Infrared, Digital

Ariadne · Sep 19, 2004

Hi,

I've been shooting digital infrared for about 2 years. I'm currently using a Nikon E4500 with a #87 filter.

I'm about to try my hand at film infrared with a vintage Leica.

I just found this forum last night and was so excited, I stayed up till the wee hours and read almost every post.

Also, I'm about to experiment for the first time with Polaroid image transfer. So I'm doubly happy to have found this forum.

Here's a recent IR shot:

ISO 100, f2.6, 1/100 sec

Click here for a larger version:

http://images3.fotopic.net/?iid=yfjlkv&outx=600&noresize=1&nostamp=1

terri · Sep 19, 2004

I've seen some impressive IR effects done digitally, no doubt, but they always pale in comparison to IR film. Konica IR film has a tight structured grain; my personal fave is Kodak HIE developed in TMax. I love the grain and the halo effects and all the other fabulous things real IR will give you. Go for it!

Ariadne · Sep 19, 2004

Hi Terri. I'm thinking maybe you misunderstood me? I'm not doing digital IR "effects," i.e., using digital software or actions that simulate IR effects. I agree they are quite unacceptable.

I don't know whether you were able to link to my photo or not. I'm still working out how to link it directly, but not having any luck.

What I'm doing digitally is not "digital effects." I'm using a camera with a dense (#87) infrared filter over the sensor. The infrared blocker has been removed from the sensor and replaced with the IR filter. In digital, your sensor is your film. So what I'm shooting are "real" IR photos digitally.

But, I agree that IR film appears to have a certain richness, texture, body to it that I don't see in digital IR. That's why I want to have a go at it. I've enjoyed reading your threads and seeing your work. I'll certainly have a few questions for you once I get started.

I've just put my first roll of BW film in the Leica and am shooting it, trying to get a feel for the camera. It's a rangefinder, so it's a new experience for me. There's no back that lifts up, so loading it is tricky even in a lighted situation. After I've gotten a feel for the camera, I'll load a roll of plain BW in the dark. See how I do. LOL. Then I'll be ready to try the IR film. The Leica even has an IR focus adjustment setting on it. I'm very much looking forward to trying it.

Digital Matt · Sep 19, 2004

Good luck Araidne. I too shoot digital IR, much in the same way you do, only I use a Hoya R72 filter. I love the shot you posted there. It looks great. I can't wait to see your IR film adventures, so be sure to post them

Ariadne · Sep 19, 2004

Thanks so much, Matt. I started out with the Hoya 72 and got some very nice effects with it. But I tend to go for dramatic high contrast (even in my non-IR work :roll: ), so I went for the denser filter which gets me a bit closer to the far IR spectrum than the #72 can. I've seen beautiful work with the Hoya 72, though, and I look forward to seeing your work as well. The nice thing about IR is there's so much room in the spectrum for many different effects, and it seems to me that each IR photographer develops his/her own fingerprint, perhaps more so than in visibile-spectrum photography. Just a thought I've been having.

Ariadne · Sep 20, 2004

Matt, I just went to your website, and you sure have some beautiful work on there.

I can see why you use the #72--you like to use color. With the #87, there is zero color. I shoot in BW IR only (so far, anyway). It comes up a kind of warm gray, although I always desaturate it to grayscale, anyway,--a cooler gray, and then set it back to RGB to get the most tonal value in the grays.

terri · Sep 20, 2004

Hi Ariadne, no I understood what you were doing, and I regret my use of the word "effects" since it did leave the wrong impression.

Your link worked fine! And I agree that true IR film remains superior - maybe because of the variety of ways it can be developed?? I'm not sure. My husband likes developing HIE in TMax, but when I want to see enhanced grain I like D-19. Major difference!

I envy you the use of the Leica; you ought to be able to get some amazing stuff with it!

Digital Matt · Sep 20, 2004

Ariadne said:
Thanks so much, Matt. I started out with the Hoya 72 and got some very nice effects with it. But I tend to go for dramatic high contrast (even in my non-IR work :roll: ), so I went for the denser filter which gets me a bit closer to the far IR spectrum than the #72 can. I've seen beautiful work with the Hoya 72, though, and I look forward to seeing your work as well. The nice thing about IR is there's so much room in the spectrum for many different effects, and it seems to me that each IR photographer develops his/her own fingerprint, perhaps more so than in visibile-spectrum photography. Just a thought I've been having.

I totally agree. I haven't really thought about it much, but you are right about each IR photographer having his/her own style with it. Not only is there a lot of room in the spectrum for different effects, there's lots of different subjects that can be shot in infrared which give a uniqueness to the shots as well.

Thanks a lot for checking out my site!

Yeah, I like to keep them in color, as much as I can. I don't do much B&W conversion in any of my shots really, unless it was something I saw in the scene. If I go out and shoot on overcast days I usually plan on B&W stuff. My two newest images have tons of wild color. My post is in the critique forum now. It's always interesting to process the digital IR shots while trying to maintain some color.

Good luck with your adventures!