More Experiments With ICM.

After coming across the work of two photographers recently I have been motivated to experiment again with Intentional Camera Movement Photography.  In his article in 'Outdoor Photography' (April 2014)  wildlife photographer David Lloyd says that difficult lighting conditions lead him to try his hand a panning long exposures not realising the impact it would have on his creative approach to future work.  It began when he came across a leopard in Kenya's Masai Mara at dusk when the light was too low for a conventional image.  Instead, he says, he moved the camera like a brush across the scene.  He found that it wasn't just shutter speed that was the crucial factor, aperture, distance from subject and the speed of the subject also played a part.  He discovered that a patch of colour in the scene could be smeared across the image like paint.  He says that he has now become addicted to photographic 'painting' and quotes Paul Cezanne who said 'Painting from nature is not copying the object, it is realising one's sensations'.  Lloyd's images are less abstract than Lee Gilby's below; while still being recognisable as the creatures they are they give a real feeling of movement.

I have also been looking at the work of photographer Lee Gilby who uses various in-camera techniques to re-contextualise scenery and objects to create abstract, almost painting-like images. Techniques include long exposure times, multiple exposures and ICM without the use 'trick' filters and with only basic post-processing. I find his photographs fascinating and beautiful.  Some I can see how he has produced the shot but with others it remains a mystery.  These are excellent photographs - I have a great deal to learn with this technique.  His aim is to evoke the same emotional response in the viewer as he had when taking the image.

Motivated by looking at the work of these two photographers I again attempted my own versions.  All were taken hand held and I moved the camera during a 1-2 second exposure.

A vase of chrysanthemums.  Still recognisable, this shot reminds me of those of  Saul Leiter taken through a misted window.

Another vase of flowers, this time less recognisable.

Daffodils

A hanging piece of art work.  Although its basic shape can still be made out it is totally abstract.

This and the two images below are of a bowl of spheres and the tree images each produced different effects.

I am really taken by this technique and feel that it could play a part alongside my more conventional photography and my non-ICM long exposure shots.  The new 10 stop ND filter will give me the ability to use long enough exposures even during the middle of a bright day but I see a real opportunity for this technique with landscapes before sunrise and after sunset and on really dull days.

References

Lloyd, D (2014) Painting With Cameras, Outdoor Photography, (177) p. 73
Gilby, L. (2012) Lee Gilby Photography [online]. Available from: http://www.leegilby.com/