Infrared vs Color Images

It is always interesting to see the same scene captured by different photographers, the images seem to take on a new meaning and perspective. But how about the scene captured by the same photographer using two completely different cameras that see light differently? In this article I show you the difference an Infrared camera can make to the same visible scene.

I had my used Canon EOS 5D converted to a full spectrum Infrared camera, the camera served me well but felt like a gamble when I was thinking of getting it converted to infrared instead of selling it. One of the main reasons I was looking into infrared was the ability to capture unique images in less that ideal conditions. During my travels I have many times ended up in beautiful locations but the conditions were not ideal to captuer good landscape images in visible light. Either the sunrise was too plain or it was the wrong time of the day or something else in the way. One of the main aspects of infrared photography is that it produces very nice images even when the conditions are not ideal for visible photography.

Here are some of my images captured using a Infrared Canon EOS 5D and the same scene captured using a stock Canon EOS 6D. I usually work with my regular camera and switch to my infrared camera without moving the tripod. Capture the same scene with the same lens using the infrared camera, which allows you to compare how the same scene looks in both formats.

The Basin, Franconia Notch State Park. This was my first trip with the infrared camera and I thoroughly enjoyed using it and processing the images. As you can see from the two images above the spotty sunlight did not make for a very good color image, but the infrared image looks great.

 

Cascades along the Basin Trail, Franconia Notch State Park, NH. The images were captured on the basin trail in Franconia Notch State Park. Even though the exposures were approximately the same the sky is completely blown out in the color image, but the infrared camera registers the sky as blue without blowing out.

 

Dunfield Creek, Delaware Water Gap, NJ. The dunfield creek area looks great in the fall when there is decent amount of water. The images above were capture in the only accessible spot where there was a decent water flow.

 

Bush Kill Falls, Delaware Water Gap, PA.

 

Goldmine Brook Falls, MA. Goldmine Brook Falls is easily one of my favorite locations in Massachusetts. I spent a couple of hours at the location photographing and enjoying the sound of falling water. The Infrared image looks like it was taken in the winter with rocks have that frosted look.

 

The above images were captured at Nubble Lighthouse in Maine, I left a bit of color in the Infrared image, I think it works well for the image.

Infrared images in my opinion are surreal, unique and open up a whole new way to express yourself through your photography, I would say that it was a gamble worth taking. I have not yet had a chance to shoot the southwest with my infrared camera, I think it would be wonderful to use and capture some unique infrared images from an often photographed location and compare them to my normal color images.