Infrared photography is an excellent option for getting intriguing shots in the middle of the day. Infrared light is defined as a band of frequencies of the Electromagnetic Spectrum that is invisible to the human eyes. Cameras, however, are highly sensitive to IR light. So much in fact that camera manufacturers go to great lengths to create sensor filters that block this light. But, like most devices, there is no real 100% solution, and therefore some IR light is able to pass through the filter. All you need to try this out is an IR filter for your lens. The filter blocks all visible light from passing through to the camera sensor, so yes, it IS supposed to be completely black. Laugh if you like, but I have actually been asked if a IR filter was “defective” because it is opaque.

IR photos generally require longer than normal exposures, amount of time is dependent on the camera and the amount of IR available. At this point it is strictly trial and error to get the right image. Be advised that the picture will come out of the camera very red, this is just the nature of how the camera reads the light. Cameras can read IR light, but obviously LCDs cannot display it, and even if they could you wouldn’t be able to see it. Therefore the camera CPU pushes the image back into the visible spectrum, and since Red is the first frequency in the visible spectrum, the image comes out red. Don’t worry though, this will be fixed in Photoshop.

Traditionally speaking IR Photos are Black and White, which makes post processing very easy if this is the look you’re going for. If you want the “false color” effect, bring up the Channel Mixer in Photoshop and invert the Blue and Red channels. Then with some slight tweaking you can produce an amazing set of outcomes that is bound only by your imagination. Get Creative! Below is one of my personal IR shots. The IR look can make otherwise mundane shots into something spectacular.

Other options include going inside to get images that shows the mid-day light spilling into the interior in interesting way. Another, is to shoot in the shadows, this too can show some interesting play between light and shadow. So what if there is no light at all? While most people put the camera away, or fire up some harsh on camera flashes, were going to try our hand at time lapse photography. Time lapse is a method where light is minimal, and works best after dark or in a dark room. It requires very long exposure times, sometimes in excess of 1 minute.

Your camera will need to have a “Bulb” mode (be aware that many times DSLRs require some sort of remote trigger to activate the bulb mode) which allows you to open the camera’s shutter for as long as you require. Long exposures allow you to pick up very faint light, or to capture light in novel ways. One such way is “light drawing,” below is an example of a light scribble made with a Nikon D40 and a LED mounted on a finger.

So, there you have it, a great tip and two new ideas on how to push the boundaries of your photography outside the basics. Stay tuned for more information and new tips!

ThreeFive Photography’s Guide to Shooting in Remote Locations Rev 1.1

I had planned for this to be a photo free weekend, so I left the tripod at home. It might seem strange, but I find I don’t take photography as seriously if I don’t have my tripod along. My framing and “capturing the light” skills still hold, but without a tripod I feel like my photography takes on a much more “playful” tone, and play is always good for the soul. But, my photo-free weekend didn’t happen since I did have my camera with me. Just a few of the best things though. So this leads into my rules of Photography that Illl be expounding on each day for the next several days. So stay tuned for them all.

Rule 1# If you have your camera with you, you have your tripod … period. This might seem like a no-brainer but the tripod is key to sharp pictures. I know, “but but my pictures seem pretty sharp and I dont use a tripod.” You CAN get sharp pics w/o a tripod, but never as sharp as they COULD be with a tripod. I have even gotten acceptable shots at 1/8sec hand held, but the trick is to brace yourself, hold your breath, and then shoot several shots. Hopefully one of them will come out sharp. However, the real trick is to not find yourself having to do this. USE a tripod or a monopod if space doesn’t allow its three legged brethern.

I won’t wax long on the types of tripod you should get, I will say buy the best one you can afford that you will use regularly. Buying a 1000.00 tripod is a waste if you aren’t going to use it as much as humanly possible. For those who ARE looking for tips, I suggest the following.

Manfrotto tripod with a ball head. You can get these in a kit for about 200.00US. Trust me, for someone who shoots alot on uneven ground, a ball head will save your sanity. If you don’t shoot on uneven ground, a pan/tilt head is acceptable but overall I still prefer the ball head for its ease of use and application in the field. While the Manfrotto tripod/heads are the best cost to quality ratio in my opinion, there are other choices such as Gitzo and Slik. Both also make excellent tripods, in fact the Gitzo mountaineer carbon fiber models are considered, by many, to be the creme-de-la-creme of tripods. But again, the best tripod for you is one you’ll actually use, but again, try not to be too frugal in getting one, it’ll pay off in the long run.

For those REALLY new people, I suggest buying gear from B&H Photo or Adorama. All of my gear has been purchased from these two locations, and they come highly recommended by me.

Thanks for reading and I’ll see you tomorrow.

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