is centered, least of all the goat. Yet his energy and contrasting color make him the undeniable focal point. If the goat had been cream-colored and simply standing still, the image would lose much of its dynamism and asymmetrical power.
Now, let’s look at the directional aids. The walkway thrusts upward. The goat spins that energy higher. The triangular landmass above bounces the energy down to the left. And finally, the wall channels it back toward the walkway.
The women in the scene play a crucial role as well. The group walking left carries excess energy out of the right edge, while the woman in purple redirects that energy back into the frame. Together, these elements maintain focus and keep the composition’s dynamism under control.
The colors of the women’s clothing add even more flavor and interest. Even if this photograph were in black and white, it would still hold tension and flow—the color simply enhances the liveliness.
Too often, people dismiss abstract art when they encounter it in galleries. They scoff and think, I could do that. But if it didn’t already exist, I can guarantee they couldn’t. It’s easy to look at something and assume simplicity, but abstraction is built on the same compositional complexity as realism. The difference is that abstract artists must rely entirely on form, shape, and balance—stripping away subject matter yet still making the piece work.
For a great example of this, look at Gerhard Richter. The documentary Gerhard Richter Painting is a marvelous insight into his process. You’ll see how Richter worked with both realism and abstraction, eventually breaking reality down into its simplest forms. It’s a masterclass in powerful composition.
The Simplicity of Black and White
Since I mentioned black and white, here is an image that really illustrates abstraction and asymmetrical design.
Although this picture may seem centered, it isn’t. Its balance comes from the weight of contrasting shades of gray and the strength of the triangle.
Starting from the top, the sky provides a resting place for the eye before sliding down the mountain face along the treeline to the right. We pause briefly on the top of the next tree shape, then continue downward to the right edge of the tree island—splashing into the water for another break—before being launched upward again by the prickly trees pointing toward the heavens.
These trees form the true center of interest in the photograph. They command attention by being the darkest element in the composition, their energy rising forcefully upward. It isn’t the grandeur of the mountains that we are drawn to here, but the stark blackness of the trees. Beautiful in their simplicity, powerful in their structure.
Back to the Start
Lastly, I’d like to talk about the opening image. By now, from everything we’ve covered, you should be able to recognize the strong abstract shapes that make up this quiet, balanced composition. The large rectangular walls, the round head of the baby with his directional gaze, the bamboo poles the woman is carrying that push your eye upward toward the corner. Then there’s the big black door, which slows the bamboo’s energy so the viewer doesn’t exit the frame too quickly. Finally, the rectangular wall on the opposite side of the door stops the motion and slides your eye back down, returning you into the flow of the picture again.
That big rectangular wall on the right side of the photo is crucial. It works as a directional aid. When your eye reaches this area, the baby’s energy pulls you back into the picture—like the gravitational pull of the earth on the moon. You can’t help but wonder: What does the baby see that’s so interesting?
Now, yes, we could crop the image up to the man’s back. I suppose that’s possible. But by doing so you’d lose the beauty of its abstract simplicity. I prefer giving the viewer a place to pause and rest before moving forward again into the photograph. That space—both literal and visual—is one of the hallmarks of asymmetry.
In conclusion, there’s a great deal to be learned from shooting with an abstract eye. It can sharpen your vision, strengthen your compositions, and make you a better photographer. So the next time you go out with your camera, try to look at the world in abstracts. You might be surprised at what you see.