This abbreviation stands for Intentional Camera Movement. It aims to paint with light and shapes by moving the camera whilst using long shutter speeds, a way of creating abstract images. In ICM, there are no rules other than the rules that make a good photograph. The ones below are meant to be a showcase from my portfolio. They come from a wide range of subjects and are virtually all single exposures, meaning they are straight from the camera and not post-processed (but for contrast or a slight colour correction). Disclaimer: unless stated otherwise ☺.
One more thing, I have included the technical details should you be interested.
They didn't come close unfortunately, so I had to crop this image tremendously which gives it some grain. Exposure 1/6, F/16 @ 300 mm.
- 6 Dec 2021, Lajares (E) -
The boat being put on a trailer, I could get underneath and marvel at the variety of colours that was the result of paintjobs, damage and rust. 1 sec at F/10 at 200 mm focal length.
- 5 Dec 2021, Lajares (E) -
Composite image of the evening light on the hills in Lanzarote, a road and the rear lights of cars passing by. The landscape that I love so much stands for photography. The asphalt is the Fotocafé I'm quitting with. The trails of lights are a symbol for me, getting on with photography. Exposure main image 3.2 sec at F/8 @ 85 mm.
- 12 Nov 2021, Est (NL) -
Fotofestival Naarden 2021 covered more than 15 locations. This was an outdoor one, I waited until the sun caught the hair of one of the visitors, turning her into a sort of an archangel. Exposure 1 sec at F/11 @ 24 mm.
- 25 Aug 2021, Naarden Vesting (NL) 👁 people at an exhibition-
A disused garden centre served as a location for Fotofestival Naarden 2021. The images at show were worth seeing, so was the window pane of this door. Exposure 3 sec at F/19 @ 45 mm.
- 25 Aug 2021, Naarden Vesting (NL) -
Sint Jan at Den Bosch, the silent chapel. Shot this from a long distance out of respect for the people praying there.
- 11 Aug 2021, 's-Hertogenbosch (NL) -
I have one of these IKEA uplights in my office. It struck me all of a sudden the light was playing with the stainless steel, making it stand out from the curtain. Exposure 3 sec at F/27 @ 100 mm.
- 9 July 2021, Est (NL) -
I unexpectedly came across a granny with her grandson and dog, when I was walking along the dyke. I walked on until they had passed me, turned a took a few shots. The wind made the results a bit unpredictable. Granny was fighting to divide her attention among controlling her summer dress, the boy and the dog. She was very alert and when she saw me with that large camera it was quickly over. Exposure 1/4 sec at F/27 @ 300 mm.
- 07 July 2021, Stavoren (NL) -
On a hazy and humid day, this high-key images shows tones of the sky matching the water of the IJsselmeer. Exposure 1/8 sec, F/11 at 200 mm.
- 3 July 2021, Hindeloopen (NL) -
We're glad the museums have opened up again. These curtains separate the various decades of Salvador Dali's work.
- 25 June 2021, 's-Hertogenbosch (NL) -
I tried to move a few inches towards early Piet Mondriaan's 'Red tree' with this one. Used a filter in Camera RAW to colour the barks. Exposure 2 sec @ F/13, 300 mm.
- 7 June 2021, Est (NL) 👁 more trees -
We bought a hand painted table cloth in Ortigia, Sicily, a few years ago, for our dining table outside. I made two ICM shots with my smartphone using a slow shutter app and blended them together.
- 26 May 2021, Est (NL) -
Same point of view, different technique: ICM made it a tad more impressionist.
- 14 May 2021, Zennewijnen (NL) 👁 more icm -
The river Waal has two sides: it is meandering beautifully through a gorgeous river landscape, at the same time it scared the h*ll out of us when we, together with 250,000 people, had to leave our house in January 1995 at a few hours' notice the dyke was about to break because of high water. Hence the somewhat uncanny atmosphere I tried to create. 7th place at Fotocafé Zaltbommel.
- 10 Apr 2021, Varik (NL) 👁 more icm -
Quite close to our house there are some old farm buildings with haystacks that have been beautifully restored. This is a freehand ICM image taking a 4 second exposure at F/22.
- 23 Mar 2021, Est (NL) 👁 more icm -
Near Den Bosch there is a beautiful natural area, this is the Engelen lake with a simple pole and reed in the background. Exp 2 sec at F/27 @ 236 mm, 6-stopper.
- 3 Apr 2021, Vlijmen (NL) -
The trees alongside the street where we live still look a bit lifeless, especially on a bland day like today. It's an ICM image of 6 seconds, F/32.
- 23 Mar 2021, Est (NL) 👁 more naked trees -
Amazing, the snow had melted a week ago, this ditch bordered by pruned willows was nevertheless still completely covered with it. Shutter speed 1 sec, F/15, 166 mm, ISO200, full frame, no tripod, H&Y 64ND filter.
- 28 Feb 2021, Est (NL) -
Incredibly fast on its short legs, cannot be accused of lack of enthusiasm. Officially, this beach is not for dogs, but there's nobody around so ...
- 21 Jan 2021, Arrieta (E) 👁 more iqos -
A grey sky subdued the colours of this image. The white shapes look like a flock of sheep, but they're houses in the shape of the movement I made. Shutter speed 1/8 sec, F/45, 300 mm, ISO200, full frame, unfinished circular movement.
- 11 Jan 2021, Guatiza (E) 👁 more lanzarote icm -
Election Day in the US of A. 'This boat needs a capable pilot that leads it to quieter waters'. Single Exposure, 1/10 sec, F/32, 300 mm, ISO200, IS disabled, handheld. Full frame, I added a bit of water to the left to give the boat some more space.
- 3 Jan 2021, Arrecife -
The waves are lovely here. Shutter speed 1/10 sec, F/22, 70-300mm @ 300 mm, ISO200, movement top right to bottom left.
- 28 Dec 2020, Playa Quemada (E) 👁 more gulls -
Municipality parks on Lanzarote don't have grass but lava gravel. Must be a maintenance matter. Or lack of water. Anyway, two white barks against a brown backdrop make a nice sight. They remind me of a white mare's legs. Shutter speed 0,5 sec, F/27, 79 mm, ISO200, upward movement with a slight twist.
- 28 Dec 2020, Tías (E) -
Lots of hustle and bustle at Famara beach with these surf schools. I tried to get the light that I admire in so many beach paintings from previous centuries. 1/8 sec, F/32, 70 mm, ISO200, horizontal movement from L to R, single shot, contrast was upped a little to create darker parts.
- 21 Dec 2020, Famara (E) -
There he goes, a poodle that's afraid of the water under his right arm and a greyhound on a leash on the other side, the Dogman. Gosh, suppose he lets this greyhound go, I thought. At that very moment he stooped and unleashed it. OK: on a narrow beach capturing a running greyhound is a mission impossible. So I have to make do with this one. 1/10 sec, F/22, 105 mm, ISO200, horizontal movement from L to R, single shot, no post-processing.
- 14 Dec 2020, Arrieta (E) 👁 more iqos -
There's a group of palms nearby with striking grey/bluish leaves that look like circular saws. I added a bit of teal to the blue bits, but as for the rest: straight from the camera. Single shot, 1/10 sec at F/22 at 300 mm focal length.
- 19 Dec 2020, Mala (E) 👁 more subtropical vegetation -
Such a creative plant the agave is. It's always interesting with whatever light is available. I am using the disclaimer (see intro) now, as below you will find the original shot plus an enlarged version on top at a 90 degree angle. 1/4 sec at F/11 at 178 mm focal length.
- 19 Dec 2020, Coníl (E) 👁 more subtropical vegetation -
Outside our house are an ash-tree and two willows. I can see them from my first floor office. Pointing the camera down gives them a different perspective. With a long lens I concentrated on the willow's crown, using a slight movement to catch the wind moving the bluish grey leaves at the branches' tips. They are smaller and more fragile, about to be blown away (1/10 sec at F/32).
- 26 Oct 2020, Est (NL) -
The type of light plays an important role with ICM. The picture above was made with an overcast sky, but the one below was in the spotlight of a sharp sun late in the afternoon. This created a massive contrast enhanced by a long shutter-speed. The movement was upwards with a small radius (1/10 sec at F22).
- 4 Dec 2020, Est (NL) -
It was a windy and cloudy afternoon when I took this shot of the old willow across the street. The colours are unaltered. I made a lighter copy, put it behind the original and moved it to the right to fill the gap that was made by the white sky. This image is also used for our Christmas card 2020 (1/8 sec at F11).
- 15 Nov 2020, Est (NL) -
Low evening light in the autumn made the sun stroke the leaves of the old willow. 1/8 sec, F/11, 100 mm, ISO 200.
- 12 Nov 2020, Est (NL) -
Quite close there is a nature reserve, De Steendert, where we can go for a walk. This is reed in a ditch, the light was already low. It is a single exposure as are the others, here I played around a bit using a copy to get the reed reflecting in the water slightly more (1/8 sec at F9.5).
- 15 Nov 2020, Est (NL) -
The bouquet I gave to my wife for her birthday turned out to be as enjoyable for her as for me. Amongst other things, it contained one giant hydrangea. I took a few shots, layered the ones that were nearly but not completely identical, gave each of them an increasing opacity so you could see what was under them. Then moved them around a bit and that was it.
- 17 Oct 2020, Est (NL) -
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