I have been deliberately practicing camera movement for some years. This technique, known by its brief name, ICM, involves deliberately transfer the camera during the exposure. This is much more difficult than regular photography. You have to take the movement in the equation.
Still holding the camera
In almost all situations, it is still mandatory to catch the camera. If this is not possible, a tripod is required to achieve this goal. Everything will be filled with details, which will use the highest pixel count of modern cameras. It also includes small apertures for a large depth of the region, in which refraction is taken into consideration. Techniques such as hyperfocal distance and focus stacking are used to maximize sharp in a photo.
I have been making full focus photos since I started photography as a child. Or, at least, I tried to do as much as possible. Only the time camera movement was involved, during paning. Transferring the camera parallel to the subject converts the environment into a directional motion blot while the subject remains as fast as possible.
Fast and in-focus beyond photos
The camera movement is not new during the exposure. This has been done as long as photography is present as expression and art. I never took it seriously, partly because the pictures I came in were nothing special. Often, they did nothing more than thoughtless vertical camera movement in a forest. More often, the effect was obtained digitally with the help of Photoshop. Sometimes it also included the Edmsky effect, which is completely different from the actual ICM photography.
I did not like ICM photography and ignored it for a long time. I was sure that the photos were sharp and crisp – although when paning was involved, it was completely fine. However, even then, the subject was to be as fast as possible.
It changed when I came in ICM photos that were really amazing. This was the moment when I was interested in such photography, realizing that it could be so much. Incidentally, it was around the time when I discovered the beauty of many exposure.
ICM’s difficulty
If you feel that the camera movement intentionally is nothing more than transferring the camera during an exposure, then you cannot be more wrong. ICM photography is much more difficult than regular photography. The latter includes a good exposure and composition, which has a stable camera to prevent motion blur, of course. Adds speed to the pre -mixing.
ICM photography includes other variables that should be taken into consideration. The shutter speed must be carefully chosen, not only in relation to any movement of the subject, but also for the speed of camera movement. Both should be fine for the best results.
There is an equal direction of significant speed. You cannot move the camera during the exposure randomly. This should be done in relation to the speed of the subject and the subject, if it is present. The recorded movement also becomes part of the composition.
In other words, while exposure and composition are important for regular photography, ICM adds a fine tune shutter speed for speed direction, speed and equation. There are more factors to consider, making it very difficult to get a good result. However, there are other things to keep in mind.
Focus, focal length, filter and contrast
The long exposure required for ICM photography can be obtained using a short ISO value and a small aperture. In theory, F/22 is perfectly usable as you do not have to worry about the diffraction effects. It would be impossible to see any tenderness due to diffraction.
However, using such small apertures will detect the space of every dust on the sensor or even lens. Although it can be cloned to the post, it is better to avoid it completely. choose one Neutral density filter There is a way to go. It also provides more flexibility when choosing the desired shutter speed.
Try to avoid wide angle lens. The deformation of such a lens will result in curved lines on the edges of the frame. Although this can be desirable, in many cases, it creates a strange visual flow in the photo. It is important to know about this naturally having an impact with a wide area.
Even though there is a lot of speed in the subject, ICM photography still needs a very good focus. It does not have to be sharpened by pinpoint, which is often impossible due to movement, but has to pass.
When meditation is as close as possible, lines and the remaining details become very clear. If the subject is combined with sufficient contrast, the effect of the camera movement will stand out. This opposite is important and can be increased in the post if needed.
A certain subject versus a moving subject
There is a big difference between a certain subject and a picture of a moving subject. When the ICM technology is used with the latter, the speed of the subject adds another variable to the mixture, which can be challenging.
However, using the dynamics of the current will increase the ICM effect. I think it provides more freedom in the speed of both the camera and itself. For example, walking towards the waves on the beach, moving the camera left or right.
A certain subject often provides less freedom in camera movement. The movement should respect the subject to achieve a natural visual flow. In a way, it makes ICM techniques more difficult. However, it becomes interesting when combined with multiple exposures.
Adding several exposures to the mixture
The ICM combined with several exposure in the in-camera provides too much flexibility. This allows a sharp image to be connected to the ICM image. In this way, a subject is more or less recognizable while the frame is filled with the desired speed blot.
A combination of ICM and several exposure can also be used to achieve effects such as octon, something that I wrote earlier. You may also want to see that article. The combination of many techniques makes a great way to convert photography more than a common recording of the world into something else.
final thoughts
Now I know why I never liked pictures with camera movement. Most of the pictures that I came back, then nothing was included without the camera without any respect or composition without any respect. I digitally manipulated ICM effects because I see them as nothing more than photo manipulation. That feeling has not changed.
Perhaps the ICM photo is a place for manipulation, but it is not for me. I like those photos that get results in place. I have respect for photographers who convert photography into art by including the movement in the equation. I hope that one day I can get similar results myself. Meanwhile, whenever I can, I enjoy using ICM. It is fun and provides great satisfaction when the result is my choice.
If you have experience with ICM, what would you advise for photographers who want to use this technique? Are there not addressed in this article? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments below.
