Intentional camera movement

Intentional camera movement or

Just a rainbow of colour lines

Jana Teneva

Intentional

A few years back, while visiting the “Wildlife photographer of the year” exhibition in Leiden, I spotted a gem. It was a picture of a beach in the Canary Islands, but it looked like an impressionist painting. The photographer had explained in the description that he had moved the camera while the photo was being taken and this intentional movement created the magic.

The sand, the sky and the sea had turned into blurry and wavy lines and the result was simply mesmerising! I was sold, I noted all details he used (ISO, aperture and shutter speed) and I knew directly where I would do my first trial.

Tulip lines Dutch spring

You see, I have my favourite island, a place with dreamy beaches and todie-for colours. So a few months later I was at my beach in Sardinia carrying my heavy SLR and 3 lenses, ready to start my practical trial and error. I must have taken around 50 shots and out of them one was what I wanted, but oh boy, was I hooked!

Sardinia fifty shades of blue

This technique called “Intentional camera movement” has something in it which allows you to turn your photographs into a mix of a photo and a painting. So, I kept going. Next were the flower fields in the lowlands. I already had experienced that you cannot do this in the middle of the day with bright light. The 2 hours before sunset is the best. You need a colourful scene, patience and your camera on the right settings.

Costa Rica eucalyptus tree bark

And the good news for all of us: you may actually use any background. The more colours and/or some structure, the more interesting the final result.

So far, I have been using this technique in different landscapes from flower fields to a forest of trees to a single tree trunk and its rainbow bark.

Autumn lines Rijswijk

And also in different cityscapes; you may be able to capture atmosphere of a harbour like I did in the harbour of Zierikzee or the night skyline of Melbourne.

Sea of tulip colours in Bollenstreek, spring 2024

Zierikzee harbour

The last one was actually my very first ICM, when I haven’t even heard of this way of shooting but resulted when my hand moved while taking the night shot.

Multiplying a mushroom in the park Utrechtse Heuvelrug

It is for sure a fun way to photograph but it does need you to go through some trial & error. However, here I can be of help and provide some practical tips to support you in the beginning. And these are my tips:

1. You will need a fixed lens, anything between 50 and 100mm will be a good range. I have a 77m, which is great for this. If you don’t have a fixed lens, you may also use a zoom and then even use the zoom to create a cool effect.

2. You will need light, but again not too much light. So, if you are in a shady forest midday that will be good, but if you are in an open flower field, you will need the hours before sunset and after sunrise on a sunny day.

3. Experiment with your aperture. For me what work best have been values in the range of 20-32.

4. As per the ISO my recommendation will be to start with 100 and to see the result before any further adjusting.

Ok, so now you have the basics and I hope that my visual creations have inspired you to give this creative technique a try. Just think about it next time you are shooting, and you would like to have a bit different picture of a place or the nature around you. Have fun and happy intentional camera moving!

All photographs are copyright of Jana Teneva