Abstracts // Green Hill and Little Compton

Abstract photography can be an escape.  It forces me to let go, allow the creativity to take over, and look for the subtleties in the landscape.  Intuition and expression take the place of contrived composition, and Mother Nature comes through.

I don't need much to photograph abstracts, just an hour or so of free time, my standard camera kit (always packed and ready to go), and my tripod.  Just after returning from my trip out west to Jackson Hole, I had been in a flurry for two weeks just processing all the new information and catching up on everything from my time away.  But I made time for myself and my photography, and soon found one afternoon to just escape.

We had a couple of warm days in early October, and I hopped in the car on a whim and went to Green Hill Beach. I didn't have any big ideas in mind of what would be there when I arrived or what I wanted to shoot.  But as we parked and golden hour approached, the waves were rolling gently into the beach, the sun was warm and bright, the air was still and calm, and I decided on abstracts.

A few weeks later, I came back to the idea of shooting abstracts.  I was in Little Compton and it was a very different day, with cold chilling winds driving forcefully onshore.  When comparing this most recent shot (pictured last) with the series from Green Hill Beach, it's astounding how easily the mood of the image can change with such small shifts in color and weather.  But that's why I'll always come back to this project, because it provides the greatest surprises and creative freedom, often at times when I need it the most!