Abstracted Reality

Jane Trotter’s Contemporary Abstract Photography

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Exposed #19: Encoiled

Spoiler Alert!  In my 'Exposed' series of articles I reveal some of the secrets behind how I created my images.  If you don't want to know how I made 'Encoiled' stop reading now!

Encoiled - Abstract Art by Jane Trotter

There are two household chores I really dislike – cleaning the shower and doing the vacuuming. I suppose on the plus side, while I’m traversing the house, pushing the head backwards and forwards across the carpet, it gives my mind an opportunity to wander.

On one of these excursions, I began to take notice of the swaying hose with its multiple ridges and curving flexibility. “How could I put this to good use?” I mused. That fleeting thought set in motion several days’ worth of revision, experimentation and manipulation to photograph my stubbornly difficult vacuum hose.

First Attempts

My first attempts left much to be desired. I knew I wanted to present something simple, focusing on basic form and clarity of design. However, this proved to be much more difficult than I initially anticipated.

In this early shot, I’d managed to incorporate the idea of contrasting curves, and there was a little differentiation in colour, but that was about it.

Here, the composition and focus weren’t up to much, but I did like the little splash of colour along the ridges.

With this image, I was starting to get closer to what I wanted – more definition along the hose ridges and greater warmth of colour. By this stage, I’d moved the coiled hose up on top of our kitchen table (I’d tried it in several other locations around the house, but the lighting never seemed to be just right).

The light above the table was relatively strong and had an appealing golden hue. With the assistance of a black piece of card, I discovered I could accentuate the shadows within the ridges to help provide a feeling of depth and substance. So, camera in one hand, and card in the other, I persevered.

Slowly, but surely, things were starting to come together as I began to refine how I could create and control the colours.

Success!

After multiple attempts on several different days, I finally got a shot I was happy with.

The source image for ‘Encoiled’

Through what was a lengthy process, I’d learnt how best to utilise the black card and how to manhandle the hose into stark, contrasting and opposing shapes.

'Encoiled' - Abstract Art by Jane Trotter

‘Encoiled’ – the final version

In the end, I decided to flip the image horizontally as I felt, compositionally, this new orientation worked better. A little judicious cropping off the bottom and the usual basic enhancements completed the final presentation.

Perseverance is the Key

Pursuing this image felt, at times, like I was stalking an elusive big game creature – while I knew the majestic beast was hidden somewhere, I couldn’t quite distinguish its features through the undergrowth. But with perseverance and determination (and I’ll admit, a good degree of pride that I wasn’t going to let myself be defeated by a vacuum cleaner hose!) I got there in the end.

When it comes to matters of photography – persistence is a virtue!

Jane Trotter - Creator of Abstracted RealityJane Trotter is an abstract photographer living in Dunedin, New Zealand. Reimagining everyday objects found around the home, Jane transforms them into colourful and dramatic pieces of contemporary art. Her Fine Art Prints are available in sizes A4 to A1.

Multiple Exposure

A Touch of Red - Jane Trotter

Exposed #21: A Touch of Red

Well, it's no surprise what these are! This is probably my most easily discernible image (even … [Read More...]

Exposed #20: Follow the Yellow Brick Road

I must confess, I'm a sucker when it comes to colourful patterns. I think I'm attracted to the … [Read More...]

Exposed #19: Encoiled

There are two household chores I really dislike - cleaning the shower and doing the vacuuming. I … [Read More...]

Exposed #18: Cascade

I always like to challenge myself in my photography. Especially with triptychs, it can be extremely … [Read More...]

Exposed #17: Solar Flare

I always like to keep a selection of the images I take from a photo shoot. Firstly, I’ll choose the … [Read More...]

Exposed #16: Back in the Fold

With today’s abundance of technology and amazing gadgets, it’s easy to forget about the humble piece … [Read More...]

Exposed #15: Splay of Colour

I’m always on the lookout for colourful things which I think might be useful for my photography. But … [Read More...]

Exposed #14: Fish out of Water & Three of a Kind

I love playing around with images. For me, one of the greatest challenges and pleasures is taking a … [Read More...]

Exposed #13: Prismatic

It’s amazing what your subconscious can come up with. A shot can be years in the making if you go … [Read More...]

Exposed #12: Tulip

Sometimes you hold onto an image and you don’t know why. There’s a little voice in the back of your … [Read More...]

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