The photographer has shared comprehensive information about their intent and creative vision for this image. Please examine the details and offer feedback on how they can most effectively realize their vision.
Self Critique
This is my first attempt at infrared photography. I like the drama of the light against the dark. I wish the differences between the blossoms and the leaves were more defined. I am not sure what to expect with the infrared filter.
Creative direction
I am trying to present the plants and flowers in my environment in unexpected ways that portray them as art outside of the usual reality of shape and color.
Specific Feedback
All feedback is welcome. I especially want observations on the aesthetic appeal and any technical insights since this is my first attempt with my newly converted camera.
Technical Details
My camera was handheld.
I tried making a profile for infrared processing in LR but couldn’t load it. I am using a profile that I was able to download. Then, I processed it in PS using TK9 luminosity masking. I tried following instructions for channel swapping, but that did not work out. I did add considerable blurring to the BG. I added touches of pink to some of the blossoms, hoping it would call attention to them.
Description
The apple tree in my backyard was catching the early morning light. I grabbed my camera and braved the cold and wet grass in my slippers and robe. It was around 48 degrees, but who cares when you are playing with a newly converted camera? The fence was high enough to hide my situation if anyone else was so inclined to be out in their backyards.
Unexpected it certainly is. The blue overwhelms my ability to see much else, unfortunately. I know it’s not the reaction you want, but there it is. The delicacy and forms of the flowers are subsumed. But heck, keep playing - that’s the whole point and the fun of having new stuff.
IR is definitely a fun exploration. Which of the several conversions (filters) do you have? Unless it is one of the supercolor or hypercolor filters, channel swapping won’t do much. Is that what you mean by it didn’t work out? (You can download an action for it.)
I have a profile that I created in Adobe DNG Profile Editor but I need to do a lot of tweaking after it is applied. (Needed because LR doesn’t offer enough leeway in the Temp slider to pull out the orange cast. ) At least with my Canon, with the LifePixel Super Color filter, shooting raw + JPEG gives me a reference to a “correctly” converted WB. (That is according to a preset WB that was done with the conversion.)
IR will make green foliage very light in full sun and gray in shade. Some lenses will give a hot spot (large diffuse lighter area) in the center of the frame. It will be more pronounced at smaller apertures. You can test by shooting a featureless wall.
Shoot a lot and you’ll get the hang of it.
This could be great in straight color – go back out in the morning!
It is the reaction I want. Honesty is precisely what I am counting on. That is why I took the “risk” of posting an effort I was unsure of. I plan on continuing experimenting and playing. Thank you.
I have the standard conversion. That explains why the channel swapping looked so weird. I had created the action for it. I am learning to create my actions. I read about the hot spot. I will test for it.
The feedback from @Kris_Smith and you is appreciated.
Not much to add to what Kris and Diane have said. I had an old Sony crop sensor camera converted, but haven’t played with it enough to get a good feel for it and I think that’s the key to IR. Get out in the field and play with it.
We have a camera club member who does mostly portrait work and he’s come up with some really interesting observations on how IR works with make-up and tatoos, not to mention different fabrics. Some of the results were completely unexpected.
