Spring is prime-time for infrared!

As an infrared photographer for many years, I always look forward to the first spring photography outing of the year in Charleston, SC. The early spring lime greens are prime for infrared. The translucence sings! Actually, most of my photography in the spring is made with my D800 with the super color conversion from Lifepixel.

We all have old DSLRs laying around like paper weights, just taking up space. Most aren’t salable anymore because of the rapid changes in digital technology. However, depending on the file size and on how old the technology is, many are candidates for an infrared conversion.

Now, infrared is not for everyone, like anything else. For me, the surreal, other worldly look was the immediate attraction many years ago (film days). In film days, infrared was a lot of trial and error. Then there was the cost of film and processing. I actually lost rolls of film because the lab kept the safe light on when loading the film into the developing tank, when the darkroom should be pitch black or use a changing bag, but I digress.

It was a fragile process and unless you processed the film yourself, there was always a risk of losing what you did. Digital has changed all that and has made it possible to shoot infrared with none of the old risks and fragility.

First off there are many conversions, which you can learn from the Lifepixel site. We have, up to this point, only have gotten all cameras converted to super color (590nm) because of the option to add color or to shoot color infrared. However, we are considering getting at least one converted camera re-converted to a different conversion.

Here are a few example images and info, from Charleston, SC:

The image of the leafy wall screamed infrared. I wanted the gate open, but no one was around. I actually like the delicate wrought iron gate nestled in the early spring ivy.

This is one of the iconic images from Magnolia Gardens rendered in soft early morning light, hence the evenness of the tonal range.

We’ll get into color infrared in a later blog. This scene from Magnolia cemetery began as a straight B&W infrared. During processing, the color infrared idea just hit me, and took the image to this point.

Drayton Hall is one of the great mansions on plantation row. This image from the reflecting pool is a good early morning choice, as the pond begins to stir later in the day. The blue sky and puffy white clouds dictated an infrared treatment, however, bear in mind that if your trees are bright white, that they can merge with the puffy white clouds.

I use a Nikon D800 converted to super color, which enabled me to create the color infrared image.

See ya next time,

Tony

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Latest articles by Tony Sweet (see all articles)

• A Spring Devoid of Flowers - April 25, 2016
• Infrared loves springtime in Charleston SC - March 23, 2016
• Spring is prime-time for infrared! - February 2, 2016

Tony Sweet

After successful careers as a jazz musician/ educator, and professional magician, Tony settled on photography as his chosen means for personal expression. Tony has become an in-demand speaker throughout the United States and Canada on creativity in the digital age.

Tony and Susan Milestone conduct Visual Artistry photography location workshops in the United States, Canada, and Iceland. Tony maintains an active speaking schedule to photography organizations, industry trade shows and PPA schools across the continental United States and Canada. He also conducts an annual Visual Artistry Creativity Seminar series.

Tony’s photography is published worldwide in every medium and is represented by Getty Images. His iPhone photography is represented by Aurora Photos. Tony’s images are also used by Nikon, MacPhun, Singh Ray, Alien Skin, Topaz, Lensbaby and others for national ad campaigns.

An interview with Tony on macro photography was published in The New York Times.

Tony is a Nikon Legend Behind the Lens.

He has articles and images are published in numerous industry publications, such as Nikon World, Shutterbug, Rangefinder, and for the Nikon Learn and Explore website.

Tony has authored five books on the art of photography: Fine Art Nature Photography (’02), Fine Art Flower Photography (’05) Fine Art Nature Photography: Water, Ice, Fog (’07), Fine Art Digital Photography (’09) and HDR Photography (2011). He and Masterphoto Workshops have co-produced four photography DVDs: Visual Artistry, HDR Made Easy, Visual Literacy and Flower Photography Artistry, as well as an iPhone instructional video series. His Creativity Seminar lecture is available for digital download and On Location-Cape Cod will be released for digital download, April 2016.

His current camera for infrared photography is the Nikon D800 with the Super Color IR Conversion.

See Tony's Infrared Gallery & Full Bio

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