Another Wavelength

Exploring the landscape through infrared.

Exchange, Felixstowe Port

Infrared light sits on another section of the light spectrum, that isn’t visible to the naked eye or on camera sensors.

With the use of a filter it converts the camera to capture that wavelength or you can buy a converted camera that also gives you that option to also capture part of the light spectrum.

Personally the black and white processing of the infrared images was the main thing that drew me to exploring this as medium.

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Exploring Infrared

I have been exploring this as an extra part of my practice for around two years now. I had been in awe of the way some photographers have used infrared, around some of the places I have on my door step.

Surge, Bawdsey

Using a Hoya Filter I have been discovering another wavelength of light, to catch a different perspective. Unlike images on the visible spectrum, in infrared image has a few extra considerations especially while using a filter.

The brighter the day the better

Equidistant, Sizewell

The more sunlight there is, the chances of getting a successful image is higher. With big blue skies and bright sunlight there is more chance the images will be stronger and have a better final image.

Imagining colours differently

A blue sky isn’t blue it’s pink, but still your friend. It’s a challenge to visualise at first, but really does make your brain to think in a different way. The greens become a white, as the infrared light reflects off any greens in an image. It’s hard to wrap your head around.

Capturing strong subjects

Beach Huts, Southwold

It’s less about the intimate landscape and trying to find a dominate subject that will hold up against the tones and contrast.

Processing

The images out of camera are awash with pink and red hues. It’s so different to a full colour or black and white image. As you’ll see it’s quite jarring when you first see it. It isn’t easy to visualise the potential of the image at first.

As I’m looking to have the final images in black and white, I convert them and then go from there as my starting point. I then go about editing the image as I would with any other images.

Sequester, Shingle Street

Challenges

There are a few challenges that come with infrared, these can lead to some image not being perfect.

Hotspots

These can be a little problematic, some lenses just don’t perform well within the infrared area of the spectrum. You can see the blue areas in this image, luckily these can be cleaned up in post.

Long exposures

Using a filter makes it a little more of a challenge, much like an ND filter, the longer the exposure more movement there is. It can lead to pretty long exposures, as it can be 15 + stops on a normal exposure.

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Images

Here are a more infrared images I have taken.

Neglected, Walberswick

Cusp, Landguard Point

Talon, Iken

Compadres, Suffolk

Hurley Burley, Dedham

Thanks for having a read, let me know your thoughts and favourite images.

In other news, I have a calendar available for purchase on my website.

See my more recent work and follow me Instagram

All the best

Matt