36 6 July 2019I http://www.amateurphotographer.co.ukI subscribe 0330 333 1113
KIT LIST
▲ ▲Techniquewithina fewmilesof
myDorsethome,making
it sustainableandwitha
minimalcarbonfootprint.Asa
trainedecologistandnatural
historian,I liketoberooted
inthelandscapearoundme,
watchingseasonschangeand
recordingspecies.ICMand
MEenablemetoexplore
thehistoryofa placeinmy
work,andhelpmetoconvey
theephemeralnatureof
botanicalsubjects,andcreate
imaginedlandscapesblurring
theedgesbetweensubject
andenvironment.
Inspirations
TheimagesI createwiththese
techniquesaremoreabout
form,texture,colourand
emotionthantheyareabout
realismandrepresentational
photography.Experimenting
withICMis wellsuitedtogrey
dayswhereyoumayfindlittle
elsetocapture,butsomeof
myfavouritebotanicalimages
havebeencreatedinfullsun.
ThesubjectsI amdrawnto
arenatural:trees,plantsand
wildlife.I spenda lotoftimeby
theriverphotographinggulls
andalsothewateritself,which
lendsitselfbeautifullytoICM.
Byexperimentinganddrawing
withthehighlightsina frame
andpanningwitha subjectin
motionyoucancreatesome
amazingresults.
Therearemanyinspirational
photographerswhouseICM
andMEintheirwork.Pep
Ventosa’s‘Intherounds’series
blendsrepresentational
photographstakenwhile
walkingarounda subject.
Thisproducesanabstractand
impressionisticcompositethat
exploresphotographyasmore
thanjusta meanstocapture
a momentintime.Sandra
Bartocha’snaturephotography
incorporatesPepVentosa’s
technique, ICM and long
Camera
Anycameraorsmartphone
camerathatwillallowyouto
controlshutterspeedwillenable
youtoshootICMphotography.
Thelighterweightofmirrorless
systemsmaybemore
comfortableif youareoutfor
longperiodstakinghandheld
ICM shots. I use a Sony Alpha 58.Lenses
Anylenscanbeusedwhen
shootingICMphotography,
sochoosingonewitha
focallengthappropriate
tothesubjectyouwish
tophotographis themost
importantfactor.I have
a 300mm,18mmanda
Tamron 90mm f/2.8.exposures,oftenusinga
softandsubtlepaletteto
produceinspiringethereal
abstractresults.Technicalaspects
ICMphotographycanbe
createdusinganycameraor
smartphonecamerathatwill
allowyoutocontroltheshutter
speedsothatthecameracan
bemovedduringtheexposure,
creatingtheblureffect.When
choosingyourlensthemost
importantfactorwillbethe
focallength,whichwillpartly
bedeterminedbythesubject
youintendtocapture.For
birdsandwildlifeI usea
300mmlens,soI don’tscare
thesubject;forlandscape,
an 18mm lens; and for mybotanicalwork,I generallyuse
myTamron90mmf/2.8.I tend
toshootwithoutNDfilters;
howeverif youhavethesethey
canbeusedtoincreaseyour
exposuretimeandpotentially
softenblurs.I usea shutter
speedofaround1/10to1/3sec
tocapturealmostallmyICM
images,preferringrelatively
quickmovementofthecamera.
Liveviewis usefultoascertain
howmuchlightyouareletting
intothecamera,andI find
stoppingdowntheexposure
compensationandusinga
higherF stophelpstoreduce
thechanceofoverexposing.I
alsosetmyISOto 100 andon
occasionI willadjustthewhite
balancetoenhancethe tone or
mood of the scene.Whenmovingthecamera
duringtheshot,differenttypes
ofmotionwillcreatedifferent
effects– verticalpanning
workswellwithstraightlines
suchastrees,architecture,
people;horizontalfor
seascapesandbandsofcolour.
I frequentlyusea shivering
motionorpausemomentarily
ona pointintheframe,to
causeit to‘stick’toperhaps
a floweroraninteresting
texture,andthenrollthe
cameraina circularmotion
forward.Beawareofany
highlightsinyourframeas
thesewillstreakanddraw
lines,soeitheravoidthese
altogetherorperhapsuseit
toyourcreativeadvantage.
Textures in my images areThe Japanese tree looks beautiful in multiple layers and the yellow green tone of the background frames it perfectly