Intentional Camera Movement: A Complete Guide

If you’re eager to explore new artistic expressions, add intentional camera movement (ICM) to your photography repertoire.

Deliberate movement of the camera during exposure adds a sense of motion and dynamism, producing unique and abstract images.

In this article, we’ll explore ICM as a creative endeavor, how it evolved from the art world, the camera gear needed, suggested settings, and tips for shooting ICM images.

What is Intentional Camera Movement?

ICM is a photographic method that diverges significantly from conventional photography. Usually, we aim to keep the camera steady and photograph a scene with clarity and precision. However, intentional camera movement during exposure results in a dynamic interplay of colors, shapes, and forms. The method produces images that convey a narrative beyond the literal capture of an image.

This approach encourages abstract representations of reality. That is, the subject becomes secondary to the expressive qualities of light and movement. By manipulating camera settings and the camera’s position, angle, and speed of movement, photographers create unique ICM images that challenge the viewer’s perception. Intentional camera movement not only fosters creativity but opens up new avenues of artistic expression.

ICM as a Creative Exercise

As a technique, intentional camera movement encourages photographers to step outside their comfort zone and experiment. It challenges the conventional approach to composition and encourages a more instinctive and spontaneous method of capturing images. Focus on the essence of a scene rather than its precise details.

And while ICM photography fosters a sense of playfulness, it still requires some skill in manipulating the camera. Explore various speeds, direction of movement, and angles of light. But work carefully and with intention or the resulting image may just be a messy blur.

Intentional Camera Movement as Artistic Achievement

ICM photos often transform everyday scenes into extraordinary visual experiences. By embracing abstraction, photographers create works that resonate on a deeper emotional level. In that way, they invite viewers to interpret the imagery. The resulting artistic effects often possess a dream-like quality.

In addition, it highlights the ability to convey mood and atmosphere. Thus, the ICM image becomes an artistic expression in the realm of photography.

The Genesis of Intentional Camera Movement Photography

The intentional camera movement owes its origins to groundbreaking artists working with paint. Edgar Degas, Claude Monet, and Alfred Sisley created a style of vague forms, soft colors, and the fleeting effects of light. Impressionism emerged in the late 19th century. An influential art movement, it marked a departure from traditional techniques. The style emphasized spontaneity and loose brushwork to capture the effects of light and color in everyday scenes. 

Others such as Jackson Pollack and Philip Guston went a step further into Abstract Expressionism. The Museum of Modern Art called this mid-20th century style “distinctly American.” Artists in this movement conveyed emotional intensity and individual experience. Their use of bold colors, dynamic forms, and expressive brushwork often prioritized the act of painting itself over representational accuracy.

Early Advocates of ICM Photography

In the mid-1950s, Ernst Haas employed slow shutter speeds along with camera movement. His photos of Spanish matadors displayed moving subjects with a ghostly appearance and blurs of color.

More contemporary ICM photographers pursued new perspectives. Erik Malm‘s use of intentional blur in wildlife and landscape photography infused his images with the mystery of motion.

Charlotte Bellamy creates ICM images of nature and the changing seasons. In addition, she follows careful plans in her efforts to recreate memories.

This fusion of photography technique, abstract image creation, and artistic philosophy highlights the evolving nature of the art form. As such, it bridges the gap between traditional painting styles and contemporary photography.

Camera Equipment and Gear Needed

Intentional camera movement photography doesn’t require expensive camera equipment or even a lot of gear. Here are my recommendations:

• Camera: Choose a camera that allows you to manually adjust shutter speed. But practically any DSLR or mirrorless camera will work.
• Lens: A lens of almost any focal length is suitable for ICM photography. However, a zoom lens, such as a 70-200mm, with manual focus capability, gives you more options for blur effects.
• Tripod: This is optional as you can achieve great ICM images with a handheld camera. And in some cases, a tripod makes this style of photography cumbersome. However, for smooth movement with flat horizons or vertical lines a tripod is helpful.
• Filters: Shooting in bright light with long exposure may lead to overexposed images or blown out highlights. Therefore, a neutral density filter (ND filter) helps achieve proper exposure by blocking several f/stops of light hitting the camera sensor. Also, if you shoot in early morning, blue hour, or at sunset, a polarizing filter enhances colors and reduces light entering the camera. We have feature articles on the ND filter and polarizing filter.

Of course, the gear doesn’t make you a photographer. It’s your creativity and vision that matter. This is especially true of ICM photography.

Camera Settings for Intentional Camera Movement

To achieve the desired effect for an ICM image, adjust the camera settings for slow shutter speed, wide aperture, and low ISO. Of course, if you’re shooting ICM images in bright light and long shutter speeds, you may overexpose the image. So, the filters mentioned above alleviate this.

• Shutter speed: Typically from 1/4 to several seconds, but how long you keep the shutter open depends on the level of movement you wish to convey. A slower shutter speed is crucial for capturing the motion blur that characterizes ICM. But, if your movements are quick, you may want to experiment with longer shutter speeds.
• Aperture: A wide aperture, such as f/2.8 or f/4 creates a shallow depth of field, further enhancing the abstract quality of the images. However, you may want more depth of field, depending on your preference or the scene.
• ISO: We recommend your camera’s lowest ISO setting. This minimizes noise and maintains image quality, especially in low-light situations. 
• Shoot in RAW format: RAW images contain more data, allowing for flexibility in post-processing. You’ll have greater control over exposure, white balance, and color tones to enhance the final image.
• Built-in timer: Set the timer for 2 – 5 seconds and begin your movement just before the shutter fires. This frees you from having to press the shutter button while you move the camera.
• Image Stabilization: Off. You won’t need it.

These ICM tips are subject to your very own style and artistic interpretation. There are a few rules to follow in intentional camera movement photography. Or, make your own rules.

Techniques to Create ICM Images

• Twist the Zoom Ring: this adds a sense of motion and energy to the images. This technique alters the perspective and produces a dramatic blur on the subject. The resulting images often convey an explosive effect. The image below shows a flower with a 1/2-sec exposure and a twist of the zoom lens.

• Turn the camera in a circular motion: this technique produces swirling patterns, transforming ordinary scenes into visually interesting images. The effect is a feeling of fluidity and movement very different from the original subject. Below is an image of a shrub with a 1/2-sec exposure and a circular motion of the camera.

• Horizontal, vertical, and diagonal sweep: Moving the camera horizontally creates a shifting sense across the frame, often evoking feelings of speed or tranquility, depending on the subject. In contrast, a vertical sweep tends to emphasize height and conveys a sense of grandeur or isolation. Sweeping the camera in the same direction as the dominant lines in the scene enhances the motion blur effect. And diagonal sweeps introduce dynamic tension and energy into an image, as the viewer’s eye moves through the composition. The composite of images below shows three different sweeps: horizontal, vertical, and diagonal.

• Shake the camera: This form of intentional movement results in blurred lines and abstract forms. The unpredictability of the camera’s movement leads to unique compositions. In the shot that follows, purple and gold beads take on an abstract form with camera shake.

Other ICM Methods

• Movement on wheels or a rail: Usually horizontal, this movement achieves a smooth, controlled blur in the resulting image. It has almost the same effect as hand-held movement, but with a more fluid capture of the subject. Also, it may evoke a feeling of speed through the interplay of sharp and blurred elements. Below is a photograph of spools of colored thread with horizontal camera movement on wheels.

• Short pauses in the camera sweep: This effect creates a momentary focus on specific elements within the frame. The resulting images exhibit a unique blend of motion and clarity, where the paused sections capture detail while the surrounding areas blur. The multi-colored bracelet below illustrates the effect of a pause in the camera sweep.

• Long Exposure of Moving Subjects: A difficult maneuver, the long exposure method tracks a fast-moving subject with a slow shutter speed. Keeping the subject in focus while capturing the background as a streak of colors and shapes requires skill. The race car below, not completely in focus, gives the impression of high speed resulting from the blurred background.

Tips for Shooting ICM Photographs

1. Take Plenty of Photos: Give yourself enough time and explore the possibilities. Extraordinary ICM photos and images involve some trial and error. Also, it’s a learn-as-you-go process. Try different shutter speeds to get enough blur, a different lens, a manual mode, or a priority mode. As you take more photos, you’ll get familiar with the quirks and unpredictability of ICM photography.

2. Include recognizable elements: Look for the abstract or impressionist, but a bit of clarity or something recognizable gives the viewer a reference. This can boost the impact of an otherwise chaotic image. For example, photographing trees with leaves forming hazy shapes but containing discernible tree trunks adds a bit of structure to an ICM image.

3. Shoot the subject at different times of day: Sunrise, sunset, and mid-day light are very different, changing the mood and atmosphere. Don’t settle for a single exposure or the first image you shoot. Explore different times and notice how the changes in light create new and captivating images.

Conclusion

Intentional camera movement photography presents unique challenges. As such, it enhances a photographer’s creativity and artistic vision. By using different shutter speeds and deliberately manipulating the camera during exposure, photographers can create dynamic images that transform ordinary scenes into personal interpretations.

Embracing this challenge unlocks new avenues for artistic exploration, allowing photographers to redefine their approach to capturing the world around them. If you wish to look deeper into intentional camera movement, ICM Photography Magazine is a good resource.

I hope this article gives you an appreciation of ICM photography. If you have any comments or questions, please submit them in the space below.

Take Away

With intentional camera movement, photographers step outside their comfort zone and experiment with techniques that are often at odds with traditional photography. But intentional movement with longer shutter speeds results in interesting images. This form of photography fosters innovation in composition and color.