As these playground abstracts demonstrate, we can often see things around us a bit differently than some of our associates.

NOTE: Click on images to enlarge.

When we first look at playground equipment we often focus on children playing. The absence of human use enables us to better see various angles and details of the equipment. This can lead to compositions of playground abstracts.

When experimenting with subject matter I’ll often begin with some compositions that focus on vantage points a bit out of the ordinary.

Having a flip screen on a camera helps to capture images from different angles.

Using longer focal lengths can help visually compress elements in a composition, as we can see with the images above and below.

Once I begin to make a reasonable connection with subject matter, I often find that details, shapes and angles attract my eye.

Repeating patterns often make interesting abstract interpretations of subjects.

I always find that using a zoom lens with a good range of focal lengths, like the 1 Nikkor 10-100 mm f/4-5.6, gives me the flexibility that I need for these types of images.

Sometimes patterns, shapes and directional lines can combine into playground abstracts.

Individual moldings and colours often catch my attention.

When removed visually from other elements in the playground setting, these abstracts can cause viewers to wonder about the nature of the subject matter.

Often the graphic design found on equipment can make for interesting playground abstracts.

These images were captured a few years ago during a quick 15 minute stop. The final two photographs in this article were my favourites.

Technical Note

Photographs were captured handheld using camera gear as noted in the EXIF data. Image were produced from RAW files using my standard process.

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