Member’s Forum (In-Person): Brief Introduction to Infrared Photography with George Hogeman

George was inspired by a colleague to take up infrared photography in 2017 while they were both in India. They took black & images of Indian landmarks and scenery.  Such images feature dark skies and bright trees and shrubs. Unseen detail comes out of clouds. 

George will demonstrate how infrared images may be created with a regular camera or even a cell phone using a simple infrared filter.  The next step up is using a converted camera with an internal infrared filter.  In a converted camera, the internal filter that blocks infrared light which would otherwise blur the image and is replaced by a new filter that allows infrared light as well as part of the visible spectrum to pass to the sensor.  One advantage of a converted camera with an internal filter is that one can use a variety of lenses without worrying about external filters. 

A full spectrum conversion entails removing the internal infrared filter without replacing it.  Instead one must use an external filter to block a portion of the visible spectrum.  Such images look bizarre as if from another planet, but a red-blue channel swap using Photoshop or other software can make the colors more aesthetically pleasing. George will demonstrate making a such a channel swap. Yet other filters such as a chrome IR filter can make pleasing images without requiring a channel swap. 

Most flexible is a full spectrum conversion which requires using one of a variety of external filters. That can be limiting in that your choice of lens may be limited by the availability of filters to fit different lenses. 

George will bring in a variety of converted camera and filters and has a variety of images to share.