ICM - an introduction
I have traditionally restrained myself from documenting the very basics of the genre known as Intentional Camera Movement (ICM), largely because there is already an overwhelming wealth of information available. I feel the value I bring lies more in the discoveries made beyond those fundamentals.
A typical ICM waterscape
However, over time I’ve come to feel that many of these guides miss some key elements of understanding. With that in mind, this feels like the right moment to revisit the basics, drawing on years of personal exploration and discovery.
I’d like to begin by dispelling a commonly expressed myth surrounding ICM. When I began my own journey, the common keywords used to describe ICM were random, unpredictable, and luck. While luck may continue to play a role (as it does in many forms of photography), randomness and unpredictability are often simply indicators of limited experience. With practice and understanding, results can be visualized, and randomness diminished. With knowledge, photographers today are able to shoot with greater intent and with far less reliance on the luck that was once assumed to be necessary.
With that in mind, I’d like to begin with the foundational basics of ICM.
Why ICM?
Along with having minimal hardware requirements, ICM photography is ideally suited to those who wish to break away from the norms of traditional photography. Rewarding experimentation and interpretation, ICM places emphasis on emotion rather than a quest for detail and technical perfection.
Many photographers describe ICM as liberating, freeing them from rigid rules and conventions. Plus, it is a lot of FUN!
History
The rise of Intentional Camera Movement as a recognized genre began in the 21st century, fueled largely by the advancement of digital cameras, instantaneous image review, and inexpensive high-capacity memory cards.
However, the techniques behind ICM evolved much earlier than that. They are often attributed to Ernst Haas, who used film to capture expressive motion in the 1950s. Yet even earlier examples can be traced back to the early 1900s, when photographers associated with the Pictorialism movement reportedly experimented with techniques such as gently moving or “jiggling” tripods during exposure to produce softer, more painterly results.
Of course, photographers of those eras had no concept of ICM as a defined genre, they were simply exploring ways to expand the creative possibilities of photography.
What defines an ICM image
There continues to be a variety of definitions attributed to ICM, often differing in how broadly the genre is interpreted.
My own definition is that ICM is an artistic expression that spans a variety of techniques, with the common factor being that the final image exhibits the influence of camera movement.
Within ICM, I see two primary groups of techniques:
Those where the image is created in a single exposure with intentional camera movement during the shot
Those where multiple exposures are taken with the camera movement coming from repositioning between frames, such as in the Pep Ventosa “in the round” technique
The key factor in the second approach is that all frames contain the same consistent subject, rather than overlays or unrelated texture layers.
A third subgroup also exists as a hybrid of these approaches. In this case, multiple exposures are captured and blended in-camera to produce the final image.
Equipment
ICM is something of a great equalizer. Any camera with shutter speed control is well-suited to the task. This includes mobile devices (which we will discuss later in the series).
A neutral density filter is recommended for DSLR or mirrorless cameras (a 6-stop ND filter is a good starting point). This allows photographers to reach an optimal range of slower shutter speeds - typically 1/10 second and slower - when shooting in normal daylight.
Note that neutral density filters are generally not required for mobile devices due to the unique way many smartphones simulate or capture longer exposures.
A tripod is neither required nor recommended.
Final thoughts
That covers a very basic introduction to ICM. While I have often focused on the more exploratory side of this genre, revisiting these fundamentals is a reminder that strong images are built on simple principles.
Perhaps most importantly, ICM is not as random as it is often perceived to be. With practice and a growing understanding of how movement interacts with a subject, outcomes become more predictable, and intention begins to replace chance.
In the next post, we’ll build on these foundations by exploring subject choices and the camera movements that best complement them -bringing together the what and the how of creating successful ICM images.