A Five-Year Journey in ICM Photography
In early 2020, I began a five-year photographic journey that would reshape my approach to photography. I didn't set out to create a long-term project; it evolved naturally.
It all began at the coast where I live in North Wales. For some time, I had felt that a traditional approach to photography often failed to capture the essence of my coastal visits. A deeper, instinctual desire to create images beyond mere representation motivated me to go beyond static images and attempt to convey movement, energy, and emotion. I experimented with various techniques and found that long exposures gave me the most satisfaction. Blending the movement of natural elements turned fleeting moments into something more timeless. It blurred motion, like flowing water or passing clouds, creating smooth, dreamy effects. Ordinary scenes began to transform, creating a more dynamic sense of the world around me. I gently moved the camera during the exposure, letting it glide and sway, allowing the whole scene to blur, unveiling unexpected and surreal results.
This technique known as Intentional Camera Movement, or ICM for short, opened new creativity, allowing me to capture the world in a way that transcended mere representation. It's what blur unlocks in the mind that hooked me. Our memories aren't sharp; they fade, warp, and slip through the cracks. Dreams don't follow logic; they melt and shift. Blur taps into that liminal space between seeing, remembering, and imagining. It dissolves the line between reality and emotion, pulling the viewer into the moment's mood.
I became wholly immersed in this process, observing how the sea transformed into mesmerising abstract patterns of colour and light. Each camera movement infused a different energy into the shot, creating a dynamic interplay between reality and abstraction. As I experimented, I discovered that every photograph was more than just an image; it was a unique story distilled from the moment, rich with emotion and nuance. The swirling hues of a sunset reflected not only the beauty of nature but also my interpretation of that fleeting instant. I engaged in a dialogue with the environment, letting my intentions and the elements dance together in a symphony of creativity. I focused on capturing how a scene felt rather than how it looked. The unpredictable nature of ICM pushed me to embrace spontaneity and experimentation. I often returned to the same spot along the coast, eager to see how different weather conditions and tidal times would influence my results.
As my understanding of ICM deepened, I expanded my focus to urban environments. The streets, full of life and motion, starkly contrasted the natural landscapes I had first explored. I have always been fascinated by the energy of city life, and I wanted to capture that same sense of movement found in my coastal work but in an entirely different context. I began to work with bustling streets, the blur of people, cars, and architecture becoming an expression of the fast-paced rhythm of urban spaces. This shift marked a critical stage in the project, as I moved from the natural rhythms of the coast to the frenetic energy of city life, capturing the essence of motion in both settings. The final phase of my project led me to Venice, a city of romance, mystery, and timeless beauty. I had long been captivated by Venice's unique atmosphere, and I saw it as the perfect place to take my ICM work to a more timeless and nostalgic level. The Venice Carnival's intricate masks and enigmatic characters provided an ideal subject for my exploration. I felt captivated by the mysterious energy of the masked figures, noticing how their presence blurred the line between reality and fantasy. Through ICM, I sought to capture the fleeting moments that defined the carnival—those of magic, illusion, and mystery.
I observed a rising interest in ICM (Intentional Camera Movement) within the photographic community. More photographers were experimenting with this technique. What had once felt like a niche approach to photography was now gaining traction, and I found myself more connected to a community of like-minded creatives exploring the possibilities of motion in photography. I have been fortunate to have two articles featuring my ICM work published by ICM Photography Magazine, the foremost platform for ICM photography.
As my work evolved, I began sharing my insights through workshops and talks. At first, reactions were mixed. Some attendees joked about how I needed a new lens or use a tripod. But over time, I saw a shift. People began engaging more thoughtfully, asking deeper questions about how and, more importantly, why I worked with motion so deliberately. The focus moved away from technique and toward the emotions these images evoked—how blur could capture a sense of peace, energy, or nostalgia. This change in perception led me to create The Art of Blur, a book that encapsulates the culmination of my five-year ICM project.
The book focuses on iPhone ICM photography, blending creative vision with practical techniques. With step-by-step guidance, readers learn how to capture dynamic images that convert ordinary scenes into abstract works of art open to interpretation. The book includes numerous inspiring examples from my ICM portfolio and is the ultimate resource for photographers eager to explore the possibilities of mobile creativity. Blur in photography isn't just a technique; it's a language. It can shape mood and memory, drawing viewers into a story that's felt rather than seen. Photographers have long associated blur with the intangible qualities of memory, nostalgia, and dreamlike states. Unlike sharp, detailed images presenting a scene with clinical accuracy, blur introduces ambiguity and softness that mimics how the mind processes and recalls experiences.
ICM has taught me more than just photography; it has taught me patience and the beauty of change. Each session became a meditative practice, where I let go of the idea of a "perfect" photograph. The journey has been about exploring movement, emotion, and the connection between my camera and the world around me—a celebration of creativity fueled by purpose and curiosity.
Looking back, I'm grateful for the journey this project has taken me on. From the calm of the coast to the energy of the streets and the romance of Venice, I've been able to explore the power of motion in photography and create work that reflects both the external world and my own internal experience. With the book now complete, I'm excited to continue my journey and inspiring others to experiment with ICM photography.