Digital Camera World - UK (2019-08)

50 DIGITAL CAMERA^ AUGUST 2019 http://www.digitalcameraworld.com

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Shooting location and setup

You’ll want a bright, sunny summer day for the full infrared

effect, plus a scene that contains plenty of green foliage. Exposures

will be longer due to the density of the IR filter, so when you arrive,

mount your camera on a sturdy tripod. Set up your composition

and focus before mounting the filter – once it’s screwed on, you

won’t see much through it – then switch to manual focus.

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Practical setting considerations

Screw on the IR filter (you’ll need the right size for your

intended lens) and switch to Manual or Bulb mode to allow for the

extended shutter speeds – an exposure of 30 sec at f/8 and ISO

250 on a bright day isn’t unusual. It’s sensible to use a cable release

or self-timer to fire the shutter. After a few test shots, use image

playback on the LCD to assess the image’s histogram and focus.

SUMMER SCENES

ummer photography isn’t a distinct

genre in itself, and it can be overwhelming

to think about the array of possible

techniques and subjects available

to you at this time of year. That

being said, infrared photography is a technique

superbly well suited to this season.

In summer (particularly the earlier months), trees,

shrubs and foliage such as grass and plants are at their

greenest, meaning they reflect a large amount of

infrared light and will appear very bright in your final

infrared images. Why? The simple explanation is

that there’s more chlorophyll in the foliage, and

the transparency of this chlorophyll allows any

infrared light to pass through into the cells

of the plants and be reflected back again.

Infrared is suited to landscapes with big skies

or bodies of water. Man-made structures made

from stone can make for a wonderful contrast

against the whites of summer foliage.

While your own digital camera has some degree

of infrared protection on its sensor, it will still let a

portion of infrared light through – so you need an IR

filter. Fortunately these are very affordable, and just

screw onto the end of your chosen lens – no camera

tinkering required. A filter such as the Hoya R77 Infrared

Filter (which is what we used) works by removing all

of the colours of the visible spectrum apart from the

wavelengths at the extreme red end, including infrared.

The main downside is the filter will only let a small

amount of light through, and so for an adequate

exposure you’ll need to set an extended shutter speed.

Unlike shooting many types of summer scenes, for

infrared shots bright midday sun is your friend. Aim

to head out when the day is bright and clear – think

blue skies, white fluffy clouds and strong sunlight.

BEFORE

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