Intentional Camera Motion (ICM)

[DanK]

Yesterday Richard posted a few photographs in which he changed focus during a long exposure. I think many people consider that a type of intentional camera motion, a technique in which one deliberately moves the camera during exposure. I have done very little of it--I lean toward crisp focus, which is the other end of the distribution--but it can be fun. Here is my attempt to create an impressionist view of a water-lily pond in front of the Clark Museum in Williamstown MA. I may have been thinking along those lines because the Clark is home to an exceptional collection of impressionists.



This was done with vertical motion on a ballhead, but one can use any sort of motion. If you search intentional camera motion, you will find some intriguing examples. (Well, I found them intriguing, anyway.)

[Wavelength]

Did you shoot it from your dream? as beautiful like a frame of one's dream!!!

[Manfred M]

Dan - it one spends some time on some of the fine art photography forums, ones sees a great deal of this type of photography.

This shot is effective and in fact is much better than many that I have seen. You have struck a good balance between reality and abstraction. On the other hand I find that there is so much of it out there that is badly done that it is leaving the same taste as a lot of the HDRI and silky water shots that are so loved (?) by many.

[DanK]

Dan - it one spends some time on some of the fine art photography forums, ones sees a great deal of this type of photography.

This shot is effective and in fact is much better than many that I have seen. You have struck a good balance between reality and abstraction. On the other hand I find that there is so much of it out there that is badly done that it is leaving the same taste as a lot of the HDRI and silky water shots that are so loved (?) by many.

Manfred,

Thanks.

To my taste, I wouldn't put HDR, much of which looks to me like the paintings on velvet people used to sell out of unmarked vans in a shopping center near my house in the 1980s, with silky waterfalls, which are just too common. But I take your point. I have tried ICM a number of times, and the total number of images I have been willing to put on my website is three. The total number I have printed is one--the one I posted here.

In this case, I tried numerous conventional images that were not ICM as well. It's an unusual setting, completely full of water lilies, many of which are pink rather than the usual (usual in the NE, anyway) white. The realistic shots struck me as too busy and lacking a clear point of interest. Given that, I decided to try a bunch of these instead.

Dan

[Manfred M]

Understood Dan. I've experimented with camera / lens motion too and have only ever posted a single image and that was a zoom while the shutter was open shot. The rest either did not work well enough or else seemed too trite.

HDRI, long exposure water, partial colourization and motion blur are all techniques that can work extremely well when used "properly". Unfortunately a lot of mediocre photographers seem to feel that if they use one of these techniques, they will be making up for their lack of skill. Unfortunately, they are wrong and just give these techniques a bad rap.

[FootLoose]

I think no matter how much you practice ICM the results are always going to be hit and miss. (Although, most of my photographic efforts are, anyway.) But that is a good result, Dan. The technique is well-suited to that subject.

[Shadowman]

Very dizzying capture.

[DanK]

Thanks, all


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