Beyond Technical Perfection - Photographing What I Feel
WildArt judge Jiří Hřebíček shares his passion for ICM photography as a creative tool.
With today’s cameras and lenses, it is probably easier than ever to take a technically perfect wildlife photograph. Autofocus can follow an animal’s eye, and modern equipment allows us to work in difficult conditions. But one thing is still just as difficult: putting something of ourselves into a photograph. A sharp, well-exposed image can show exactly what was in front of the camera, but say very little about the photographer behind it.
This is what drew me to this creative way of photographing. When I first saw images created using Intentional Camera Movement (ICM), I immediately felt that it could help me put more of my feelings into my work. It allowed me to move beyond a literal record and translate a real moment into something more personal. The animal remained essential, but became part of a wider visual experience where lines, shapes and colours could suggest a painting, a memory or a dream. I try to photograph what I feel, not only what I see.
When I started experimenting, the camera became more than just a recording tool. It started to feel more like a brush. Time and movement shaped the image, while details gave way to atmosphere.
What I look for
Creative movement is not about making an image blurred just for the sake of it. I still look for what matters in any photograph: light, background, colour, composition and, if possible, the behaviour of the animal. Then I think about what kind of movement would best express the atmosphere of the scene.
ICM is not limited to horizontal or vertical panning only. There are almost endless ways to move the camera, and each creates a different result. The movement can be smooth, fast, irregular, etc. I can combine it with deliberate defocusing, shaking the camera or zooming during the exposure. Sometimes I keep the camera still and let the animal create the motion. These techniques can be used alone or together, but the movement should always have a reason.
Intention and experimentation
The word “intentional” is important, but it does not mean that everything can be controlled. I usually start with an idea: the direction of movement, the colours I want to blend and the relationship between the animal and its surroundings. Then experimentation begins. Small changes in shutter speed, camera movement or timing can completely change the result.
For me, the strongest ICM images are created somewhere between intention and surprise. We should not be afraid to experiment or break the familiar rules of a “correct” photograph. Perfect sharpness, exposure and composition do not always need to be the goal. Breaking these rules opens an exciting world of possibilities, where unexpected results can lead to images that are personal and different from those of anyone else.
Learning from failure
Most of my ICM images fail. The subject may disappear, the camera movement may be too quick or too slow, the background may become confusing, or one bright area may take attention away from everything else. I may take hundreds of photographs and keep only one — or sometimes none.
This can be frustrating, especially at the beginning. The first results will probably not look as expected, but this is a normal part of the process and should not stop us. It takes time to understand how the distance from the subject, the animal’s speed and the exposure time influence the image. Even a small change can produce a completely different result.
These failures are invaluable. They have taught me that more movement is not automatically more creative; often only a slight camera movement is enough. I have learned to simplify the background, noticed how colours and shapes work together and study unsuccessful images instead of simply deleting them. Every failure brings me closer to the result I am looking for.
I have also learned not to judge an image too quickly. A photograph that looks strange on the back of the camera may become surprisingly interesting during post-processing, while one that looks spectacular at first may soon feel empty. Working with ICM requires curiosity, patience and a willingness to accept uncertainty.
ICM is not an escape from the technical side of photography or just a shortcut to creativity. It is another visual language. Unlike a sharp photograph that shows the scene as it appeared, an ICM image leaves much more space for imagination. Different viewers may discover different feelings or stories in the same image. It does not give them all the answers, but allows each viewer to find their own story within it.
What do you prefer when you look at a photograph — to see every detail, or to have space for your own imagination?
Jiří Hřebíček
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