Charlotte Bellamy Photography - ICM Challenge 8 - Flowers

The ‘flowers’ challenge is complete, and once again a brilliant turnout from all of you who submitted. Despite photographing the tulip fields every year, I still really struggle with ICM photographing flowers. It takes a recognition of the type of flower and shape to match the ICM movement for a successful outcome, which so many of the images in this challenge achieved. Superb to see.

This challenge the entries were judged by the lovely Lesley Thirsk who runs the Guild of Photographers in the UK with her husband Steve. I have been a member of the Guild ‘family’ for over 10 years now, and it has provided me a lifeline at times, wonderful opportunities to compete against the best in superbly judged competitions, and the change to gain qualifications to recognise my photographic journey. I am now a panel member with The Guild and love the chance to give back to the members, after gaining so much from being a member myself for many years. Lesley is a wonderful wedding photographer herself, and has a sweet spot for flowers, hence asking her to judge this challenge. On returning her judging order she commented ‘Wow there are so many lovely images there and there would be some bronzes in there. I definitely struggled to find my top 10 so well done to everyone who participated in this. Well done to all.’

The Guild of Photographers is a wonderful association to be part of. Their website is https://photoguild.co.uk/ If you would like to join and receive £10 off the annual membership, please feel free to use this code. https://photoguild.co.uk/members referrals/

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 Kim Stevens

Lesley said “I loved the feel of this image, the subject, the light and dark pink palette and I would love to have this on my wall “

Lesley Said “ It was the flow and strong movement in this image that made me select it for my No 2 it is both energetic and vibrant”

3rd place

Lesley Said “Strong definition, vibrant yellow ochre flowers contrasted with the earthly green in the trees and bushes that made this my number 3”

Runner up Sue Woodbridge

Debbie Christie

4th Place

Malcolm Brown

5th Place

Christine Griffiths

6th Place

7th Place

Camilla Rutayisire Gore

Birgitta Larsson

8th Place

9th Place

Mirriam Manners

Virginia Long

Mary Seddon

The other entries

Caren Kaufman Mlot

Reiner Heisel

Gunilla Steen

Barbara Kato McKenzie

Marion Woodman

Lynda Trzyna Mills

Angie Robertson Jaana Kotoneva

Colin Smith

Christina Webb

Carol Sinclair

Jaana Ostby

Valerie Huggins

Joy Tracey

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 ‘flowers challenge for me. In addition to her placings 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 Miriam and Kim and for making top 10 and top 5. Congratulations to Federica and Natascha Wilson and Michelle Jackson 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.

Federica Morgan

I love the dynamic nature of this image. It reminds me of fireworks exploding in the night sky. The ICM movement really accentuates the shape of the petals, and the dark ground makes the colours pop. Energy and vibrancy abound from this image.

Natascha Wilson

I love this image because the delicate droop of the petals from the flower head remind me of a ballerina’s tutu. The light on the petals is lovely, and the ICM movement adds to the feel of this flower head dancing and bobbing, bent at its stem.

Michelle Jackson

This image made my top 5 because I love the colour combination of the purples, pinks and yellows. It shouts happiness and summer to me. I almost want to run through the image with the sun on my face. The ICM create a pastel pallet of the flowerheads jiggling in the summer breeze.

Miriam Manners

The colours of this image against the plain background really caught my eye. I’m not really a ‘pink’ person, but this vibrancy is beautiful. I love how the ICM movement has captured the bunch of flowers and added energy and movement to it so all the stems seen to be twirling around each other. The composition and crop are also super.

Kim Stevens

This image from Kim is something very different to all the other entries. Created by moving the camera between and during a selection of images, which are overlaid on each other, a beautifully complex image appears I love all the petals that have dropped onto the floor below the tree and how this adds to the elements within the image where your eye travels.