Abstract nominee

This is a wooden staircase in the Art Gallery of Ontario (AGO), Toronto, Canada. Taking pictures of modern staircase is a really fascinating process, allowing me to create a minimalist architectural abstract from the possibilities for composition to perspective. However, the real challenge I faced in taking pictures of this staircase was to make the "right" decision in terms of the composition; to find a "appropriate" angle to justify the sheer elegance of the staircase in a single frame and then to apply the "right" post-production treatment that would display the beauty of the structure without embellishing it in anyway; allowing the natural beauty of the wood to speak for itself.

Roland Shainidze is an amateur photographer in Toronto. He is a graduate student in humanities at York University and his photography is focused primarily on architecture, both interiors and exteriors. He has taken photographs in Toronto, Montreal, Quebec City, Ottawa, London England as well as his native Georgia.

Roland uses digital camera tools to transform the presentation of the imagery of architectural elements. Self-taught, he takes every opportunity to take pictures and experiment with them; playing with lines, patterns, light and selective colour.

Roland's interest in photography started when he started using his brother's film camera; but there were no opportunities to pursue photography in Georgia. It was not until he came to Canada in 2009 that he was able to renew his interest in photography. Since then he has devoted all his spare time to his passion for photography.