Charlotte Bellamy Photography - ICM Challenge 6 - Animals

The ‘animals’ challenge is complete, and once again a brilliant turnout from all of you who submitted. I know this was a tricky one, and I thank so many of you for having a go at something way out of your comfort zone. Making ICM photos of something predictable, making one of a subject whose direction and speed can be changing constantly demands patience and good humour! A wonderful selection of different animals as well.

This challenge the entries were met by the wonderful Lesley Chalmers. I have known Lesley for ten years now, and in that time, she has picked me up from the bottom of a hole when I put my camera down for 3 months and was too scared to pick it up, she then mentored me through my Craftsman qualification with the Guild of Photographers. But probably here the most amazing thing she has given me is the introduction to ICM photography and the encouragement to give it a go and have fun. Lesley was the individual who I talk about in every presentation I give on ICM standing next to her on the Hebridean beach and wondering what she was doing wiggling her camera about!

Lesley is a valued panel member with the Guild of Photographers, and is following her own personal interest in painting and art now alongside cheering on her nephews as they race around the world, representing Guernsey and Great Britain at various athletics events. Lesley has offered a comment on her top 10 images, offering a look at why she chose each image, but also possible improvements which could be made to strengthen the images further.

I created this ICM challenge, to offer a friendly competition within the creative group I run for all previous course attendees and mentee students. It is to encourage interaction in the group and to offer a reason to share or make photos in reaction to a prompt.

From mid July to early December, a new challenge subject will be set in the group. It may be interpreted however an individual wishes, but the ICM technique must be the overriding element in the image. I have chosen an outside judge for each challenge to offer a wide variety of feedback and varying outlooks on ICM photography.

This is a cumulative competition:

• Points 1 10 are awarded for the top 10 placings each challenge. (1st place gaining 10 and 10 th place 1)

• A point is awarded to every entrant to say thank you for submitting.

• A bonus 5 points are awarded to each of Charlie’s top 5 each challenge.

In December there will be an online awards evening, with some small prizes, and to celebrate everyone’s achievements.

If you are interested in online or in person courses, please check out my website for more info www.charlottebellamy.com

I also have a You tube channel https://www.youtube.com/c/CharlotteBellamycreativephotography/videos

Please email with any questions or comments Charlotte@charlottebellamy.com

Copyright remains with each of the photographers, please do not save in anyway the images from this document.

Without further ado I would like to introduce you to your winners. Congratulations to the top 10.

Lesley’s feedback On topic, clearly ICM, great colour and contrast no animal cropped.

Malcolm’s advice to anyone photographic animals for ICM “don’t go to a wildlife park when it is below freezing, all the animals hide unless its feeding time”

Winner Malcolm Brown

Runner up Janne Østby

Lesley’s feedback On topic, clearly ICM, evocative, great composition. Nice to see good B&W.

Janne explained her image when she submitted it Sheep by the pond. There is always one that is braver and more curious than the others, and comes back to check what is happening. And where one goes, the others follow

3rd place

Michelle Jackson

Lesley’s feedback On topic, clearly ICM, strong point of focus, appealing colour and communication of movement and that upward pointing snout really adds.

Debbie Christie

Lesley’s feedback nice contrast between animal and the graphic background

5th Place

Christine Griffiths

Lesley’s feedback interesting inclusion of double exposure and that background building too nice colour/tone but a tighter crop at the bottom would be good. Make sure verticals are upright.

6th Place

Scottee Cantrell

Lesley’s feedback would be strengthened by less exposure and more contrast which would also max the colour

7th Place

Jaana Kotoneva

Lesley’s feedback I’m deducing a landing water bird, but it’s almost abstract rather than saying 'animal'

Mary Seddon

Lesley’s feedback Worked out it’s a seal, but without much definition in the face and with so little definition, it’s almost abstract and that light top left quadrant distracts. It was an otter but pretty close Lesley x

9th Place

Lyn Rostron

Lesley’s feedback that one bird is evident gets it on topic again, I’d say it’d benefit from more contrast such an easy tweak

Birgitta Larsson

Lesley’s feedback A gradient filter would help to deal with the over exposure on the left; and possibly some facial definition or sharpness to the animal would help too

The other entries

Kim Stevens

Sue White

Joy Tracey

Camilla Rutayisire Gore

Valerie Huggins

Mirriam Manners

Angie Robertson

Federica Morgan

Sue Woodbridge

Christina Webb

Marion Woodman

Charlie’s top 5

Now if you were looking for your image in there and it was missing, there is a reason You are in this section.

I really appreciated Lesley judging the ‘Animals’ challenge for me. In addition to her placing I also wanted to award my own top 5. All but one of the images in this challenge appear in both the top 10 and top 5.

Congratulations to Malcolm Brown, Lyn Rostron, Jaana Ostby and Scottee and for making top 10 and top 5. Congratulations to Gunilla for her top 5 placing here.

My top 5 are not in any specific order so all these images have been awarded a bonus 5 points.

For me, images that speak to me and grab my interest are those that will make my top 5 but you will see from my comments on each all for very different reasons.

I love the movement and energy in this image. The background works beautifully to create a real contrast with the horse and rider. I know how hard horses are to photograph, and I love horses so much there was no way this could not be in my top 5. To improve it further I would suggest widening the canvas out to the left slightly so the horse is not so close to the left edge, then straightening the horizon.

Gunilla Steen

Malcolm Brown

When I saw this image submitted I just fell in love with the colour and the beauty captured here. The reflections are super, as is the composition, balance and post processing to really make the birds stand out from their background. I love the ICM movement used as well to add a flutter of feathers.

Janne Østby

This is an image with a story, and convey’s almost a haunting movement of these animals as if they are finding their way through the mis t on the side of a mountain in the middle of nowhere. The black and white processing is super and the contrast, balance and control of exposure is super. With Jaane’s description (see it under her placing earlier), it offers a really thought provoking image to look at.

Scottee’s ICM of the fish is full of energy and movement. I love the movement she has captured with the fish and the colour contrast of the fish themselves and the reflections of blue on the surface of the water. The little water droplets bouncing up also add to the feeling of the fish splashing in the water.

Lyn’s capture of these birds flying is soft and gentle. It is almost an abstract, but I love how the movement looks wispy almost like a smoke trail following the birds. The colours of the background are almost rainbow like, and offer a lovely contrast to the white delicate bird movement in the foreground.

Scottee Cantrell

Lyn Rostron