Hybrid Abstraction

This work is part of an ongoing exploration into hybrid photographic processes that merge analog optical effects with digital capture. The images are constructed entirely in-camera through the use of composite masking techniques, originally developed for large-format 4×5 film and adapted to a digital medium-format system. Rather than relying on post-production manipulation, the process is rooted in physical image construction. Multiple exposures are made onto a single frame using precisely registered masks that selectively control light transmission. These masks—derived from analog film elements—allow for the layering of forms, tonal separations, and spatial ambiguity within a controlled optical system. The work operates at the intersection of structure and unpredictability. While the masking system provides a framework, the interaction between light, exposure timing, and optical alignment introduces subtle variations that cannot be fully predetermined. This balance between control and emergence is central to the visual outcome. Conceptually, the project reflects on the transformation of photography itself. Historically grounded in physics and chemistry, the medium is now dominated by digital processes. This work revisits its optical foundations while integrating contemporary tools, creating a dialogue between past and present methodologies. The resulting images are abstract compositions that emphasize contrast, geometry, and tonal modulation. They are not representations of external subjects but constructed visual events—images that exist as the direct result of photographic processes rather than as documentation.