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Infrared Film
by
Tom Polek |
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There is a lot of information about infrared photography. I'm not
going to bore you with a technical tips page about infrared film.
What I am going to give you is a tips page full of practical
information you can use to get started.
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Photo By: Tom Polek
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HANDLING INFRARED FILM |
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Infrared film should be stored in the
refrigerator until your ready to use it (not the freezer). When your
ready to shoot, put your film out at room temperature for an hour, before loading the film. Infrared must be loaded and unloaded in total
darkness. The shelf life of infrared film is about half that of regular
black & white films. Generally expiration dates will be less then
one year from the time of purchase. Make sure that the film you are
purchasing has been stored in a refrigerator.
A number 25 red filter is recommended for
shooting infrared. You can use a lighter red, orange or yellow filter if
you don't have the #25. But your results will not be as intense. The red
filter reacts with the blue sky and creates a very dark, almost black
sky. When there are white clouds this can be a very dramatic
effect.
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CAMERA EQUIPMENT |
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Not all
cameras can be used with infrared film. Some automatic cameras have an infrared
beam on the inside of the camera that allows the computer to read the
information from the canister and also helps the film advance correctly. This
can cause fogging along the bottom of your roll of infrared film. This occurs on
some automatic cameras but not all ( read your manual for more information).
One of the
other wonderful features we have come to rely on with automatic cameras is the
auto focus feature. You can't use auto focus with infrared. You will have to
manually focus or use a zone focusing system. Some cameras have a red dot on the
lens. If you read your manual it will explain how to focus and then move your
lens back to the red dot for a sharp image. What ever your choice for
focusing remember practice makes perfect. You're probably not going to get it
just right on the first try, but with a little practice you'll be well rewarded.
If you
are using a camera that has a window on the back, to view the film canister, you
will need to cover this with black electrical tape to prevent light from fogging
the film. Keep in mind; you should never see the metal canister of your roll of
infrared. If you do, chances are you've probably fogged your film.
We really
recommend using an older, all manual, camera for infrared. It eliminates all of
the problems associated with automatic cameras.
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Photo By: Tom Polek
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WHAT TO LOOK FOR WHEN SHOOTING INFRARED |
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The ideal conditions for shooting infrared, in
my opinion, would be a bright sunny day with lots of white puffy clouds.
Air temperature around 75°F. This
allows the film to show off its best properties.
Infrared reacts with plant life, which gives
off its own natural heat through photosynthesis. Living plants, usually
green, will appear very light, almost white with infrared film. This is
what gives infrared its dreamy quality. Dead wood does not react with
infrared and thus stays the same dark color as it appears in true life.
Winter can also cause plants to go dormant and not produce the same
amount of heat through photosynthesis and thus not react with the
infrared film in the same way as during a warm spring day. You need to
take all of these things into considerations when choosing the right
conditions to shoot infrared film.
Infrared is very sensitive to heat, so try
to avoid shooting under extreme conditions. Temperatures over 90°F, can cause film to fog. Don't leave your camera in a closed car on a hot
day where temperatures can also rise to unacceptable levels. By the same
token don't leave your camera in the refrigerator when you're not using
it. The best thing to do is keep your film and camera at room temperature
until your ready to shoot. Don't leave a roll of infrared film in your
camera for a long time. Shoot it, and process it, as soon as possible.
It does not have the same stable qualities as other black & white
films.
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Photo By: Tom Polek |
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Photo By: Tom Polek |
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TIPS TO KEEP IN MIND WHEN SHOOTING INFRARED |
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- Overcast days
will give an overall gray appearance to skies. You need clear blue sky to
react with the red filter to get a dark sky.
- Shooting people with infrared film does not change their skin color. Skin
appears very smooth. There sometimes can be a soft aura around the person,
which is normal for infrared.
- Some
dark fabrics that have a certain type of silk in them will appear very
light.
- Keep
in mind that plants are going to give you the most dramatic effects with
infrared, so try to incorporate plants or trees in your images.
- Infrared is a very unstable film. Streaking, fogging and light flares are
not uncommon. Even when all the right steps are followed, and under the
best conditions. this film can still react unpredictably.
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