Photography can be used to capture a moment with family and friends, to document vacation destinations or to exchange information. It can also express pure aesthetics by way of art photography and abstraction. LGTripp Gallery’s December show is called “FOCUS: 4th Annual Abstract Photography Exhibition,” which presents works by seven artists in their first exhibition at the gallery.

Historically, abstraction in photography can be traced back to its earliest roots at the beginning of the 20^th century. As photographic technology emerged, the medium exploded as a source for artists to capture images in their environments instinctively instead of creating artworks in the traditional sense. At the early end of the 21^st century, abstraction and photography are both still alive and kicking, and one needn’t look much further than LGTripp to see some fine examples.

The artists in “FOCUS” all work in a fairly subdued palette of black and white or low-color images, which hearken back to early photographic methods in many ways. Alyssha Eve Csuk points her lens downward to examine the forms found in flaking and fracturing slate. Csuk says her goal is “bringing forth what resides below the surface of perception, its many layers and meaning.” What better way to delve through the layers of the mind than by first looking at the earth we come from and its ancient layers of sedimentary rock?

Paul Rider is a bit more specific in the meaning behind his images. He explains that his photos are intended to represent the arid desert landscapes of the Middle East. The textured and cracked close-ups of what appear to be wrinkled and torn paper do well to express the idea of crags and sand. Around the textured area lies dark negative space, which brings to mind the ongoing human social conflicts that continue in this region.

Similarly, Rachel Zimmerman’s shots recall a visit to a war monument in the Israeli desert. She recently made a trip back to the site after losing the negatives from her original visit during high school. “Now neglected,” explains Zimmerman, “it’s still a beautiful site of simple yet complex forms in the middle of the desert.”

Abstraction can take many forms, and it obviously doesn’t always require a brush and canvas. Formal elements of art are all around us, and with a skilled eye and an open aperture, art can literally be almost anywhere. “FOCUS” at LGTripp runs through Jan. 7. The reception will be on Dec. 10 from 5 to 7 p.m.

LGTripp Gallery is located at 47-49 N. Second St. in Old City; 215.923.3110.