Semi-Abstract
When I decided it was time to experiment with my photography, I turned to a less literal approach.
Gary Alan Nelson (photos and text)
For the past 30 years, my photos have almost always been literal representations of what I saw on a given day in the outdoors. But a few years ago, I started creating images that were less exact and more tapped into how I felt during specific experiences. I began experimenting with my digital camera and fell into semi-abstract photography, a style that combines the naturalistic with the abstract.
The photographs in this essay can be described as semi-abstract. They were created in natural settings, but with a few added ingredients, including multiple exposures, intentional camera movements, and blending techniques—both in the camera and with photo-editing software.
This approach allows me to transform and layer details, patterns, colors, and shapes into images that illustrate my personal interpretations of the surrounding landscape. Think of it as painting with a camera.
