"Changing it Up" With Infrared Photography

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Intro by Skip Cohen

Photodex never slows down in raising the bar on the tools they give you for creating stunning presentations. If you haven't checked out the new ProShow9 just click on the banner below, but the software is only part of the story. You've got to  have great photographs and video to enhance your presentations.  Suzette Allen is back this week with another technique to help you change it up!

Her first post in the series was about changing your camera angle.  This week she's hitting on infrared, which is a kick to add to your skill set and technique.

In today's competitive market you need to make your work different from everybody else. Even a wedding photographer has the ability to add a couple of exciting infrared scene-setter images to an album or video and enhance the story. 

Think of the idea to change it up as if you're working to become a great chef. Suzette is giving you another seasoning - a spice to change the flavor of whatever dish you're making!

You've got two goals with every client - to exceed expectations and make you and your work habit-forming! What better ingredient than capturing images and creating presentations that leave them awestruck?

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Don't forget to use "SAVE20WITHSKIP" for a 20% discount

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by Suzette Allen
 
While we are on the topic of Changing Perspective and showing people a fresh take on common scenes, we really have to cover the aspect of Infrared Photography! It gives us a view of the world (in black and white) with different light and uncommon drama!

What I love the most is the dramatic light in sunshine, the outrageous light emitting from all green living things (plants), and the black skies which make the clouds incredible. Faces of people are a bit ghostly, so I don’t do many portraits, though. I always joke about duct-taping my Infrared Lumix to my head so I can see the world that way all the time!
 
The trick is to take an old camera and send it to LifePixel and have it converted. It is permanent, and it transforms the sensor to only register Infrared light (which we cannot see with the naked eye). Using a mirrorless camera is the way to go because you get to see it all IN infrared before you shoot! Viola! It makes all the difference!

​The cost for converting my Lumix G7 was under $300 and sooooo worth it! Now I shoot in the sunshine and the middle of the day on a regular basis! My last trip to the Grand Tetons, was incredible and I found myself shooting IR as much or perhaps more than color! ( class was Land Sea and Sky by Joe Brady workshops! )

Here are a two of my favorites from Jackson Hole and Yellowstone. 

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Sunshine and shadows bring drama, but usually contrasty, ugly drama! But not so with Infrared! All of a sudden, we have a whole new segment of our day to shoot with great light!
 
Once you shoot with IR for a while, you will learn to recognize scenes that will be dynamic, even if they are incredibly dull in color. Here is an example of a horribly dull color image that is gorgeous in IR! The key is visualizing the backlight sun, knowing that the black needles will be pure white in the sun and make the image come to life! 

Stay tuned for more ways to Change it Up with fresh perspectives and techniques to keep your photography and vision alive!