To capture a place, just as it is usually is quite straightforward. To create an image that conveys a feeling is often harder. To create something that maybe isn’t there, but rather a fiction can be even trickier, especially if you still want it to look “real”.
ICM, Intentional Camera Movement is one of many techniques that can be used. A precondition is the ability to get long shutter times, usually an ND filter is used for that.
The picture above, captured by the Swedish magical lake Vättern is done using ICM. The exposure is 8 seconds and most of that has been used to “paint” the mood into the picture by moving the camera.
Often when you ICM images it’s very obvious, e.g., with tree trunks that smeared out. When I use ICM it’s mostly as a way to create a certain mood in the image, e.g., it can look as mist or as an watercolor painting.
More examples where ICM has contributed to the picture’s mood.