Intentional Camera Movement

I recently wrote an article for the CM Notebook.

Today, I'm going to reprint it with a collection of ICM images ~

Intentional Camera Movement

You've probably spent months perfecting the ability to get tack sharp focus in your photos.
  While this is an admirable and important skill to have in your photography tool box,
 today we're going to throw sharp focus out the window, so to speak.

In the spirit of having fun, let us now play with "ICM", Intentional Camera Movement.
 ICM is freeing - no photography police looking over your shoulder
or need for perfectionism here.
 ICM is about embracing blur, experimentation, impressionism, and maybe even abstraction.
  With this blur and impressionistic representation of our world
also comes the added possibility for engaging subjective emotion and viewer interpretation.  

Just like play, ICM doesn't come with a whole bunch of rules or technical directives,
 but there are a few elements for us to consider.
 Basically, ICM depends upon two main ingredients,
 slow shutter speeds and camera movement.

Slow Shutter Speeds

A slow shutter speed allows us to record camera movement,
 something we typically try to avoid, thus softening, duplicating, and blurring form.
 The easiest way to get slower shutter speeds is to choose a small aperture -
 high f/stop number, such as f/20 or f/22.
 You'll also want to start with your lowest ISO setting.

Alternately, you may decide to add a polarizing or neutral density filter.
  Besides slowing your shutter speed, with the polarizer or ND filters you should have
 the opportunity to use a bit wider aperture which will affect the recorded depth of field.
  You'll also find low light situations (dawn, dusk, dim interiors) can provide
 some ready-made slower shutter speeds, too.
 As a final shutter speed note, in looking at ICM artists around the web,
their slow shutter speeds generally ranged from about 1/4 second to 4 - 5 seconds.

Camera Movement

Next, let's look at camera movement.  How many directions can you move your camera?
  Let's see....sideways/horizontally, up and down/vertically, angled/diagonally,
 all around/curves-circular, and away from or towards your body.
 Plus, with an extended shutter speed like when using Bulb Mode,
you'll be able to walk around with your camera while the shutter stays open until you close it.
 That's a lot of possibilities with many different resulting looks.
  This is where experimentation becomes a necessity.
  Thank goodness for digital cameras!

Regarding camera movement, I've found it's often successful to mirror
 the dominant directional form of the subject with your camera movements.
 Thus, with trees use vertical camera movement, on a lakeside view
 use horizontal movement, angled foliage calls for diagonal movement, etc.
 Also, remember that if you're on the faster end of the slow shutter speed spectrum,
your camera movements may need to be quicker/faster.

ICM Tips

In my ICM journey thus far, I don't have any no-brainer prescriptive formulas for you to use,
 but I have learned a few things along this path.

*Design framework/composition is just as important in an ICM image
 as it is in a sharply focused photo.
 Look carefully for leading lines plus interesting tonal and color arrangements,
 along with variety in subject shape and size.

*Some ICM artists shoot in Aperture Priority Mode,
 but I often use Manual Mode and Live View, hand-held.

*Bulb Mode can be helpful in ICM work,
 as well as Continuos Shooting Mode (Canon).

* You'll need to take LOTS of images to get a few "keepers".
The Erase Button is your friend!

* Subject movement can add another dimension of movement to your image
 and can be a perk - think wind or moving humans, animals, etc.

* Smooth camera movements often work best,
with a gentle movement towards or away from the subject
creating the subtlest ICM-look.

* Be bold and experiment!
  Take a few shoots, review, analyze their success (or lack thereof)
 adjust your movements or camera settings, repeat-repeat-repeat.

Most of all, have fun and enjoy the process!!!

Urban Stories

I've been using the cold, grey days of winter to catch up on some photo editing -

street photography, life in motion.

As always, I'm interested in design, creative framing,

 and storytelling juxtapositions.

Happy creating to you!

Shadow Play

Fixating on somber winter light, dancing shadows,

 minimalism, and abstract design today.

A fanciful world of softness, strength, curves, and lines.

Happy creating to you!

Autumn Plunder

We're in the depths of a north woods winter already...

but, please humor me today as I turn back the clock of time a few weeks

and picture flickering sunlight filtering down through treetop canopies

onto a patchwork bed of leaf litter.

It was among this leaf litter that I found these macro wonders.

My favorite is the first image.

This gem was painted with touches of slug slime, or some such,

which shimmered with silvery opalescence.

I hope you're enjoying the season,

whatever the weather!

Petals

When we dig into a subject with a macro view,

we can come up with something that is quite abstract in nature.

I like that quality.

Although these are obviously curled flower petals, 

rose petals to be exact,

they also present simple abstract designs with a linear emphasis.

Thus, macros let us enjoy a subject on two distinctly different levels.

Hope you're seeing beauty and abstract designs in your everyday world!

Comments are off.

Books!

I've mentioned before that I love books.

My earliest booky memory is of the floor to ceiling bookcases 

that lined a living room wall in the Dutch Colonial house that I grew up in.

These built-ins were white painted wood and flanked a window that faced the back yard.

The expanse of jumbled colored spines read as a modern art painting 

with your eye seeking pattern within the chaotic exuberance.

Shelves were arranged like a chronology of life,

with little kid picture books on the bottom,

then story books, fiction, biographies, and art tomes,

all the way up to the ceiling where the most valuable,

 or least read, pieces languished.

Furniture sat in front of this wall of books, 

while the space behind the furniture became a kid's "book fort" of sorts,

 a place to secret off to and read.

Such pleasant memories!

Although I read some ebooks, there is nothing like a printed book -

the weight in your hand, the touch of paper, 

and the turning of pages.

Hopefully, future generations will enjoy the pleasures of printed books, too.

How about you... are you an ebook reader, library user, or book collector?

Or maybe, you embrace books in any form :)

Happy reading to you!

Seeing Double

Experimenting with double exposures.

Such fun!

Wishing you joy in your creative work.

Seeing Beyond

An expanse of green, sparkling bokeh, and a lone droplet conjures up thoughts of vastness,

 wilderness, aloneness, loneliness, singular strength, light, enlightenment...

Maybe I think too much,

maybe you see freshly rinsed kale and selective focus on a single droplet.

Hope you have a great week full of wonder!

Winter Dreamscapes

Reality = 20 below zero most mornings.

Sound appealing?

How about a dreamy winter wonderland instead?

That's my vote!

I hope you've got some marvelous plans and dreams for 2014,

and they all come true!

Enjoy this creative life -

it's the best!