Getting Into Infrared Photography

Jun 7, 2021 | Infrared Photography

By Shelley Vandegrift

Infrared photography with its stunning monochrome or surreal color is drawing more and more photographers each year. It is the perfect option to standout from the crowd and produce exceptionally artistic images. The big question for new arrivals to the genre is how to get started. This is especially true for those who want to try infrared out without making an all-in commitment.

In the film era, any photographer could try infrared photography by simply buying a roll of infrared film. Granted there were things the photographer needed to learn regarding handling the film, composition, and setting exposure, but the most they were out for their exploration of the genre was the cost of the film/processing and a bit of time. In the digital age, trying infrared requires the acquisition of equipment that can “see” infrared light. There are 2 ways to try digital infrared: 1) buying an external filter that can be attached to any camera’s lens enabling it to capture infrared light or 2) buying or renting a camera that has been permanently converted to capture infrared light. Whether you plan to try an external filter or a converted camera, the first thing you must to do is decide in what portion of the infrared light spectrum you want to work.

The Light Spectrum and Your Infrared Filter Choice

Light is our medium of creation as photographic artists. We capture how it reflects from the objects in our world on a substance such as film or on a digital sensor. The colors and tones of the subjects captured in our photographs are a direct result of how light reflects from them. For example, a leaf appears green because it reflects a lot of the green portion of the light spectrum and an apple appears red because it reflects more of the red portion. It may help to think of a rainbow, which is a visible representation of the range of light our eyes can see. Our eyes detect everything from the violet on one side of the rainbow to the red on the other side and every color in-between, but much more light exists beyond those boundaries. We just cannot perceive it with our eyes. As you might guess by their names, ultraviolet light extends above the violet portion of the rainbow while infrared extends below the red. Just as with visible light, objects reflect different amounts and portions of infrared light. Though our eyes cannot perceive that reflected infrared light, we can capture it on film or a digital sensor.

External filters and the internal filters used in camera conversions allow a certain portion of the light spectrum to enter your camera and hit the film or sensor. Manufacturers use a nanometer (“nm”) designation to identify the portion of the spectrum a filter can capture. The nm indicates the lowest point on the light spectrum that filter captures, so a 590nm filter sees all light from 590 nanometers and up while an 850nm filter only sees light at or above 850 nanometers.

A useful exercise to help with your decision on what portion of the infrared spectrum you want to work with is to view other photographers’ work online or on social media to find which style appeals to you most. There are three primary style categories in infrared photography: intense black & white, surreal color, and traditional.

  • The intense black & white images are very high contrast and feature the dark­est blacks and brightest whites. These are best created with filters above 800nm.
  • Surreal color infrared images are the ones that most severely depart from reality, often featuring pink, red, and purple foliage. A filter below 590nm or special patented filters are used to create these images.
  • Traditional black & white and color images are most like standard photography in their color depth and tone and are created with filters between 590nm and 720nm.

There are numerous filter choices, but the most popular are:

  • 720nm – this is known as a Standard filter and is the most frequently chosen option. It captures infrared light plus a small amount of visible light, which means you can create stunning black and white images or images that have blue skies and white foliage. It most closely resembles what infrared film images looked like.
  • 590nm – this is known as a Super Color filter. It captures infrared light plus significantly more visible light than the 720nm does. While you can produce lovely black and white images, they will have less contrast and depth than those from the 720nm. However, your color images will have more intense color.
  • 850nm – this is known as Deep Black and White. It captures only infrared light, so you cannot produce color images at all. The black and white images produced with an 850nm are high contrast with deep rich blacks and bright whites. One caution is you often have to shoot at higher ISO settings or longer shutter speeds to get a good exposure.

 

Infrared external filter on a standard (unconverted) DSLR or mirrorless camera

The biggest plus to using an external filter to try out infrared is the cost. A decent filter can be purchased for less than $75. These filters are sold in various sizes (mm), so it is important to make sure you purchase one that will fit on the lens you want to use during the trial. If you are unsure what your lens’ filter size is, check the inner surface of your lens cap. It should be printed there and will look something like “62mm.” While inexpensive, external filters have significant usage limitations. They are typically very dark so require long exposure times. That makes it difficult, if not impossible, to photograph anything but totally still subjects and usually requires a tripod. This darkness often makes autofocus impossible. Each time you want to refocus, you ned to remove the filter, focus manually, and then put the filter back on. Your camera’s meter may also have a difficult time getting a good exposure reading with the filter on. It is often necessary to take multiple images while varying your ISO, aperture, and/or shutter speed settings to make sure you get a good exposure.

 

A converted DSLR or mirrorless camera

Unlike external filters, converted cameras allow you to shoot as normal using autofocus and exposure times you can handhold. The trade-off for that ease of use can be a higher cost. The conversion process typically costs 200 dollars or more, which does not include the cost of the camera itself. Many photographers convert an old camera they have lying around to lessen the overall cost. Some camera rental companies (e.g.; lensrentals.com) rent infrared converted cameras, which gives you a chance to try the genre before making a big investment. Just search their inventory for infrared. If they offer different nanometer choices (usually 720nm or 850nm), we suggest you get 720nm.

Which camera type to convert, DSLR or mirrorless, is a matter of personal preference. They both have pros and cons. We find the biggest difference to be in the composing process when using the viewfinder:

    • DSLR: When working with an unconverted DSLR, the scene you see with your naked eye is the same thing you will see looking through the viewfinder and in the captured image. When a DSLR is converted to capture infrared, this changes. What you see with your naked eye will still be the same as what you see through the viewfinder, but what the sensor captures will be very different. A good example of this is the white foliage often seen in infrared photos. When you look through the viewfinder of a DSLR, that foliage will look green as normal, yet your camera’s sensor will capture it entirely differently. To be successful with a converted DSLR, you need to be comfortable with using your mind to pre-visualize what the end result will be.
    • Mirrorless: When you look through the viewfinder of a mirrorless camera, you are seeing a projection of what the sensor is seeing. A converted mirrorless’ sensor sees infrared light; therefore, what you see in the viewfinder is what your captured image will be. In other words, you see the world in infrared while composing.

 

A Warning About Lens

Lenses are not manufactured for infrared light, and some have internal surfaces that cause infrared light to reflect onto the sensor in a way that creates a bright, bluish spot in the center of your image known as a hotspot. Before you rent or convert a camera, check with online resources, the rental company, or the company converting your camera to determine which lenses are your best choice. One of the most popular conversion companies in the United States, Kolari Vision, maintains a database on their website that lists lenses and identifies whether they produce hotspots or not. That list can be found at: https://kolarivision.com/articles/lens-hotspot-list/

 

Resources Available at the Time of Writing

Conversion companies:

Infrared photography galleries and examples:

Filter choice illustrations:

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