passion Archives - Infrared Conversions, IR Modifications & Photography Tutorials

The Great Minor White and Infrared Photography

Born in 1908, Minor White was something different in terms of how and why he photographed. He incorporated as much of his own beliefs and philosophies into his work as he did photographic technique. His work is a mix of his mentality and the emotion he felt towards a scene or subject. He injected a part of himself into all the photographs he made. Bestowed by him are such words as “The photographer projects himself into everything he sees, identifying himself with everything in order to know it and to feel it better.” and one of my personal favorite quotes about us photographer’s mentality “…all photographs are self-portraits”.

Minor White-By Imogene Cunningham

It was with the existential mindset that White approached his photographs and perhaps there was none of his work as idealistically surreal as his adventures into the world of infrared. Not only was he a prolific photographer in the artistic and technical sense but he was one of the early practitioners of infrared photography who brought it’s incredible appeal to the masses. The IR images he made, just like his other works, projected a world blended with both the physical landscape and his own personal creativity.

By Minor White, 1958

By Minor White, 1955

By Minor White, 1955

Minor White and Infrared

How did Minor White make his IR photographs? With magic…. Well no, not exactly magic, but it certainly looked that way. Minor White used black and white infrared film, usually large format 4×5, to capture his dreamlike scenes. The infrared or more accurately “near-infrared” light spectrum falls around the 700-1200nm range and infrared film is manufactured to be sensitive to these wavelengths. However, seeing as IR film is also still sensitive to other wavelengths of light, IR filters must also be attached to the camera lens in order to filter out other types of unwanted light that falls in the more visible spectral range. It’s this filtration of the normally visible light and the inclusion of the near IR spectrum which we generally don’t see which gives IR photography their ghost-like quality. Development of the IR is surprising the same as many other conventional black and white films and requires basic darkroom techniques and chemicals.

IR Lens Filters

IR 35mm film

You may be wondering, “So why can’t I just use an IR filter on my digital camera to make IR photos?” And that’s good question. The answer lies in the very construction of most modern digital cameras themselves. IR wavelengths are generally unwanted and in conventional photography and therefore modern digital cameras have a built in IR filter that is placed in front of the image sensor to block out IR light. Even if an IR filter was placed on the lens the resulting transmitted IR light would in turn be filtered out by the camera’s own internal filter. So, how can you enable your digital camera to make IR photographs? Read on….

IR Photography in the Digital Age

As I mentioned earlier, the largest obstacle that stands in the way of making IR images with your currently digital camera is the built in IR sensor filter inside your camera. So if you want to venture into the world of IR photography this filter must be modified through an infrared camera conversion process.

New IR translucent filter being installed

This means that your camera’s sensor is now sensitive to incoming IR light. There are also many other possibilities to expand your infrared horizons with today’s digital camera bodies. Full spectrum, color IR, and a host of other tailored IR imaging effects can be produced depending on the type of conversion and IR lens filter combinations you happen to choose. The benefits to Find out more about infrared conversion possibilities here.

A Final Word About Minor White and Infrared Photography

The work of Minor White was profound, beautiful, innovative, provocative, and at times quite sad. His ventures into the world of IR photography showed us a the wonderment that is all around us, yet invisible all the same. His images speak volumes to the life he lived and to the way he approached the art of photography.

Today, we have so many ways to practice IR photowork whether it is with film and filters or with our digital cameras through a dedicated IR conversion. If you are considering the latter route, be sure to learn as much as possible about the possibilities and limits of digital IR conversions. Make sure whoever you trust your beloved camera to has the reputation for quality that you and your gear deserve. Read more about IR digital camera conversion here at LifePixel and be sure to check out what people just like you have to say about the level of service offered by the LifePixel team!

Previsualziation: Knowing Before the Shot

Previsualization, or simply “visualization”, is one of the most simply yet alarmingly difficult aspect of making your own photograph become more than just the some of their parts. When we “previsualize” our images it means that the appearance of the final outcome before we ever click the shutter button. The method of previsualization was championed by the photographically indomitable Ansel Adams who believed the best way to convey wholeness within a photograph was to strive to see it in your minds eye from the get go. Everything else would then be a matter of what needs to be done in order to reach your personally desired outcome.

But how is it done? Or more importantly, how can you learn to do it yourself? Ansel gave us a lot to go on and we can learn a lot from his legacy. At the same time, we can mesh together with modern digital techniques and expound into something I like to call dynamic visualization. We’ll get more into that in just a minute. But first, let’s talk about how you can begin to visualize the finished photograph before you actually make it manifest itself from your camera.

Learning to “See”

Teaching yourself to see the finished product on the front end of the process isn’t an easy thing to accomplish, especially not right out of the gate. The ability to visualize a finished photograph is somewhat paradoxical due to the fact that a large component of the skill involves shooting a lot of photographs. This means that visualization is a product of repetition. Each time you make a photograph, you see the effect of shooting at the technical factors you have selected. Pay close attention to what settings you use!

Once you begin to mentally catalog the cause and effect relationship between your techniques and their respective outcomes you will then gradually learn to approximate the particular look of a finished image before it is actually shot.

Be Patient

The largest detriment in learning how to visualize your finished photos is that confidence-killing frustration that often sneaks in from perceived failure. Will you be able to anticipate the exact outcome of your photographs each and every time? Of course not. Failure is an incredible teacher and this is especially true when it comes to learning the skill of photographic visualization.

So, don’t allow yourself to be discouraged by the tedium. Shoot as often as you can, practice seeing the finished photo in your mind, observe the results, and then apply those outcomes to future photographs. I assure you that being able to see a finished photo(or close approximation) will slowly begin to happen on its own.

Dynamic Visualization in the Digital Age

I want to speak briefly on the progression of the visualization process as it pertains to today’s digitally integrated world of photography. The technique is one I have coined as “Dynamic Visualization” and is a direct evolution of the visualization idea of Ansel Adams. It involves the instant feedback we now are capable of achieving with our digital photographs. As we no longer have to wait for development of our film to be completed before we see the results of our efforts, the process of visualization changes. We can now allow the readily displayed outcome of our photos to directly impact the mechanism of visualization in a much quicker and more dynamic fashion.

What I mean here is that we immediately view the image we have just captured and that quick feedback can organically spur our creativity in real-time. This can lead to alternative compositions and exposure combinations that we might not have otherwise considered, thusly changing the final visualized image in our minds. This dynamic visualization could in fact be the continuation of Ansels visualization method. We first visualize the finished photo we want to make, receive real-time feedback from our digital displays, and then use that information to mold alternate(possible better) visualizations.

Final Thoughts on Visualization

The hard truth about learning visualization is that it takes time, effort, and patience. There are no real shortcuts when it comes to teaching yourself to “see” a photograph before it’s made. Shoot as much as you can and observe the results carefully. See the results of your work and study your own work. Visualization happens as much by physical labor as it does by mental flexibility. The key is to keep trying until that visualization “aha” moment makes its way to you. Just keep shooting!

Four Ways to Rekindle Your Photographic Spark

As you progress more and more on your photographic journey you will encounter problems and challenges. Some of those challenge you expect while some can take you fairly by surprise. You will go through ups and downs, strikes and gutters. This cycle of peaks and valleys can affect you creatively, financially, even physically. Most common of these is the fact that sometimes we lose a little bit of our enthusiasm for the craft. This is normal and most definitely a problem you can overcome through all kinds of ways. In this article, we’re going to talk about a few ways that can help you rekindle your photographic spark.

Understand that it Happens to Us All

The first step to overcoming any problem is to understand that you have one and that it’s a natural part of growing as a photographer. Simply realizing that your loss of photo making zeal isn’t the end of the world can actually snap you out of your slump.

An important thing to remember is that whatever the reason you’ve lost your spark, you can get it back. The opposite is also true. If you continually find yourself dreading a shoot or not getting excited to get home to edit an awesome sunset image, ignoring the problem will only make it worse. Take a breath and work to identify what’s happening.

Learn about Great Photographers

We all have reasons why we got into photography. And the majority of us have certain “icons” whose work speaks to us especially loudly. The giants of the photography not only produced legendary photos but they also left behind lessons that we can learn from in order to strengthen our own craft. Take the time to learn the methods of the established masters.

Find books they’ve written and invest as much in your learning as you do in your gear…well, maybe not that much. When I get a little less that spritely to get out and make images, I open up a book of Ansel Adams photos. After seeing a few images of Half Dome and Taos Pueblo and I’m ready for action!

Shoot Something Different

If you find that you’ve grown tired of shooting, maybe you’re just tired of shooting the same things over and and over again. Sometimes it helps enormously to take a refreshing dip into another end of the creative pool.

Break the monotony and give yourself a fresh pair of eyes. If you shoot a lot of landscapes, then try some portraits. Shoot a lot of portraits? Try some landscapes. Changing things up a bit can open up entirely new creative outlets for your work.

Leave the Camera

Completely ceasing your shooting might sound counter intuitive but at times we can can photographic burnout. If this is happening to you try leaving your camera at home. Just focus yourself on the events, people, and environment around you without viewing everything through a viewfinder.

Live and breathe without making photos for a few days or even a few weeks. Much like switching up your shooting material, walking away from the camera for a while can hit your reset button and jump start your enthusiasm for making photographic once more.

Final Thoughts….

Whether most of us will admit it or not, we aren’t always super excited about making photographs 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. We have highs and lows of creativity and artistic energy levels. At some point you will experience this reduction in your photographic spark to some extent. Just remember that when it happens, and it will, that there are ways to combat the lack of motivation. While it all depends on your situation, some type of healthy change is usually the best remedy. This change can be taking a break from shooting or reading an autobiography about your favorite photographer’s life. Recognize that things just don’t feel right and take steps to bring yourself back into the photographic fold.

I love helping people overcome their hurdles so check out a couple more of my articles here at LifePixel, How To Be Successful in Photography and Real Talk: Reasons Your Photography Isn’t Improving. They deal with similar situations and can give you that lift that you need to get back into the game.

Real talk: Reasons Your Photography Isn’t Improving

There comes a time when we feel as if our photography has hit somewhat of a creative wall. Our photos seem to have become stagnant. This kind of leveling off of our photo work is frustrating and can lead to self doubt about the quality of our work. In some cases, this self doubt can spiral out of control and leave us questioning our purpose as photographers. But there’s no need to despair! There are so many reasons why our photographs seem to be lacking that same fire they once had or why from a technical standpoint they have become lackluster.

Sometimes the problem with our work is only noticeable to ourselves. After all, each one of is our own worst critic. Whatever the personal reason for the dissatisfaction with our current progress as photo makers I can guarantee you are not the first one to share in the frustration. That being said, finding the cause of the problem requires being honest with yourself and the understanding that you are the only one who can pull yourself out of the rut.

Here a few common causes for why your photographs aren’t of the quality you feel they should be.

You’re not shooting enough

Practice makes perfect. Or if we’re being honest, practice makes “better”. If you find a way to shoot a “perfect” photograph please let me know! But the truth is, the more photographs you make the better your photographs will inevitably become.

Shooting more frequently will refine your craft not only from a technical and compositional standpoint but also in proficiency with our camera gear. Set a goal for yourself to shoot four or five “keepers” every week to keep your mind fresh and your creativity from growing stale.

You’ve become complacent

We all strive for success through our photography. Even though “success” is defined in many different ways all of us seek for a measure of accomplishment with our work; either personally, creatively, or financially. Oddly enough, the problem arises after we have began to achieve our goals and find success due to the fact we can become lazy.

In our minds, reaching a goal can be a culmination and if we don’t set higher and higher goals complacency can weasel it’s way into our work. Always be humble when you receive accolades for your photography and keep pushing yourself to go farther. Don’t ever feel like you have nothing else to learn, nothing else to do, or nothing new to shoot. There’s always a next level.

Not recognizing there’s a problem

It might seem paradoxical, but never coming to the realization that your work isn’t what it could be is one of the most dangerous pitfalls of all. There’s no shame in understanding that your have more to learn. We all do. We should never blindly believe that we know all there is to know.

Just as with becoming complacent there is no way to move forward with our skill if we feel as if we’ve already reached the highest point we can achieve. Always strive to constantly triage your skills, your gear, and your mindset towards your own work. Again, be honest with yourself and if you see room for improvement actively seek ways to make a change for the better.

In closing….

Pinpointing the reasons why your photography isn’t improving the way you feel it should be begins with being real with yourself. Why do you feel your photos could be better? Are their technical hurdles you need to learn more about? Are you actively applying yourself to your work?

If you do feel like your photos could be more impactful or of better quality don’t be ashamed to admit it to yourself! It’s the only way you can improve. And believe me, every photographer, no matter what their perceived level of skill or experience, always has room to improve some area of their shooting. You are most definitely not alone.

Do Photography Trends Stifle Your Style?

Do you allow photography trends to stifle your style, or does your personal passion, style and creativity prevail?

A well-known wedding photographer (who shall remain nameless) once berated me because I was, in his opinion, following the trends and overdoing the new and popular filter effects of the time. I walked away from our conversation feeling mortified and crushed. In short, incredibly defeated. Upon reflection, I realized he was indeed correct in many instances. Some of the images I was creating for my customers were over stylized and would not withstand the test of time. However, these trends are often popular and very much in demand. It is sometimes hard to stick to your guns when asked to create a certain look. Do you allow your artistic style to be compromised because of your clients’ specific requests?

I would suggest that unless your work is synonymous with a particular style, I would highly recommend catering somewhat to their suggestions, but make sure you add plenty of your own artistic vision into the mix. However, some demands can simply rub you the wrong way, and it is ok to say no! I think I can state without much dispute that there is one particular request that simply makes many photographers see red. Namely, trends that clients have found on other photographic websites or on social sites that they want you to copy. So, standing up for your particular style may lose you a few customers in the short term, but tenacity can prevail given time, allowing you to be true to your photographic vision and recognized for your talent.

In my opinion, there are a couple of photographic trends that I thought were amazing at the time, but have not really held up that well. Disclaimer! I am guilty of creating some of these images and will showcase them below.

Coloring parts of your black and white image

Photographs that disrupt the horizon

Over processing the vintage look

Do you ever find yourself re-visiting your website and removing those images that reflect trends that really date your photographs? Generally speaking, the cleaner images do tend to stay in your portfolio longer. Other tips that come to mind are limiting the use of the highlight priority tool. The foggy feel used to feature on my website, but I have since removed most of these. Also, while my children were growing up, I became deeply ensconced in the world of senior photography and I fought hard with many clients to keep the completely unblemished images to a minimum.

Above all, make sure the photograph talks to you. If you want it to be commercially viable, you do need to be critical of your work, and maybe request the opinions of those friends who are happy to be honest with you (time to check the ego!) Take pictures people want to admire. Captured images should not require interpretation they should speak for themselves. Neal Rantoul recounts his opinion on this subject in an enthralling article featured in PetaPixel. I do agree that cameras are most certainly much simpler to use. Great photographs can be taken with only a minimum understanding of ISO; shutter speed and camera settings in general, but eventually the mechanics do need to be understood.

There are many simple plug-ins that allow you to edit your images quickly and efficiently. Plug-ins for use with Photoshop or Lightroom can be used as an artistic tool, allowing you to create your own recipes and layer your effects for all sorts of finished looks. The Nik collection is now offered as a free download, and I would highly recommend it. You can learn a simple edit, or explore the software to create some amazing visual effects. The secret is to use them wisely, and not become obsessed with one particular result.

When it comes to creating images that are just for me, I use all of the software products mentioned above, and enjoy playing with effects and layers. This is especially true when I am editing my IR images, or detail shots where I like to add a little artistic license.

I recently took senior portraits of my triplets (two girls and a boy) before they left for college, and I admit to enhancing the sunset to create a somewhat vintage look. My girls are extremely close and are now attending colleges in two different states. The candid image of them together means so much to me, and this is the essence of why we chose to be photographers. On a personal level, what pleases you is really all that matters.

I also had some fun with the DJI Inspire during the family photo-shoot!

In conclusion, one has to wonder why the paintings of Vincent Van Gogh were not popular during his lifetime. He was a unique painter, pushing the limits, who is now considered to be one of the most famous post impressionist artists of all time. I am sure we can name many popular artists and photographers of our time, but one has to wonder if they will stand up to the opinions of critics, or indeed the general public 100 years from now. Maybe our work will be discovered and we will be revered! It is worth contemplating what it is that constitutes an iconic photograph? I very much enjoyed reading an article by Evie Salmon entitled ‘what is iconic imagery?’ Who is to say what will be revered in the future, which should encourage all of us to keep persevering when it comes to our artistic vision. Don’t let those trends take over and stay true to your vision.

Recognizing your Talents

I have written about cultivating the creative and overcoming the fear factor. Let’s consider ideas to help you recognize your talents!

Many photographers find that there are periods when they are unsure of their abilities. Discovering that you have a photographic ‘eye’ is an exciting moment. Then the frustration of learning the mechanics comes in to play. Those images that looked so good on an automatic camera setting are much harder to recreate once you start exploring the camera. Further discouragement can come from a critical photographer who starts to tear apart your technique. The secret is not to let those moments of frustration inhibit your learning curve. Open the floodgates and keep experimenting! The good news is that I believe the teaching community is more responsive to positive feedback, and there is a culture of acceptance and encouragement when it comes to helping photographers develop their craft. This is further supported by the plethora of online learning possibilities such as Lynda.com and KelbyOne.

Once you have started to develop your technical skills, find out where the camera leads you. After many years as a photographer, it is only recently that I have started loving my work because I am finally focused on creating images for my clients and making pictures that please me! Many of the points I have already written about in previous blogs would apply to this blog also, overcoming fear and encouraging your creative side both help you to recognize your talents. What do you really enjoy about photography? And what inhibits you from growth? I have mentioned the importance of exploration; encouraging yourself to capture images that don’t necessarily come easily to you. The mistakes you make will also bring new insight to your photographic body of work, or simply help you to understand the mechanics of your camera better.

I recently watched a fascinating documentary about Vivian Maier. Vivian became famous posthumously when John Maloof discovered her work in a thrift auction house in Chicago. She worked as a nanny, but constantly experimented with her camera. Her passion led her to create a vast collection of candid street photographs. She most certainly discovered her talent, but one wonders if she actually recognized it. Her touring exhibitions can be seen around the world, and attract huge crowds. What we do not know is why she did not share her work. If you take a moment to peruse her online galleries you will marvel at her extraordinary photographic skill.

Unlike Ms. Maier and those wonderful street photographers of her ilk, I have never been adept at catching people as they go about their lives. I find myself concerned about invading privacy and once I become self conscious my work falters. I learned early on that street photography was not one of my innate talents! On my recent search for new photographic pastures, I find that I very much enjoy seeking out resilience and vulnerability. This can be found repeatedly in nature, and I am drawn to exploring something beyond the obvious. I enjoy playing with available light to expose, scrutinize and find the beauty from a unique perspective. This is a simple technique which involves considering more than just the angle that comes immediately to mind.

The translucent, delicate nature of flowers can really be examined when using available light to emphasize the shadows and accentuate their fleeting beauty.

It is always fun to explore all sorts of available light. Try taking your camera and a willing subject out a dusk when the street lights are turned on. If your long suffering accomplice is happy to work with you to find the best angle, the effects can be quite dramatic!

For extremely personal reasons, I am drawn to the Golden Gate bridge. My latest infrared images using a converted Canon 1D, captured the late afternoon mist, and I was able to reflect just the right mood for the particular project I had in mind.

I am also enjoying creating a body of work from a different perspective. Looking down on the world from above, using a small unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), involves a distinct skill set which is constantly evolving as the tools become more advanced with each new iteration. Shooting with the camera pointed directly downward, and a bit of advanced planning, can make for some fun and different shots.

It is amazing how our work grows as we recognize our talents, and find we no longer need to emulate the talents of others. Our work may end up looking like another photographer’s work, but this should not be because we are forcing a style, more because that is how the process evolved naturally. Whether professional or amateur, make sure and take time to evolve, and to enjoy your moments behind the camera.