Tag: Intentional Camera Movement

Autumn In The Midwest

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It’s autumn in the midwest and the colors in some areas are at or near peak color. The next couple nights the temperature will be dropping into the 20’s, which is quite unseasonable. Will the leaves all drop before reaching peak color? We will know in the next day or so. It is autumn in the midwest and while the next couple nights are expected to be unseasonably cold, next weekend it’s suppose to be in the mid 70’s.

I wanted to get outside and see the autumn color before it quickly disappears. It was quite windy today, anything but unusual for Iowa. Certainly not the conditions typically wanted for nature photography. However, it was an ideal day for intentional camera movement (ICM) images.

ICM is a technique I learned in 2012 while attending a photography workshop in Acadia National Park. It was fun! It’s been a few years since I made images with this technique and was unsure if I would be successful. While pressing the shutter, you intentionally move your camera. You want movement and sometimes complete blur and only the colors are distinct. Today, I wanted movement, but just enough so that you still knew my subject. Sort of like an impressionist painting.

Some may say it’s a blurry photo and others will see and appreciate the artistic perspective. The artistic side of photography is what appeals to me and being someone who tends to be more left-brain, it is a challenge. You can’t move your camera just any direction, there has to be thought to it. What is the outcome you are looking for, what story are you wanting to tell?

Below is my favorite image of the day to show autumn in the midwest!

Autumn Splendor

Published on by tbeckerphotos7 Comments

There is a favorite tree in a local park that I love to photograph.  I have photographed her many times, Scarlet Attire, Dressed in Emerald, and Red Maple Tree, and with a bit more luck this winter, I’ll photograph her dressed in diamonds.

 

 

 

And just when I thought I couldn’t come up with a new composition, I found two this year as I was strolling through the park with Madison the Dainty Dachshund.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A few days later I was hopeful the sun would be shining when I left my day job. Unfortunately, the clouds moved in just as I was headed out to photograph the beautiful red tree again. No matter, I grabbed my gear and headed to the park to see what images could be made.  After all, the leaves lose their color and fall quickly as autumn splendor comes to an end. Besides, not having the best light, just made me work harder and as I have had little time for photography, it was good to be challenged. Recalling all the tricks of nature photography I have learned the last several years.  Much to my surprise I noticed another tree, the same type of beautiful red maple tree, an Acer Rubrum.  How have I not noticed this beautiful tree before?

I immediately started working as the little light I had was fading quickly.  Already I was thinking of next year and the numerous compositions that could be made when the surrounding trees would be in full autumn splendor.  But for this year, below are the images I was able to make.

Walking back to my car, I passed my favorite red maple tree and the urge to make an image using intentional camera movement overcame me.  So one final image of my favorite red maple tree dressed in scarlet during autumn splendor.