Basic Photography Techniques
Photographic techniques on infrared photography
- Black and White
- 3-D photography
- Flash photography
- Large Format Photography
- Video Photography
- Macro photography
- Night photography
Infrared is a type of photography that uses a filter to block out most regular light that is visible to the eye and only lets in infrared light on the photo. Infrared photography captures heat rising off of the subject. It is especially good for capturing heat rising off of trees and plants. The images captured on infrared film look black and white, but in actuality it is heat versus non heat captured by a camera using sensors or special filters or infrared film.
Most digital cameras have anti-infrared mechanisms in them because infrared is picked up by digital cameras while the human eye and regular film do not. However, if infrared photography is what a photographer desires of a digital camera, there are some ways digital infrared photography is possible. With a 2 mega pixel (or more) digital camera an infrared filter has to be used. Exposure time is long and blurring or "noise" (digital equivalent of graininess) might be apparent in the image. With digital cameras exposures can run a good length of time and not require a tripod. Digital infrared photography can be enhanced by art programs in personal computers.
Subjects for infrared photography can be quite interesting. If the subject of the shoot is a person, eerie effects can be had. The skin takes on a pasty glow and the eyes become very dark. Trees and plants look washed out from the heat rising from them. The contrast of structures such as statues or buildings standing next to grass or shrubbery enhances the presence of the building as it emits infra red wavelengths and creating a contrast between the two.