Infrared Photography

There is a tutorial on nIR photography in this month’s edition of Digital Photo Magazine.
It’s not bad.

In my experience shutter speeds are between 20 secs on a good sunny day to two minutes on a not so good day.

http://www.airplane-pictures.net/image4546.html
http://www.airplane-pictures.net/image2911.html
http://www.airplane-pictures.net/image4536.html

The technique really works well with organic material but falls flat with inorganic aircraft.

Yes it is true i/r photography, the i/r filters are opaque to the human eye so only true i/r light can reach the sensor. By shooting at f8 or smaller you are increasing the depth of feild, thus allowing more to be in focus to start with. You can also just pull the focus foward slightly.
Dean:)

Hi all,

I didn’t know that you could use DSLRs for IR photography. Is this true IR or does it involve the use of the Red channel in Photoshop and red filters?

One thing that I do remember from film IR photography was that you need change the focus, due to the fact that IR focuses on a different plane from white light. On the barrel of older lenses is a red line that can be lined up with the usual white focus mark to compensate for this.

The procedure if I remember it, was to compose and focus the shot as normal, then adjust to the red line. The filter was then attached (which was a Kodak almost totally opaque one). Take your shot and bracket like mad. :p

I’ve used Photoshop channels to get some striking darkened skies with my digital stuff, but they all lack that wonderful ‘glow’ that you only get (please prove me wrong if you can!) with true IR.

Kood I/R filters from £15 on ebay.

1. if poss shoot in raw mode. Set camera to manual and use an aperature of f8, and a shutter speed of 1sec. Keep iso to 100-200.

2. compose shot on a tripod, dont put i/r filter on yet.

3. attach filter, ensure its fitted tightly so not to let any light through the sides. your camera should still auto focus.

4. take the photo.

5. look at the photo on the rear screen, it will be quit dark red. if its really dark, up the exposure to 2secs.

6. tweek in photoshop, using the white balance pipette on a white cloud or similar.

Happy shooting
Dean:)

Is it just as simple as sticking a filter on the front? I’ve been interested in the idea of IR photography for a while so if all you need is a filter, I need to get one!

Paul

Yep, it is. Need to play around with exposure compensation in camera and have a tripod. All it then needs is a little bit of editing in photoshop – apparently something to do with white balance.

Is it just as simple as sticking a filter on the front? I’ve been interested in the idea of IR photography for a while so if all you need is a filter, I need to get one!

Paul

Thanks Dean! I tried it and it worked, so all I need to do now is find a shop that has a Hoya 62mm flter in stock – all the ones that I have tried don’t have them in stock:mad: !

Adam, to check if your camera works with i/r, take a pic of your tv remote control i/r led. If you can see it lit up in the picture it compatable.
Dean:)