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Simplifying Mondrian
Abstract art in black and white photography.
What could be simpler than Mondrian, the Dutch master of abstract art and founder of de Stil? I am a great fan of Mondrian and have used his color palette in many illustrations, private and professional. Red, white, yellow, black, and blue were all the colors he needed. You notice one of his paintings at a distance, out of the corner of your eye, and instantly. Before Andy Warhol and Pop Art, there was Mondrian.
This classic hangs in the new wing of the National Gallery in Washington, DC. The gallery opens at 10:00 am; before 11:00 am, you have the gallery to yourself. It is airy, has a lot of light, and used to house a lovely coffee shop that is now closed. Photos are allowed without a flash or tripod.
Mondrian
I had the idea to take a black and white only camera on my last visit. I would have taken a “film Leica,” but I wanted to have the option to crank up the ISO at will and control sharpness and depth of field (DOF). I used a pre-aspherical lens, the legendary 35mm steel rim, and a red filter for added effect. Hence, you notice significant corner vignetting above, which was enhanced in post-production.
A red filter renders the blues black, the reds white, and everything else as is. I also used a Fomapan 100 profile, which…
