ERIC KIM

In Praise of Abstract Photography and Art

Abstract art: I love it because it conveys mood, vigor, energy, and life — what I think the purpose of art is!

Orange bokeh dots. Marseille, 2018
Wire frame with flash on eye. Marseille, 2018
Orange transparency at night. Marseille, 2017
Light bulb with blue and red. Marseille, 2017
Orange and blue. Marseille, 2017
Marseille, 2017
Hand and selfie shadow. Blue and red. Marseille, 2017
Golden hour. Marseille, 2017
Cindy with blue candle over face. Marseille, 2017
Red blur of Cindy’s face. Marseille, 2018
Curved red curtain and shadow. Marseille, 2017. Shot in program mode on Ricoh gr ii
Cindy dramatic chiaroscuro shadow play. Marseille, 2017
Key and shadow. Marseille, 2017
Sunset and red curtain shades. Marseille, 2017
Marseille, France 2012

A lot of people think that “good art” is art which looks as close to real life as possible, or artwork which is soft, glowing, or has pastel colors.

In painting, most people think of “good” art according to the effort and precision necessary to make it. For example, people marvel at Renaissance art, because it looks like painting-photos of real life; the paintings almost look like real life!

Yet, when photography came along, everyone got a bit confused. Now that we can make 100% perfect replicas of reality, what’s the point of painting, or photography?

Well early photography was only monochrome, so it was seen as “artistic” in that sense. Now, we see black and white photos (especially shot on film) as more artistic and superior, because it is more novel and “old school”. And truth be told, shooting film is more technically difficult than shooting digital, or on phones. This is why a lot of photographers try to legitimize themselves by saying that they shoot fully manual; to elevate their status, because shooting fully manual is more difficult than shooting fully auto mode, or program (P) mode.

For myself, I don’t judge or rate a photo according to how difficult it was to make, shoot, or produce. To me, I only like photos which spark wonder, joy, excitement, or aesthetic appreciation in my heart. It’s a combination of aesthetics (the colors, textures, contrast, film type or post processing style), composition (framing, diagonal lines, dynamic movement), human faces and body/hand gestures, etc.

Cultivate your own taste and style

But honestly, any photo that sparks joy in your viewer is good! But, you cannot control the taste of the viewer. You can however, make photos or images that cater to your own taste! You don’t need to superimpose your taste, aesthetics, style or vision of photography on others — you can do it for yourself and a small group of people.

So if you make abstract photos that others don’t “get” but you like it, shoot on my friend!

JUST SHOOT IT,
ERIC

Yellow and red selfie abstract. Osaka, 2018
Abstract urban landscape with arrows. Osaka, 2018
Red and blue abstract, shot from a high staircase, looking through slits, and capturing things far away in the background. Osaka, 2018
Abstract Eric Kim Tokyo iPad Sketch with Procreate
Abstract: Tokyo umbrella, 2018
Abstract: Walking woman. Lisbon, 2018
Texture London abstract, 2018
Abstract London bokeh, 2018
Abstract Cindy. Uji, Kyoto 2017
Red abstract. Tokyo, 2017
Green abstract. Tokyo, 2017
Blue tarp abstract. Tokyo, 2017
Red, yellow, blue abstract. Tokyo, 2017
Building at night. Looks like an abstract face to me. London, 2018
Abstract yellow man. Lisbon, 2018
Abstract at night. London, 2018. Inside is a lot warmer than outside, thus the window is foggy.
Red and blue abstract. Lisbon, 2018
Rust abstract. Lisbon, 2018
Man abstract. Marseille, 2017
Yellow dots, abstract Lisbon street photo.
Hand abstract and blue background. Marseille, 2017
Red and blue abstract. Marseille, 2017
The dance abstract by ERIC KIM
Callisto cat abstract by ERIC KIM
Blue triangle abstract by ERIC KIM
Black swan abstract by ERIC KIM x Matisse
Little man abstract. Marseille, 2017
Spine in doctor office, surreal abstract.
Triangle composition in white. Three subjects abstracted by Matisse, into red, blue, yellow.
Triangle composition. Three subjects abstracted by Matisse, into red, blue, yellow.
Triangle composition. Three subjects abstracted by Matisse.
Three subjects abstracted by Matisse.
Red triangle abstract by eric kim
Blue abstract by ERIC KIM. Drawing by Matisse, woman with folded arms
Cindy abstract in bed in marseille, 2017
Abstract: Henri Cartier Bresson Seville
Abstracted depth in street photography composition. Bookend woman, far left of the frame in red. Middle ground woman on far right, in yellow. Background man in blue.
Abstract. Simple figure to ground composition. Man in silhouette in black in top left of frame against white sky.
Success abstract illustration
Abstract. Cindy elevator, Dutch angle. Saigon, 2017
Abstract. Cindy walking, with diagonal line composition. Kyoto, 2017
Abstract. Cindy with hands on face. Red, Kyoto 2017
Abstract. Cindy with hand on chin. Red. Kyoto, 2017
Laughing lady abstract, 2017
Abstract. Cindy diagonal Dutch angle. Saigon, 2017
Abstract walking woman with umbrella. Seoul. 2009
Face abstract. Amsterdam, 2017
Vector. Face abstract. Amsterdam, 2017
Abstracted. Kurosawa Rashomon still. Note how the blue and the white subjects are a group, because they are next to one another. Distant in another group, is the man in yellow.
Rashomon composition Abstract
Abstracted. Kurosawa Rashomon triangle composition
Randomness abstract by ERIC KIM
Mustang lines abstract. NYC, 2017
Abstract diagonal shot with Ricoh GR II, in P mode. Prague, 2017
Eyes abstract. Prague pavement, 2017
Abstract Cindy with hand. Saigon, 2017
Orange woman abstract. Kyoto, 2017
ERIC KIM abstract selfie, Amsterdam 2017
Colorful wall abstract. Amsterdam, 2017
Red and blue abstract. Amsterdam, 2017
Abstracted into colors. Overpass in Tokyo. High angle, looking down. Dynamic perspective composition.
Abstract of the ‘figure to ground’ relationship of the picture.
Kyoto Abstract by ERIC KIM, 2017
Abstract by ERIC KIM
Abstract by ERIC KIM
Abstract by ERIC KIM
Blue background, black tree, red leaves. Abstract by ERIC KIM
Cindy in pink, abstracted. Made with iPad and Procreate app.
Red, Yellow, Blue living room abstract by ERIC KIM
Dots. Abstract street photograph. Kyoto, 2017
ABSTRACT ERIC KIM EYE by ANNETTE KIM
Sketch and abstract forms.

Inspiration from Willem de Kooning: