I have posted quite a few of my infrared pictures here on this blog. Infrared photography, or more specifically, false color infrared photography, is very difficult to master. A lot of my early work didn’t turn out well. It truly was a matter of trial and error for me. So today, I will show you exactly how I do it.
It is important to first know a little bit about infrared light. Infrared refers to the spectrum of light that is beyond the visible light spectrum (”invisible light”) that we normally see. In order to get this infrared light into a photo, you must use a special lens filter that filters out almost all of the “visible” light.
This is the Hoya R72 IR filter that I used with my old Nikon D50 DSLR. As you can see, the filter glass is black and lets very little light through.
Now that you have the camera, lens and filter, you will also need a tripod. As for software, you will need Photoshop, this False Colors Photoshop Action and Bibble Lite 4.9, available from Bibble Labs. I found the false colors action online last year but was not able to locate it now, so credit is given to the original creator.
Now, you must wait for just the right time of year. The best time of the year to shoot IR photos is in the dead of summer on a bright, sunny day in order to soak up the most IR rays. Camera settings will make or break your infrared photos. Again, most of this was trial and error on my part, and may or may not work for you and your camera.
First, you will need to set a custom white balance. Attach the IR filter, then do a custom white balance sample while pointing the camera at a section of green grass.
Now, you need to find a subject for your photo. Trees, grass and the sky are the best candidates for infrared. The chlorophyll in the green leaves and grass really makes images “pop” and the sky (big puffy clouds are a plus) gives a nice deep contrast to the bright whites we are hoping to achieve.
Once you have selected a subject, you need to get the camera set up on the tripod. Some people compose the picture before adding the IR filter; not me. I just aim and shoot, and so far it has worked well for me.
This is the sample photo that we will be working with today. This picture was taken at .6 second shutter speed, f/8 aperture, 200 ISO at 18mm focal length in RAW mode. The original picture will turn out with a heavy reddish tint. This is perfectly normal.
Next, you will want to open the file in Bibble Lite 4.9. Make sure everything on the right side is “off”, then adjust the “New WB” to Incandescent. Now, save the photo as a .jpg and open it with Photoshop.
Once in Photoshop, select Layer - New Adjustment Layer - Levels. Click OK then click the Auto button, which will give you something like you see above. Now, run the false colors action.
If your original IR image was taken at just the right settings, you should get something like you see above.
Now, just tweak the colors to your linking using the Selective Color option.
Another popular option with infrared images is black and white. B&W IR images look great as well, but personally I like the colored version more.
With the right equipment and a bit of trial and error, you should be well on your way to shooting some great infrared images of your own!
