One of the most beautiful and unexpected kinds of photographs can be produced using digital infrared photography techniques.
Infrared photography has been around for a long, long time but using film, it was expensive, very difficult to do and the results were extremely unpredictable, and frequently disappointing. I first experimented with infrared back in 1978 using Kodak HIE black & white film – we had to load and unload it in the dark!!! It was truly a labor of love to shoot IR in those days.
But now that digital cameras are SO affordable, and because of the technology embedded in digital camera electronics, just about anyone has access to the hidden world of invisible light infrared photos. I’m not just talking about manipulating regular digital photos using Photoshop (although you can do that – with less than stellar results), or your favorite image editor either. I’m talking the “real McCoy” here – real infrared photos with real infrared light! How cool is that?!
Digital Infrared Photography Tools
You’ll need a few, not terribly expensive, additional infrared photography accessories, depending on your camera.
Currently, I have four digital cameras (a new Nikon Z6 mirrorless camera, a Sony 26000 mirrorless camera, an old Nikon D300, a converted D70 – dedicated digital infrared camera. The D70 is the absolute best for taking beautiful digital infrared photos, with a proper Infrared filter and a bit of technical know-how. Of course, you can imagine my delight when I confirmed that my Nikon D70 produces absolutely amazing infrared photos, even without being “converted. (But you’ll see why you will want to convert a camera to a dedicated digital infrared camera on the next few pages!!!) Infrared results with the Nikon D300, most newer Canon cameras, and an IR filter are less than ideal, but some pro conversions can make these cameras quite IR capable.
But moving right along…how is it possible to take a photograph with invisible light? And if the light is invisible, what does it look like? What exactly would such a photo look like?
If you’d rather just stay here and look at what digital infrared photography looks like, and get started making them, you can go to the fun stuff by following the links below.
You’ve probably seen digital infrared photography but never realized that’s what you were looking at. Or perhaps you have seen these kinds of digital photos and wondered how to make them.
I recommend for the absolute most stunning and creatively satisfying images, you get my new digital infrared photography tutorials program. This new workbook and set of PSD (Photoshop) files will get you on the fast track to artistic and technically powerful infrared photos. It’s a walk in the park!
Here’s an example of typical digital infrared photography.
I’m happy to be able share some of my best personal secrets and techniques for digital infrared photography, so you too, can start to take these surreal and weird photos of the hidden worlds of infrared!
What I REALLY like is seeing how other people capture the most impossible scenes, and by using infrared, turn their imaginations loose! It’s wild!
You’ll find the main methods of IR imaging and get a head start on taking these mysterious photographs, right here. If you’re looking for infrared Photoshop tutorials, get them here. Let’s get clicking!
(Or if you just want to get stared without worrying about learning, you can get my Infrared Actions for Photoshop SOLD OUT– these replicate my award-winning and exact process for converting digital infrared files into works of art!)
Step 1: Can my camera take digital infrared photos?
Step 2: Equipment you need to take Digital Infrared Photography
Step 3 Infrared Exposure Techniques
Step 4: Post production infrared enhancement techniques using Photoshop
Step 5: Advanced Infrared Photoshop Tutorials (expert level post production)
More About Digital Infrared photography…
Digital Infrared Photography with the Nikon D70
Infrared Photoshop Post Processing Course and Recipe Book
Using a Converted D70 for dedicated infrared shooting
Photoshop Digital Infrared Tutorials
DIGITAL INFRARED PHOTOGRAPHY WORKSHOPS
Photoshop techniques for emulating Black & White Infrared Photography (coming soon)
