This month’s Challenge was themed “Abstract” with 32 images being submitted from Thirteen members.
This months Guest Judge was Jeff Hirsch who also judged an Algarve Plus theme in May 24 themed “Bridges“.
Jeff is an Adobe Certified Expert of Photoshop & Lightroom and runs classes on both applications as well as organising photography trips to various locations around the world. You can find out more about Jeff and his work via his website.
Congratulations to all who took part and many thanks to Jeff for once again finding time in his schedule to judge this challenge.
Our next Exhibition will be a Print Exhibition on 26th July and the theme for that Exhibition is “Seafaring & Watersports“.
We look forward to seeing you there.
Selected Images
![](https://www.algarvephotographersgroup.org/wp-content/uploads/Dronne-by-Kevin-Saunders-300x300.jpg)
This is a beautiful example of abstract photography. Wonderful colours, shapes, forms, texture and composition.
It suggests a scene without actually depicting it. Subtle and sublime.
![](https://www.algarvephotographersgroup.org/wp-content/uploads/Agave-by-Ligia-Glover-300x300.jpg)
This too conveys form, color, texture, and shape removed from realistic depiction.
There’s some nice interplay between the highlights and shadows as well giving an added sense of depth and dimension to the various colored shapes.
![](https://www.algarvephotographersgroup.org/wp-content/uploads/Prisms-by-Robert-Pool-300x300.jpg)
I find this image particularly enchanting because the image is entirely composed of refracted and coloured light.
We get the word photography from the Greek language. Photo (light) + Graphos (writing) = “Writing with light”. This image IS photo+graphos!
The overlapping and insecting segments of light (cast through a prism, based on the title?) create wonderful umbra and penumbra at each intersection, adding to the variety and layering of tones.
Words of Wisdom
I chose these three among all the others because I thought they best captured the theme of abstraction. They are completely removed from realistic depictions or representational symbols and presented instead as pure forms, shapes, colors, tones, textures, etc. They suggest a reality without dictating it.
The gallery was full of lovely images but a great many of them did not meet the criteria of what I would consider “abstract”. In any other themed contest, some of those might have been among my favorites. But in this one, I feel they missed the mark.
I also enjoyed “Vague” and “Confusion” as abstracts. I liked the ambiguity of form that “Vague” expresses and the selective focus keeps the viewer just a little off-balance (in a good way) and uncertain as to exactly what is being depicted. (Again, this is a GOOD thing.) Vague is an apt title for this sort of visual playfulness.
Thank you for inviting me to look at and evaluate these images.
Main Gallery
![](https://www.algarvephotographersgroup.org/wp-content/uploads/Silver-Shavings-by-Ernst-Neidhardt-1800x1238.jpg)
![](https://www.algarvephotographersgroup.org/wp-content/uploads/Silhouette-by-Marijke-McBean.jpg)
![](https://www.algarvephotographersgroup.org/wp-content/uploads/Serene-by-Nigel-Moore-1800x1012.jpg)
![](https://www.algarvephotographersgroup.org/wp-content/uploads/Rave-Roost-by-Heidi-Beck-1337x1800.jpg)
![](https://www.algarvephotographersgroup.org/wp-content/uploads/Shine-by-Kevin-Saunders-1800x1800.jpg)
![](https://www.algarvephotographersgroup.org/wp-content/uploads/Skin-by-Daryl-Gabin-1350x1800.jpg)
![](https://www.algarvephotographersgroup.org/wp-content/uploads/Paranoia-by-Fred-Bos-1800x1200.jpg)
![](https://www.algarvephotographersgroup.org/wp-content/uploads/Paper-Sky-by-Ernst-Neidhardt-1800x1155.jpg)
![](https://www.algarvephotographersgroup.org/wp-content/uploads/Wabi-Sabi-by-Sharon-Johnson-1800x1390.jpeg)
![](https://www.algarvephotographersgroup.org/wp-content/uploads/Night-Flight-by-Heidi-Beck-1800x1301.jpg)
![](https://www.algarvephotographersgroup.org/wp-content/uploads/Natures-Abstract-by-Nigel-Moore-1800x1200.jpg)
![](https://www.algarvephotographersgroup.org/wp-content/uploads/Hundertwasser-by-Ina-Tanzer-1800x1200.jpg)