In my eyes, street photography is one of the most creative photography niches. There are plenty of subjects and techniques to try. ICM street photography, for example. Let’s dive into that specific niche for now.
First things first, though…
What is ICM Street Photography?
ICM stands for International Corporate Monetisation… oh no, sorry, that’s wrong. It stands for Intentional Camera Movement, which basically means making blurry photos on purpose.
Most of the time, photographers chase sharp images, at least with a sharp subject. In ICM photography, that’s thrown overboard. The entire image is blurred. Sometimes a little, sometimes a lot. That’s all up to your creative control.
With ICM, you can create mystery, new shapes, or a less literal representation of your subjects. Though it might not be a technique for every photo, it can be a valuable tool to keep in your arsenal.
Why use ICM in your street photography?
ICM can serve multiple purposes in your street photography. It can provide you with some abstract shots of a scene or a subject. You can use those as stand-alone or a moodsetter in your series.
They can also help photograph people anonymously. The people in your photo will be unrecognizable as individuals but still identifiable as humans. ICM can also give your photo more of a flow or atmosphere rather than being solely focused on the subject.
It also adds more color, dynamism, and a more painterly look to the photos, frequently reminding me of painters like Monet.
What gear do you need for ICM street photography?
The good news is you don’t need any special gear. Any camera and lens combination works for ICM. Of course, it’s best to control the camera’s shutter speed. Using slower shutter speeds is essential for ICM photography.
Having a lens that can close down to f22 or even more is handy. Of course, if you don’t have that, you can use an ND filter, too.
As with any type of photography, the choice of focal length will influence the result, but you can still use any lens you like.
Understanding Intentional Camera Movement
The primary purpose of using ICM is to create an intentional and artistic (motion) blur in your photos. Several different camera movements can accomplish this. However, the central aspect is your shutter speed.
Shutter speed
So, using a slower shutter speed is essential. This can be anything slower than ½ of a second. Depending on your focal length, of course. You get blurred much faster with an 85mm than a 28mm.
Other settings
To get slower shutter speeds without overexposing, you need to shut down your aperture (for example, f22) and lower your ISO (to 100 or 64, depending on your camera). If your photos are still too bright, you can use an ND filter on your lens.
Camera modes
The best camera modes for ICM are usually fully manual, manual with auto ISO, or S priority (with auto ISO). The choice depends on your taste and how you like to work with your camera.
Camera Movement Techniques
Getting blurry photos, ofcourse, is just a tiny part of ICM. It’s also about the direction, shape, and type of blur you aim for. Different blurs give a different feel and look.
- Panning: Moving the camera left to right (or vice versa) creates a directional blur. Any light source or reflection will cause (straight) lines in your photo.
- Zooming: If you have a zoom lens, you can twist it while your shutter is open. This will cause radial lines like an exaggerated vignette. It also looks like jumping to hyperspace in Star Wars.
- Tilting and shifting: This is the same as panning; it is just up and down instead.
- Rotating: Twist the camera (use the center of your lens as the axis) for a barrel kind of effect
- Vibrating: Just vibrate the camera, making the light trails in your photo erratic.
- Go crazy: Try any movement or combination of those movements. I’m sure you can find movements unique to you.
The impact of different lighting conditions on your ICM photos
As with any type of photography, the lighting and weather conditions impact the result. It can also dictate how you should go about using ICM.
For example, you’ll need a very closed-down aperture on bright days. This gives you a lot of depth of field, suitable for cityscapes and broader scenes.
During nighttime, you will rely more on artificial light, which creates more light stripes and harsher hotspots in your photo. However, this often comes with a range of colored lights.
Cloudy days or blue hours will provide a more moody atmosphere to your ICM street photos.
On rainy days, the wet pavement in the city streets can provide additional light and color sources for your shots.
In conclusion, ICM provides a wide range of extra options for your street photography. It allows for more abstract and experimental results, which help you to express and expand your artistic vision.
What’s your favorite ICM subject and technique? Let me know in the comments below!
