Abstract & Creative Landscapes Using Intentional Camera Movement with Stephanie Johnson
Seeing Things Differently Beyond Form Abstract photographic images, created through the applied use of ICM, show beauty exists even in the most ordinary of scenes and in different ways than typically expected. When we combine this concept of abstract photography with the idea of seeing things differently we begin to appreciate the essence of the things we observe around us, rather than seeing them literally. By seeing the essence of things, we can then embrace an interpretation of the world beyond form and function to make more meaningful connections to our surroundings, as well as with the images we create.
What is Intentional Camera Movement (ICM)? At its basic level, ICM is an intentional process using camera movement during the exposure of an image It uses a slower shutter speed to introduce blur and/or movement into the image ICM is about pushing the boundaries of what is possible It s about creating unique images using a different vision process by seeing things differently Contrary to what some may think, ICM is NOT simply camera shake
Things to Keep in Mind About ICM Forget the rules and break free of the standard photographic conventions No tripod necessary (except for with zoom bursts) Free-style it by handholding the camera Don t be a perfectionist throw caution to the wind There is no right or wrong Have fun experimenting and trying new things Don t be afraid to take multiple shots of the same scene
More Things to Keep in Mind About ICM Look for lines, color, shapes, patterns, light, contrasts, etc., in the environment that appeal to your aesthetics and create unique images with movement Create for yourself and don t worry what anyone else thinks or whether others will get it Be open to creating images from ordinary or overlooked scenes ICM can be done at any time of the day, in any kind of weather conditions ICM is subjective and not everyone will like it. Do it anyway.
~ Before & After Examples ~
~ Before & After Examples ~
~ Before & After Examples ~
~ Before & After Examples ~
~ Before & After Examples ~
~ Before & After Examples ~
~ Before & After Examples ~
~ Before & After Examples ~
General Approach One of the most important things you can do with ICM photography is to keep an open mind Be open to the possibilities as you ve seen in the before & after examples, anything from a pile of brush and fallen tree logs to scenic landscape views can be transformed into fresh new creative images Don t feel you have to wait for any particular kind of light the beauty of ICM is that it can be done in almost any lighting conditions Look for interesting colors, shapes, designs, textures, contrasts, and lines that may catch your eye
Composition Composition in the traditional sense isn t necessarily as important, however you do still want your images to have the feel of being well composed Shooting ICM is essentially an intentional random act, so some images may end up tilted, or the dividing line may be higher or lower in the frame than you d like some of these things can be fixed in postprocessing, but keep shooting until you see you ve captured the composition you desire Sometimes the composition you initially imagined may turn into something completely different when you see things happening in the LCD screen upon review
Technical Aspects Shooting in Manual mode affords more freedom to experiment with various settings If you aren t comfortable shooting in Manual yet, Shutter Priority is the next best option, because shutter speed is more important than ISO or aperture Aim for shutter speeds of 1/30 of a second and slower Shutter speed may vary depending on factors such as available light and speed/amount of movement
Technical Aspects Adjust the Aperture and ISO to achieve the shutter speed you desire Don t be afraid to shoot with smaller Apertures or higher ISOs when necessary Focus, aperture, depth of field, detail, and even grain are less important in ICM photography than in traditional photography Use a focal length that captures the amount of a particular scene that is pleasing to you for instance, you may want to zoom in for a tighter shot, or zoom out to include more of the surroundings
Technical Aspects Understand how movement affects the results Faster movement during the exposure will result in smoother lines and less detail of the subject, while slower movement during exposure will result in more of the subject being recognizable and lines that are more representative of the subject The key really is to experiment with a variety of different settings and movements The more you do ICM, the more you will refine your own personal style and learn what works for you
Types of Movement Panning horizontal movement, either left-to-right or right-to-left Tilting vertical movement, either bottom-to-top or top-to-bottom Circular rotate the camera about a quarter turn in either direction Diagonal move in a diagonal direction, either left or right Wavy move the camera in a wavy, or squiggly, line in any direction Zoom Burst with a zoom lens, zoom in or out on the subject Fast or Slow move the camera faster or slower
Types of Movement Panning horizontal movement, either left-to-right or right-to-left Tilting vertical movement, either bottom-to-top or top-to-bottom Circular rotate the camera about a quarter turn in either direction Diagonal move in a diagonal direction, either left or right Wavy move the camera in a wavy, or squiggly, line in any direction Zoom Burst with a zoom lens, zoom in or out on the subject Fast or Slow move the camera faster or slower
Types of Movement Big or Small move the camera with bigger or smaller motions Push or Pull push the camera outward or pull inward Smooth or Jerky move the camera in smooth or jerky motions Experiment with your own different movements Remember different movements, at different speeds, will create different effects, and no two images will be exactly the same
Example of Panning Canon 5D Mark III ISO 100 Focal Length 100mm Aperture f/22 Shutter Speed - 1/8
Example of Panning Canon 5D Mark III ISO 100 Focal Length 105mm Aperture f/10 Shutter Speed - 1/10
Example of Tilting Canon 7D ISO 100 Focal Length 100mm Aperture f/13 Shutter Speed - 1/13
Example of Tilting Canon 5D Mark III ISO 100 Focal Length 138mm Aperture f/11 Shutter Speed - 1/13
Example of Circular Canon G7X ISO 400 Focal Length 20mm Aperture f/11 Shutter Speed - 1/13
Example of Circular Canon G7X ISO 125 Focal Length 10mm Aperture f/11 Shutter Speed - 1
Example of Diagonal Canon G7X Mark II ISO 125 Focal Length 37mm Aperture f/5.6 Shutter Speed - 1/13
Example of Diagonal Canon G7X ISO 125 Focal Length 31mm Aperture f/4 Shutter Speed - 1/4
Example of Wavy Canon G7X ISO 125 Focal Length 37mm Aperture f/11 Shutter Speed - 1/2
Example of Wavy Canon G7X Mark II ISO 200 Focal Length 37mm Aperture f10 Shutter Speed - 1/13
Example of Zoom Burst Canon 5D Mark III ISO 100 Focal Length 24mm Aperture f/8 Shutter Speed - 10
Example of Zoom Burst Canon 5D Mark III ISO 100 Focal Length 35mm Aperture f/4.5 Shutter Speed - 15
Finding What Works The key is to experiment the more you do it, the more you will learn what works for you and what doesn t Look at the LCD screen after each shot to determine whether or not you either achieved (1) the results you were going for or (2) results that are pleasing to your own personal style if not, make adjustments to settings, composition, or movement and shoot again, and again, until you get what you want Different types of movement create different effects, so try different things to learn what works best for you
Finding What Works Different speeds of movement also create different effects Be prepared to shoot A LOT of images that are unsuccessful, don t work, or just don t measure up to your individual aesthetic it s a process, and all these images help you refine your personal aesthetic The look and feel of the images you create will be determined by a combination of factors direction of movement, speed of movement, smoothness of movement, and settings
Experiment with Settings & Movement Be open to trying different combinations of settings there is no such thing as a correct setting the best settings are the ones that work for you Loosen up and try different movements It may feel awkward at first, but the more you practice, the easier it becomes
Tips & Hints ICM can be accomplished with any kind of camera you don t need a DSLR or interchangeable lenses to shoot ICM Don t be afraid to shoot LOTS of images each session hundreds of images are not out of the question for any given outing Multiple memory cards and batteries are a MUST Don t be afraid to shoot multiple frames of the same scene it may take a dozen or more to get what you re going for
Tips & Hints Refrain from deleting images in camera, in the field you need to have a look at all images on the computer in order to learn what works and what doesn t work for you It s sometimes helpful to start your movement before you press the shutter Continue the movement throughout the exposure to ensure a smooth finish But also consider experimenting to see what effect stopping or changing movement might achieve
Links & Resources It s always good to study the work of other photographers and artists whose work you admire. These are a few of the ICM and creative photographers I follow: Doug Chinnery www.dougchinnery.com Valda Bailey www.valdabailey.com Bailey & Chinnery www.baileychinnery.com Ted Leeming and Morag Paterson www.leemingpaterson.com Roxanne Bouche Overton www.roxanneoverton.com Michael Orton - www.michaelortonphotography.com Art of the Blur by John Mee www.artoftheblur.com
Connect with Me I m always happy to connect and share information, to answer questions, or offer advice and encouragement, so please feel free to reach out to me at any of the following: Website www.stephjohphoto.com Facebook www.facebook.com/stephjohnphoto Instagram www.instagram.com/stephjohnphoto Twitter www.twitter.com/stephjohnphoto Flickr www.flickr.com/photos/stephjohnphoto LinkedIn www.linkedin.com/stephjohnphoto YouTube - www.youtube.com/channel/ucrheizagl_ta1xinbvtq1ca I also have a Facebook group for anyone interested in sharing their creative work. This is the link to join: www.facebook.com/groups/creativeandabstractphotography