Photo-artist Charlotte Bellamy harnesses intentional camera movement for Light & Land exhibition

Moving to the Netherlands 12 years ago, I fell in love with the much-overlooked landscape opportunities that the country had to offer. One of which is the contrast of the woodlands and trees among an otherwise-flat and open landscape. When I started exploring the idea, I felt that these images displayed an unseen beauty on my doorstep.

I loved the idea of bringing intentional camera movement (ICM) images together as multiple exposures, and will be exhibiting these images in the Light & Land on the Mall exhibition. The idea was to create images of complexity and beauty that ask the viewer to step up close and question what they were seeing. I also wanted to push the boundary between photography and art.

Every image has been made within 10km of where I live. I’m not far from a national park, and even the road outside my house is featured. I embraced the opportunity to explore close to home, and to show that, with a little imagination, you don’t have to  travel the world to find inspiration.

The images of this series were created over the period of about a year. A lot of the base images of ICM woodlands were made in the autumn because of the colours, but the textural images that I added were made over the whole year. I found that in the winter season, trees and grass take on a skeletal appearance, and I loved being able to merge these elements.

My initial project idea was one of pure ICM single-shot images. But I started a second project simultaneously, creating multiple exposures of natural elements, and thought how rewarding and fun it would be if I could intertwine the two. The project developed after about five images, sharing the following elements that helped the set work together cohesively: square crop, blue and gold tones, multiple exposures, ICM, tree structures, natural textures, and bringing a complexity to the base images.

Although I am now the proud owner of a Nikon Z 6II , these were made on my trusty D750 DSLR . I used my 24-70mm and 70-200mm f/2.8 lenses. For longer shutter speeds with the ICM images, I used my NiSi  6-stop neutral density filter . I work handheld to have as much freedom with camera movements as possible.

My first ever DSLR, 18 years ago, was a Nikon D40, since then I’ve worked through the range. I love the slightly smaller pro-level cameras because I am not that big, and, when I am moving the camera around, I like to feel a balanced body in my hands. I tend to work mostly with my 70-200mm because I love the way I can find compositions in the chaotic woodlands, calling on my 24-70mm for shots that encompass a wider view.

I let my creativity and imagination run wild. I loved the quite experimental process that felt like I was learning and exploring my photographic boundaries. I also loved that I made them almost on my doorstep. One that I shot about 20 metres from my house meant so much to me that it is hung at 1.5x1.5m in my living room – it’s considered a unique piece of art by my husband!

Light & Land on the Mall exhibition

Charlotte’s work will be among that of over 70 photographers at the Light & Land on the Mall exhibition , at the Mall Galleries, London, 3-7 September, with free entry.

Light & Land's 30th anniversary show celebrates the best in outdoor photography