Charlotte Bellamy Photography - ICM Challenge 9 - Black and White

The ‘black and white’ challenge is complete, and once again a brilliant turnout from all of you who submitted. I t’s a question I get asked on a regular basis ‘can you do ICM in black and white’ and the answer is of course yes you can. With a complete freedom on this challenge for subject matter, so long as it was black and white I was looking forward to a diverse range of images. They did not disappoint, but I think being the autumn, this challenge was dominated by trees and woodlands, so those who strayed from this path were well rewarded by our judge for the challenge.

This challenge the entries were judged by the amazing Paul Sanders of Discover Still. I have followed Paul’s work for many years after being inspired hearing him speak during a weekend event in the UK many years ago. Inspired by his beautiful black and white images but also his approach towards photography. In the last 3 years I have followed 3 online courses with him developing my mindful approach to photography, and I find it creates the base to all my photography now, and allows me to slow down and appreciate the tiniest beautiful things that normally no one else notices! I was delighted when Paul agreed to judge this challenge, and he even did so from California for us!

To follow more of Paul’s work please check out his website https://www.discoverstill.com/ he also has a wonderful regular live slot on his Instagram page each Friday morning, which is always a thought provoking 10 minutes to start the day and end the week on I highly recommend you tune in once and you will continue to do so every week after. https://www.instagram.com/discover_still

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 10th 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.

Winner Malcolm Brown

Massive congratulations to Malcolm. He is the first double winner of this challenge series. Paul said “This image took my breath away, I love the feel of being about a bird, there’s so much motion and emotion combined together love it”.

Paul said “this image reminded me of the film Twister when a house rolled across the path of a car during a tornado, there’s a lot of motion again but also textures and still lots of detail, it really feels like the house is rolling”

3rd place

Mirriam Manners

Paul said “I am a sucker for light trails and light painting i really like how ordered the image is and yet so abstract all at the same time.”

Runner up Jaana Kotoneva

4th Place

5th Place

Amber Burton

Kim Stevens

6th Place

Angie Robertson

7th Place

Valerie Huggins

8th Place

Janne Østby

9th Place

Marion Woodman

Sue Woodbridge

The other entries

Michelle Jackson

Lynda Trzyna Mills

Camilla Rutayisire Gore

Barbara Kato McKenzie

Gunilla Steen

Christine Griffiths

Federica Morgan

Colin Smith

Mary Seddon

Carol Hudson

Debbie Christie

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 Paul judging the ‘black and white’ challenge for me. In addition to his 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, and Angie Robertson and for making top 10 and top 5. Congratulations to Joy, Christina Webb and Birgitta Larsson for their top 5 placings 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 Joy’s image for its simplicity. I love how she has created the feeling of space with the massive sky, and how the ICM has added a hint of mystery with the clouds over the mountains. It evokes a feeling of space, emptiness and the power of the natural elements.

Joy Tracey

Christina Webb

This image intrigues me. I spend a lot of time photographing rain on my windows, and this reminds me of that. However, the elements in the lower half of the image remind me of silver birch tree trunks, which I love. So, the combination here of the abstract and movement work great and offer a wonderfully complex image.

Birgitta Larsson

I have chosen this image in my top 5 as I have returned to it time and time again within the album. I love that it is a story of two halves. The top half is very clear and obvious the tree trunks with beautiful light on the left hand side of each trunk. The lower half of the image is much subtler, and you could easily miss it. The beautiful delicate foreground plants offer a lovely depth to this image.

Angie Robertson

Of all the woodland images in the challenge, this one of Angie’s stood out for me a little above the rest. I love the simplicity, the balance and super control of the light and dark elements throughout the image. I feel like I want to walk through that gap in the middle and explore further. The ICM movement creates a serene and calm feeling to an otherwise chaotic woodland.

Malcolm Brown

Like Paul, I found this a compelling image, it is a beautiful black and white image The birds are captured beautifully with the ICM movement and the ICM really adds movement and power to the image. I also like the crop and how clean this image looks overall.