I agree.
As a matter of fact, all is about relativity.
Relativity between the combo (camera/lens) and the scene.
# In your 2 first pictures, we can notice that the optical axis is almost perpendicular to the plan of subject. i guess you were in a vehicle when you took this pics.
# in the following ones, I am not sure what you did with your camera, perhaps both in a vehicle and moving your cam randomly.
# In my image the optical axis is still perpendicular to the scene, but the mobile glasses of the zoom went back and forth.
If I had rotated the camera in the same time I would have obtained a spiral like shape.
Below : nasturtiums with nikkor 14mm f/2,8 (prime). the curves are due from wide-angle lens. The rotating axis of camera movement was parallel to the scene.