Infra-red Photography a presentation by Rick Harrison http://www.FortyBelowZero.com

Talk Overview What is Infra-Red? Required equipment Suitable subjects Processing tips

What is Infra-Red?

Required equipment

Suitable subjects

Processing tips

What is Infra Red?

Infra-red / visible comparison, Chelsea Flower Show 2008

Infra-red / visible comparison, Chelsea Flower Show 2008

Infra-red / visible comparison, Keswick, Lake District 2007

Sunlight comparison, Leeds 2007

Examples of my work

“ Dreamland” Middleton Park, Leeds © Rick Harrison 2008

“ The Tree” Brimham Rocks, North York Moors © Rick Harrison 2007

“ The call of the sea” Scarborough Seafront © Rick Harrison 2008

“ Stones” Beach @ Gwithian Towans, Cornwall © Rick Harrison 2008

“ Coast” Gwithian Towans, Cornwall © Rick Harrison 2008

“ Urban” Seacroft, Leeds © Rick Harrison 2007

“ Water-boy” Clumber Park, Nottingham © Rick Harrison 2007

“ Forboding” Kirkstall Abbey, Leeds © Rick Harrison 2008

Required Equipment A suitable camera Check with a tv remote Some lens have nasty coatings A light-blocking IR filter Hoya (or Kood) R72 Wratten 89b / 87 / 87c

A suitable camera

Check with a tv remote

Some lens have nasty coatings

A light-blocking IR filter

Hoya (or Kood) R72

Wratten 89b / 87 / 87c

Beware of cheap filter brands if your camera requires a very long exposure – this 30 second exposure has leaked “normal” colour into it too!

The “Hot Mirror” Camera Sensors are very sensitive They can see Ultra Violet & (near) Infra Red too! UV/IR tarnishes colour photography Cameras contain “Hot Mirror” filters to reduce IR Results in requiring a long-ish exposure unless you have the filter removed

Camera Sensors are very sensitive

They can see Ultra Violet & (near) Infra Red too!

UV/IR tarnishes colour photography

Cameras contain “Hot Mirror” filters to reduce IR

Results in requiring a long-ish exposure unless you have the filter removed

Modified Cameras Handful of companies will “modify” cameras Remove Hot Mirror Optionally replace with R72 filter If you're crazy / skillful you could do it yourself Requires dismantling the WHOLE camera! Goodbye Warranty!

Handful of companies will “modify” cameras

Remove Hot Mirror

Optionally replace with R72 filter

If you're crazy / skillful you could do it yourself

Requires dismantling the WHOLE camera!

Goodbye Warranty!

Optional Equipment Tripod Remote Trigger

Tripod

Remote Trigger

Using a compact Don't necessarily need an SLR In fact results can be better Focusing by sensor rather than lens Can often see what you're doing on the LCD

Don't necessarily need an SLR

In fact results can be better

Focusing by sensor rather than lens

Can often see what you're doing on the LCD

“ Ilkley Moor” Ilkley Moor © Rick Harrison 2006

Using an SLR Potentially better results, but.... Autofocus less accurate Look for IR focus marker on lens Use a higher f-stop Unless modified, a longer exposure This can also be a creative advantage! Can't see what you're doing!

Potentially better results, but....

Autofocus less accurate

Look for IR focus marker on lens

Use a higher f-stop

Unless modified, a longer exposure

This can also be a creative advantage!

Can't see what you're doing!

Some older lenses have a separate IR focusing marker – white in this case, sometimes red. More modern digital lenses rarely have them

Shooting Tips Strong sunlight – middle of the day is great! Trees / Foliage / Clouds look great! Water & blue skies appear dark

Strong sunlight – middle of the day is great!

Trees / Foliage / Clouds look great!

Water & blue skies appear dark

“ Clumber Chapel” Clumber Park, Nottingham © Rick Harrison 2007

“ Duck Pond” Middleton Park, Leeds © Rick Harrison 2007

Shooting Tips Look for things that will contrast well with foliage Rusty machinery Rocks, Muddy Paths, etc

Look for things that will contrast well with foliage

Rusty machinery

Rocks, Muddy Paths, etc

“ Water-boy” Clumber Park, Nottingham © Rick Harrison 2007

“ Wonderland #2” Middleton Park, Leeds © Rick Harrison 2008

Shooting Tips Does “nice things” to people's skin Warning – man-made fabrics (eg polyester) will appear very white!

Does “nice things” to people's skin

Warning – man-made fabrics (eg polyester) will appear very white!

Shooting Tips White Balance

Straight from Camera

Shooting Tips White Balance Either: Leave it to correct in RAW processing Set a custom white balance in camera to either: A patch of sunlit grass A piece of white/gray card

Leave it to correct in RAW processing

Set a custom white balance in camera to either:

A patch of sunlit grass

A piece of white/gray card

Straight from Camera

Custom White-Balance

Shooting Tips Beware the sun! Try to keep sun off the filter Use hand/hat to create shade

Try to keep sun off the filter

Use hand/hat to create shade

Shooting Tips There's a strong misconception IR is summer only!

Processing Photos Levels IR shots straight from camera usually have compressed tonal range. Normally you'd avoid Photoshop's “Auto-Levels” like the plague, but works very well with IR!

Straight from Camera

Auto-Levels in Photoshop

Processing Photos Swapping the Red and Blue channels with Channel Mixer in Photoshop

Channel Mixer in Photoshop

Channel Mixer in Photoshop

Further Reading Discussion forums: http://www.flickr.com/groups/infrareduk/ http://www.flickr.com/groups/infrared/ http://www.flickr.com/groups/55027594@N00/ http://www.flickr.com/groups/lifepixel/ Camera modification: http://www.AdvancedCameraServices.co.uk/ http://www.LifePixel.com/ Me: tricky@FortyBelowZero.com http://www.FortyBelowZero.com/ http://www.flickr.com/photos/sovietuk/