New Infra-Red Filters Now Available

Hi Everyone,

Sorry for the long time, no post - a few health problems I'm afraid but full steam ahead now and with that, on we go.

Just a brief post to let you know I'm back in the land of the living with good news from Life Pixel - they now have a selection of new IR filters for use in digital infra-red capture - brilliant.

LP now offer 4 infra-red filters:

[+] Standard IR Filter (equiv. to Hoya R72)
[+] Enhanced Colour IR Filter (equiv. to 665nm filter)
[+] Super Colour IR Filter (equiv. to 590nm filter)
[+] Deep B & W IR Filter (equiv. to 830nm filter)

Just a taster of what they are now offering - watch this space in the coming days for a break-down of all infrared filters offered ... what they actually capture.

Happy Snapping
Jane Newman.co.uk

Infrared Wedding Photography

Thought I'd show you an example of a recent digital infrared photograph captured using a Canon EOS 350D (IR converted camera body) ... this IR black and white image was shot fairly late in the day so the invisible infrared didn't actually show through as much as I'd hoped for.

The photograph was captured on the little beach where many a small fishing boat can be found - the couple in question, from the United States, wanted a few surreal images and they wanted to make the most of the local scenery having just attended their Wedding Blessing within Conwy Castle which can be viewed in the background across the estuary.

What this image does show is how infrared alters the tones in the sky, water and human flesh.

So, does IR work with people in the shot - yes, it does ... however, I'd recommend shooting nearer to midday and perhaps nearer the summer months.

Happy IR Snapping
Jane Newman.co.uk

Suggested Digi Cameras For IR Modification

So which digital camera models do Life Pixel convert ?

Good question and one which I get asked on a regular basis - many models can be converted and the following list has been provided to help you decide on whether to have a listed digital camera converted for infra-red use or perhaps buy into a second digital camera body for IR conversion.

Canon Digital Camera Models:

D30, D60, 10D, 20D, 30D, 40D, 50D, DRebel (300D), DRebel XT (350D), DRebel XTi (400D),DRebel XSi (450D), DRebel XS (1000D), 5D, 1D, 1Dmk2, 1Dmk3, 1Ds, 1Dsmk2, 1Dsmk3, G2, G3, G5, G6, G7, G9, G10, SD800 IS, SD850 IS,SD870 IS, S3 IS, S5 IS ...

Nikon Digital Camera Models:

D40, D40x, D50, D60, D70, D70s, D80, D90,D100, D200, D300, D700, D1, D1x, D2x, D3, Coolpix 950, 990, 995, 5400, 8400, P5000, P5100 ...

Fujifilm Digital Camera Models:

FinePix S3 Pro, FinePix S5 Pro ...

Olympus Digital Camera Models:

EVOLT E300, E330, E410, E500, E510, E520 ...

* Unfortunately, the Fuji S2 cannot be modified however, the Fuji S3 can be modified.

If additional digital cameras have been introduced since this post or your digital camera body isn't listed - simply enquire at Life Pixel to double check if your digi camera can be converted for digital IR photography.

Just imagine, you could soon be capturing digital IR images with your newly converted infra-red camera in 2009 - true handheld digital photography even when using low ISO speeds and WITHOUT the need for an infra-red filter.

Make it your New Years resolution to have your digital camera converted for digital IR capture.

Get Snapping

Jane Newman.co.uk

False Colour IR Image

The image opposite is an example of a false colour digital infrared capture on a converted Canon Eos 350D.

I've simply swapped the channels around in PhotoShop as explained in a previous post to obtain the false colour IR effect.

The image itself was captured at a location known as Garreg Wen near to Borth Y Gest and Morfa Bychan on the outskirts of Porthmadog.

I photographed the 'Duck Pond' just after midday in the heat of the UK sun - this time of day and having bright sunlight present lends itself very well to the infrared photography medium.

For further information on converting your digital camera to digital infrared capture - visit Life Pixel.

Be Inspired
Jane Newman.co.uk

NEW 6 x 17 Panoramic Camera

Well, it's new to me anyway - a completely different format to that which I know and am used to ... 6 x 17 which is sometimes referred to as 617.

Whilst composing any image, it has always been a habit of mine to see it in my own mind in a panoramic format and such, I have sometimes set up the camera to capture the panoramic view that I see and to crop to that format later in PhotoShop.

So, why the 617 panoramic format ?

Quite simply, I recently visited Exmoor and adorning the walls of the old coaching house in which I stayed were large panoramic photographs of the local landscape - immediately, I was hooked.

The 617 panoramic images displayed were all of the highest possible quality as you would imagine as they were captured on a kind of stretch medium format camera known as a Fuji GX 617 ... an extremely lovely piece of photographic kit by anyones standards.

Okay, I know, I'm talking here about a film camera and one which I am very seriously considering buying (even though it has been discontinued) but I can use good old 120 or 220 film of the infrared variety to capture mind blowing IR panoramic images - brilliant.

This is where I now lead onto 6 x 17 digital panoramic although I don't know of this particular camera being suitable for digital infrared photography - it's the world's first and only digital 6 x 17 camera ... the Seitz 617 digital panoramic camera which produces high resolution 160 million pixel captures - absolutely whopping to say the least.

So, todays post is for those of you out there who want to shoot really high quality IR images in the panoramic format - you could go down the route of a panoramic camera in the 617 format and use IR film or you could try your hand at taking a number of shots and stitching them together to produce a panoramic image using the likes of Adobe PhotoShop or perhaps some bundled software which came with your digital camera.

Try Shooting Wide

Jane Newman.co.uk

Seeing Your Images In Infrared

Digital infrared photography is all about using invisible light to produce an image - oops, sorry ... that's not actually correct ... infrared photography is all about capturing invisible wave-lengths of infrared radiation - capturing visible light images on a digital sensor but with the addition of the unseen IR light.

Seeing your images in infrared is quite different, not to mention, dramatic, as opposed to viewing visible light scenes - what you think might look absolutely brilliant early morning or perhaps late evening, might look drab if taken at the same time using a digital infrared camera.

I personally like noon on bright sunny days, a river or lake in the foreground, some trees nearby and a bright blue sky with the odd cloud - now that's dramatic ... the water appears near black, sky too but with punch white clouds and the greenery turns near white.

Play around, see what you like - the skies your limit.

Don't just stick with my infrared photography suggestion above, try photographing people, cars, cityscapes and seascapes.

Go Pseudo

Jane Newman.co.uk

ISO Settings & Noise

If you find your digital IR photography is suffering from a little under-exposure, you can always knock your ISO setting up - from say 100 ISO to 200 ISO or higher.

Opting for your camera's faster ISO setting can help in gaining better exposures however, you also need to think about the new factors which will now influence your digital infrared image - going for a higher or faster ISO rating will now effect your exposure and your depth of field (what appears in focus both in front and behind your point of focus).

Increasing your digital infrared camera's ISO setting will also introduce 'noise' into your digital IR image - noise actually gives your digital infra-red image a more 'IR film' realistic look which some people, including myself depending on the subject matter, quite like ... whereas others have an absolute hate for it.

Next time you are out and about capturing everything in digital IR, try capturing the same shot but at different ISO readings and see which you prefer.

Enjoy Digital IR Photography

Jane Newman.co.uk