About the Author
The author grew up in the shadow of her mothers tripod legs and excitedly shot with her first camera while still in grade school. Although she graduated in the field of communications from Brigham Young University, she was able to continue practicing her photographic skills while working in public relations for the Orange County, CA, health department. She retired from public service and co-founded Special Kids Photography of America (www.specialkidsphotography.com) to focus on training photographers to better serve families of children with special needs. She has provided webinars for Marathon Press and presented programs at Imaging USA and regional conventions hosted by Professional Photographers of America. She is the author of Photographing Children with Special Needs and The Photographers Guide to Making Money (Amherst Media).
Waves of Thanks
If gratitude could be evaluated in wavelengths, Clarence at Spencers Camera & Photo would be at the supreme end of the spectrum. He converted my first infrared camera. Adventure with that camera made me a solid convert to infrared photography. Three camera conversions later, he continues to provide me with advice and valued edits for this book.
These pages are filled with stunning images generously contributed by photographers who have discovered the wonders of infrared and have successfully captured the elusice wavelengths that lie outside of the visible light spectrum. I am grateful for their willingness to share their art.
Dedication
This book is dedicated to fearless Taylor.
Copyright 2016 by Karen Drame.
All rights reserved.
All photographs by the author unless otherwise noted.
Published by:
Amherst Media, Inc.
P.O. Box 586
Buffalo, N.Y. 14226
Fax: 716-874-4508
www.AmherstMedia.com
Publisher: Craig Alesse
Senior Editor/Production Manager: Michelle Perkins
Editors: Barbara A. Lynch-Johnt, Harvey Goldstein, Beth Alesse
Associate Publisher: Kate Neaverth
Editorial Assistance from: Carey A. Miller, Sally Jarzab, John S. Loder
Business Manager: Adam Richards
Warehouse and Fulfillment Manager: Roger Singo
ISBN-13: 978-1-60895-963-1
Library of Congress Control Number: 2015944875
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopied, recorded or otherwise, without prior written consent from the publisher.
Notice of Disclaimer: The information contained in this book is based on the authors experience and opinions. The author and publisher will not be held liable for the use or misuse of the information in this book.
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Table of Contents
Guide
CONTENTS
Photo by Vince Ha.
Ansel Adams forged a photographic path into strikingly dramatic creative territory with his black & white images. Today, intrigue with infrared burns bright because it is still unstructured with tested boundaries. Digital technology affords photographers new opportunities for creative, dramatic imagesin black & white or color infrared. Our infrared adventures can lead us to emulate the visual crispness that was Adams benchmark in capturing the grandeur of the outdoors.
Digital technology affords photographers new opportunities for creative, dramatic imagesin black & white or color infrared.
Infrared carries with it the Sirens tempting call of Come, enter my enchanting fog-shrouded sea and follow me into the unknown. She continues to whisper until you are hooked, Come just a little farther; see where this mesmerizing, uncharted path can lead you.
Although all digital cameras are designed to produce consistent results with normal captures, technology goes out the window when an infrared filter is inserted in the camera or on the lens. Whats more, lenses and light can also catch you in a net of surprises when shooting with a camera that has been digitally converted to infrared.
Parody of Odysseus and the Sirens by Herbert James Draper, c. 1909. Let yourself go. Heed the Sirens call in pursuit of intriguing infrared adventure.
Mundane subjects can take on a whole new look in infrared.
The biggest challenge comes when processing infrared imagesespecially those in color. However, there is no need to strap yourself to the mast to prevent you from giving in to the Sirens call. The information contained in this book provides direction and insights into plotting your way through a fascinating infrared adventure.
Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didnt do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.
Mark Twain
Those who appreciate dramatic photographic imagery are drawn to infrared. Infrared exposures can turn ho-hum skies into moody dark backdrops and transform dull foliage into nearly neon. Photographers who leap at a new opportunity to capture stunning effects that cause viewers to have long pauses are eagerly plunging into the infrared pool. Black & white infrared has long been respected as a classic art. Now, digital color infrared images offer a wider range of variationsrather, mutationsthat resonate in those who appreciate truly extraordinary imagery.
I captured this faux-color infrared image in Ninh Binh, Vietnam.
While the human eye cant see infrared wavelengths, a digital camera that has been adapted to capture infrared wavelengths can. Specialist technicians convert cameras for infrared capture by carefully opening up the camera, removing the infrared-blocking filter, and inserting a specialized filter that allows light of a specific wavelength or range of wavelengths to strike the image sensor. When the infrared-blocking filter is removed and the foreign infrared filter is inserted in its place, all bets are off as far as consistencies go. The sensor will react differently to the stranger that now sits next to it because the two were not engineered to be compatible with one another.