Nicely done Louise 🙂 Couple of points I'd like to add if you don't mind. It's also worth noting that using an IR filter on a standard camera will require long exposure, and therefore a tripod, as it acts roughly like a 10 stop ND. On a composition note, it's also worth thinking about the textures of the green elements. Water reeds can look like shards of ice, pine needles on a fir tree look like hoar frost, so make a great framing element 🙂 Just my two penneth.
Indeed. I think I made the tripod point. Let me know if I didn’t as I genuinely think I did. See point 2. Really good to hear about the texture element. The fir tree in particular. I think the colour element helps as you insinuate…. I have not got my head around that yet. 👍
@@louisewelcomephotography I think I just remember you saying you didn't have to lug it with you, just your camera in the bag, giving you more freedom. I'll have to watch again tomorrow to check. It was the wanting to get away from long exposure that convinced me to get a conversion. As we like green elements, the slightest breeze and they're blurry. Converted camera, 1/500. No problem 😊
@@andydines6830 Converted camera all the way! I went on a course with mine and N had a screw in filter, that's how we found out about the in camera filter issue. It just didn't occur to me that it would be an issue. You live and learn.
@@louisewelcomephotography Morning. Just watched it again, Jackie is here :). You do mention that you don't need to take your tripod, but not the reason why. That's what I thought was missing. The why is the important bit, the long exposure on a normal camera. But very good overall, very natural. Keep them coming :)
@@andydines6830 Hi both 🙂I checked this morning and am kicking myself as I made the point in other edits. Thank you Andy and yes, that was the WHOLE point of that bit DOH! Have a cracking weekend.
Really appreciate the video Louise, and have subscribed to your channel. I'm new to IR, and therefore found your comments on composition inspirational. perhaps you have done some videos on post processing as well, I will look out for them. I really enjoyed your approach of taking a walk live to see what you would find.
Ohhh Pierre, please look up Ben Harvey Photography as he has 3x IR vids that will be so useful. He is so logical and instructional. He does post processing too. Thanks for joining me 😁
Ohhh Pierre, please look up Ben Harvey Photography as he has 3x IR vids that will be so useful. He is so logical and instructional. He does post processing too. Thanks for joining me 😁
Hi Edward. I have an IR video coming out on Saturday evening if that helps. It’s short and looks at lessons that are transferable to more traditional landscapes. Thank you for your feedback, it means a lot. 👍
I've recently purchased a Fuji x-T3 (new) and sent it off immediately to be converted to 720nm for B&W IR photography.I've had it back a couple of weeks and I can't put it down..I'm sure I'll revert back to my canon landscape set up as Autumn arrives but the Fuji IR is a keeper. I've just discovered your channel and I think I might just be your latest subscriber. Really enjoyed this video
You are indeed. Thank you for the comment too. I find it fascinating to see what works and what doesn’t. And… we can shoot in the summertime. Win, win 😁
Welcome both of us, to IR digital photography! I say that because I've been contemplating a conversion for years now and finally my old D800 arrived home as a 720nm conversion. I last photographed in IR about 40 years ago and BLESS technology, I do not miss, sheet film or 35mm, long exposures and the processing as I always processed all my work in those days! By the way, your work is quite fine Louise. I came across your website a while back and was greatly enamored with your LE shot of the circular sculpture in the water, divinely simple and stark.
Thank you Paul, you are very kind. And welcome to Infrared conversion it is so freeing and interesting to explore what works and what, frankly, is pretty poor. Enjoy it! 😊
I first tried years ago when shot on film, a couple of years ago converted an old camera with a 665nm filter so still capture a bit of visable light. I also bought a converted full spectrum last year. Shot with them Al year round but do get my best photos during the summer months. Would like to get one that has something about 850nm so only shots in IR light. Very enjoyable video with some lovely photos.
That’s great Louise enjoyed it and you explained it well . I loved the tree lined avenue we all know but am I right in thinking it costs about £250 to convert . Love your content and you explain the subject well, my guess you have been a teacher at some stage 👍
To be honest it’s nearer 300 but I guess you'd balance that with the ‘stuff’ we need when shooting normally. Thanks Rob… hugely appreciate the feedback 👍
Another great video, Louise - I actually switched from phone to laptop to view and I'll PM you to tell you why. You have a great way of cutting through, informing without patronising, and are quite happy to tell your war stories. Well done!
Wow, those are some stellar shots! This makes me want to give black and white another swing, I've mostly been working with color infrared on a full spectrum cam. Adding onto point 2, I'm not sure what's causing black frames in the case of your camera, but another common issue is cameras that have IR lights near the sensor that turn on during long exposures. I have a couple Sony cameras that seem to suffer from this, the A7Rii and A7Siii. I think the internal hot mirror filter can reliably be shot through on most cameras, but issues like that can cause fogging. Astrophotography forums are a good place to look for info like this, I find. I love the comparison of infrared to marmite, gonna have to use that one; I tend to think of it like cilantro.
I've started looking at Astro forums as I got a MSM tracker for my birthday and I'm currently feeling excited and a little bit overwhelmed. Learning all the time! The issue with the EOSR and some modern v sophisticated cameras is documented and I get what the issue is. But... cilantro... I know exactly what you mean! It made me laugh, thank you 🙂
Your channel suddenly cropped up on my home screen out of nowhere, watched a couple, and suddenly I'm subscribed to someone who does infrared! Yey!! :D Been doing IR for about 10 years, started with filters and long exposures and progressed onto converted cameras - now on my third converted camera (Nikon Z5 full spectrum) and you've nailed what I love about IR and what makes IR work! Lens hotspots are the biggest killer, and moving from DSLR to mirrorless has other issues - faint lines on your images from the phase detect autofocus system :( Also means having to go through all the pain with finding lenses that work again!
Welllll hellllloooo! I do love IR and use it for scouting too. You’ll see IR used in a fair number of my vids. I confess to not being a fan of false colour abut that’s just personal preference and I can appreciate the technical behind the scenes stuff with it. Anyway Scott, welcome and thank you for commenting. Hopefully, I’ll be able to say hi again soon 👍 Oh and btw… hotspots… argh! 🙈
Wonderful shots Louise. I just had my Fuji XM-1 converted to 720 nm and about to go down the IR path. Question, which nm conversion did you do, 720, 850 or something else?
@louisewelcomephotography And something I really appreciated was the way you set out what you were going to cover and then covered the contents really concisely. There are some out there in cyberspace that waffle. You adeliver great to the point video. Thanks
Awesome vid, tried to get my old Canon 1Ds mk ii converted but was told they couldn't do it, so just bought a canon 500d to get converted and ready to get going with infrared. I'm subscribed to got Thomas Heaton and got the bug from him, however now have you subscribed. Looking forward to more inspiring tips and tricks
Ohh thank you. May I suggest Ben Harvey Photography. He's done 3 cracking IR tutorials over a couple of years and they are really informative, so well presented and ... to be honest, he's the one that inspired me to give it a go. Please search him out for the IR stuff; he's a great teacher, very methodical! :-)
I have been shooting infrared for 6 months and your tips reinforce what I have found from trial and error. It would have saved a lot of disappointment if it was available when I started out. I find having man made objects ,bridges and buildings really help the composition. My best have been taken at English Heritage ruins, also the granite tors of Dartmoor where I live. I didn't know about the position of the sun behind you.Many thanks.
Hurray, you learned something :-) You are most welcome. I'm off to Dartmoor this weekend so I may take mine along although I think heavy cloud will only lead to disappointment on the IR front! Keep going though.
Hi Mark, my mission is accomplished 😂. My failure rate is enormous as I often end up with a white mess. Things I assume would be interesting just end up … meh! Enjoy when summer arrives. We are pining for autumn this end.
Wow - I used to take ir photo's back in the day when you had to buy special film and I had to develop it myself (had my own darkroom). Life has changed. One point having seen this (excellent) vid, I've looked around and some (older) DSLR's don't have any IR filtering so could be suitable. I'll be checking what I've got !! Oh and Lyn says "why are you videoing this in your knickers ??" xx
Lol. Yeah, thanks Michael. I could have given you my IR filter to try when I was with you. I know there is a whole realm of knowledge that I don’t have having never experienced the dark room first hand.
Good video, Louise - your comments about composition are very valuable. I've just started in infrared with a converted Fujifilm XT10. I think I read somewhere that mirrorless cameras are more suitable for infrared conversion that DSLRs, but I'm not very technically-minded, so I couldn't say why?!
Hi Derek, thanks for contacting. The problem with IR is that because it is initially so impressive one tends to shoot everything as it is so ‘wow!’ Then you start to realise what works better. But it is such fun trying 😊. I sought help from Cameracal and their website. Really helped me work out what I wanted in my conversion. An old ish dslr converted beautifully… I would not have wanted to convert my more expensive mirrorless. It’s too precious to me 😊.
@@louisewelcomephotography Thank you for the tip about Cameracal, Louse. I'll check it out. I had mine from Infrared and Full Spectrum Camera Conversions. I paid £330 for a converted XT10, which was handy cos I already had a Fuji XT1 with a couple of lenses.
@@derekjones-xp2kf that’s a good price. Enjoy shooting with it. Cameracal may not be much use to you if your conversion is done but it’s always interesting 😊
I have a Canon 70D converted to full spectrum and use Hoya filters: the R72 for bw, an orange one 550nm and a red one which is 590 for false colours. I strongly agree with you about the composition in order to avoid a total white picture.
I loved the video and awesome information! I was shocked to see that you did not have 25,000 followers!!! I'm sure you are going to do very well with this channel! I can't wait to see and learn more about this fantastic subject called IR!!!! New subscriber!!!!👍👍👍 (ps I love your photos)
Thank you! As you said, you might want to research lenses for the camera brand you're considering converting. Look out for "lenses with hot spots" and at what apertures the hot spots begin to appear.
Spot on on all fronts! 👍and my best one is my most basic one. I am also using it to scout a lot at the moment. Have a look at my photographing big rocks published yesterday. It’s superb for scouting scenes like that. Who knew? 😂
Which filter do you use Louise a 720nm like r72 or a different one? How do you get your black and white photos? I want to get my mirrorless Olympus pen converted but not sure to get standard IR 720 nm or enhanced filter I believe it’s a 680nm thanks for your video.
Hi, I started with the r72 but decided that I wanted the freedom to be tripod free and thus I got a conversion done. I had an older camera and thought it worth the investment as I’d get a small amount for it if I sold secondhand. Then I had to work out what I liked about IR and as importantly what I don’t. False colour isn’t for me so my choice was easy. 720 nm… now for pp… slightly flatten re contrast convert in Nik silver Efex and take out the contrast that they recommend as I want control. Back into PS, adjust the levels to taste, dodge and burn, vignette if it is required. And boom 💥. Re the enhanced or standard… I can only say do your research and work out what you gain based on what you want to do. I spent a year being frustrated with screw in filters, took the conversion plunge and chatted to the people who were going to do it for me. I think I take a lot of meh IR shots experimenting. But when it’s right, you know! Good luck with it. Let me know what you decide 🤞
Nicely done! Heavens knows why I haven't come across your channel before, so now you have a new subscriber. I started in IR last year and am now hooked. Not a massive fan of false colour though don't object too much as long as it's subtle. Pink ANYTHING puts me right off though. I had an "old" Nikon Z6 which was just gathering dust, so chose to have it converted into Full Spectrum and then use a clip-in 720nm filter from Kolari. Being a mirrorless camera, it doesn't suffer from the problem as DSLRs as the viewfinder image comes off the sensor meaning that it will be in focus. In DSLRs, the viewfinder image comes from a prism which doesn't bend IR light in the same way that it does visible light, meaning that focus can be hard (or impossible) to assess through the viewfinder. Additionally, the AutoFocus mechanism may not work correctly in IR on a DSLR. This is something you don't mentions specifically in your video. Agree 100% that conversion is the way to go. As said above, I went for a Full Spectrum conversion and added a 720nm clip-in filter. This gives me the flexibility to change the filter at will to whatever I feel is useful at the time; Ha filter for astrophotography, a different wavelength IR filter, or a "Hot Mirror" filter to turn it back into a normal, visible light camera. Anyway, I'm looking forward to my first full summer in which I can get out and experiment with IR photography. Now following your channel, so looking forward to hearing more updates.
Hi Christopher, thanks for getting in touch. Really interesting to read your journey. 👍 I’m venturing to London next week to do IR only … one camera poss 2 lenses depending on if my 16-35 is oh for IR. A bit nervous as I am really limiting myself. IR is also quite interesting out of summer especially when focusing on textures so I am discovering and I use it a lot for scouting as I tend to notice different things to normal. I look forward to hearing from you in future hopefully 🤞
@@louisewelcomephotography I wish you a marvellous time in London and hope the weather co-operates! Coincidentally, I'm going to be in London next Tuesday (23rd May 2024) too, but not for photography; I'm performing at the Royal Albert Hall that evening in the Verdi Requiem with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra / Philharmonia Chorus, so do come along if you want to be blown away by some amazing music!! There's a marvellous tree in front of the RAH which, I think, would look stupendous in IR, though the blossom may have faded by now. Hyde Park / Kensington Gardens should offer lots of opportunities too, though "people avoidance" could prove challenging. Anyway, good luck and I'll certainly be following your channel with interest.
That is very kind of you and it sounds fantastic! I am 2 hours away from that location and work 3 evenings a week so that would prohibit the possibility but thank you for asking 👍. I hope it goes well, the acoustics are supposed to be superb there.
Hi Louise, I’m a bit late in finding you but very pleased that I have. Great video, photos and associated comments. You also live in Sussex so localish to me in SEast. Subbed.
Hi Christian, thank you. Lovely for you to say hello. I am currently in the mountains in the pouring rain in Slovenia 🇸🇮. You have made my day. Keep safe 😊
Hi Louise, I realize this video is a bit old, but could you tell me if you set a custom white balance in your DSLR for B&W IR images? Or do you set that in Lightroom, or in whatever image editor you use? Thanks!
Hi David, well that stumped me. I have checked and I need to say that I only do b and w infrared so the impact is restricted to mainly exposure and contrast. With that in mind I tend to auto ISO it and adjust in post according to the effect I want. Now I’d suggest having a look at Rob Shea Photography as he does secrets to white balance in infrared photography. Especially if you do false colour photos. Essentially there is no correct wb setting or kelvin values that covers all situations. 😊
Fair play John. I showed a couple of pals some IR stuff and they vehemently disliked it. Then felt guilty about their reaction. 🙈. Your comment on the big names made me chuckle… thank you for the Saturday morning laugh 😊
Just watched this today, been doing ir for a coupe of years. The screw on filters do a good job but you need to mention that is also an nd filter, you need a tripod for a long exposure. The converted camera behaves like a normal camera, but it. Judges at camera club competitions don’t get it either and think it’s just weird Black and white photoshopped
Hi there. I have pinned a comment regarding this when the video was first published but it is a very important point. My camera counteracts the filter. And, judges are nervous I agree. It will be interesting to see if LPOTY judges take a different approach in their B and W category.
Why limit yourself to summer? I shoot IR year-round, and I live in a climate that has only four months of daily sunshine but stays green all year. Stormy moody weather with slivers of light hitting your subject is fun to photograph. Several of my cameras are converted to full spectrum so I can enjoy well, the full spectrum of light. :) This also makes it so that I can put an IR Cut filter on the lens or over the sensor and be back to using a "normal" camera.
Ha! That made me roar with laughter in an online work meeting as it popped up on my phone (no clients present). Thank you for making me laugh. I needed that. 😂
Hi Colin, Bright scenery yes, sunsets no. The reason we shoot sunsets is mainly for nice light and a bit of colour so this isn't going to help. But... and its a big BUT, you'll need to do some research as to whether it will work on your camera. I am a Canon girl and I had to dig. It had not even occurred to me that there may be an issue with my 'oh so lovely' new EOSR. My intro course tutor seemed unaware too mind you it was a couple of years ago now. My husband had the screw in filter and I had the converted camera. We had no idea until we got them on the computer that there was an issue re compatibility. So, dig online in forums. Start with your camera model and then IR filter... I got led a merry dance when I looked the other way round. I wish you luck Colin, and I can see why you asked. :-)
@@louisewelcomephotography Cheers for the reply .. I had no intention of using a IRF to capture Sunset's i'd be wasting my time lol . I was merely letting you know what i mainly use those lenses for , Was hoping that you've be able to tell me if they are acceptable to be used with IRF's. with your experience / knowledge . No worries ,,,might just give the idea of buying IRF a pass . As am trying to save money for a better Zoom lense
@@colintraveller A 6dby a company called protech to a 720mn spec as I did not want to do false colour. About two weeks and I will look up the current cost… give me a couple of hours… it’s still dark!
Colin here is the website, they talk you through all the options with photographic examples and were really helpful when I took the conversion plunge a couple of years ago: www.protechrepairs.co.uk/infrared_conversion_-_filter_choices.html Good luck :-)
I say “just plain no.” Plainly because I have no interest in that style. Which isn’t to say that your IR images weren’t interesting. They were simplistically appealing. I am, however, interested in knowing your camera settings, lens used, and you mentioned a needed filter I think?
Hi, with my converted camera I don't need filters 🙂 As a general rule, it's F9 and I vary the ISO to ensure the red channel works appropriately. The timings vary hugely according to light as with any other photography. I utterly get the 'no', I have that reaction to false colour IR. 😏
Nicely done Louise 🙂
Couple of points I'd like to add if you don't mind. It's also worth noting that using an IR filter on a standard camera will require long exposure, and therefore a tripod, as it acts roughly like a 10 stop ND.
On a composition note, it's also worth thinking about the textures of the green elements. Water reeds can look like shards of ice, pine needles on a fir tree look like hoar frost, so make a great framing element 🙂
Just my two penneth.
Indeed. I think I made the tripod point. Let me know if I didn’t as I genuinely think I did. See point 2. Really good to hear about the texture element. The fir tree in particular. I think the colour element helps as you insinuate…. I have not got my head around that yet. 👍
@@louisewelcomephotography I think I just remember you saying you didn't have to lug it with you, just your camera in the bag, giving you more freedom. I'll have to watch again tomorrow to check.
It was the wanting to get away from long exposure that convinced me to get a conversion. As we like green elements, the slightest breeze and they're blurry. Converted camera, 1/500. No problem 😊
@@andydines6830 Converted camera all the way! I went on a course with mine and N had a screw in filter, that's how we found out about the in camera filter issue. It just didn't occur to me that it would be an issue. You live and learn.
@@louisewelcomephotography Morning. Just watched it again, Jackie is here :). You do mention that you don't need to take your tripod, but not the reason why. That's what I thought was missing. The why is the important bit, the long exposure on a normal camera. But very good overall, very natural. Keep them coming :)
@@andydines6830 Hi both 🙂I checked this morning and am kicking myself as I made the point in other edits. Thank you Andy and yes, that was the WHOLE point of that bit DOH! Have a cracking weekend.
Really appreciate the video Louise, and have subscribed to your channel. I'm new to IR, and therefore found your comments on composition inspirational. perhaps you have done some videos on post processing as well, I will look out for them. I really enjoyed your approach of taking a walk live to see what you would find.
Ohhh Pierre, please look up Ben Harvey Photography as he has 3x IR vids that will be so useful. He is so logical and instructional. He does post processing too. Thanks for joining me 😁
Ohhh Pierre, please look up Ben Harvey Photography as he has 3x IR vids that will be so useful. He is so logical and instructional. He does post processing too. Thanks for joining me 😁
Thank you for this great, useful info.
It was very useful to me.
Looking forward to seeing more of your videos.
Hi Edward. I have an IR video coming out on Saturday evening if that helps. It’s short and looks at lessons that are transferable to more traditional landscapes. Thank you for your feedback, it means a lot. 👍
I've recently purchased a Fuji x-T3 (new) and sent it off immediately to be converted to 720nm for B&W IR photography.I've had it back a couple of weeks and I can't put it down..I'm sure I'll revert back to my canon landscape set up as Autumn arrives but the Fuji IR is a keeper. I've just discovered your channel and I think I might just be your latest subscriber. Really enjoyed this video
You are indeed. Thank you for the comment too. I find it fascinating to see what works and what doesn’t. And… we can shoot in the summertime. Win, win 😁
Welcome both of us, to IR digital photography! I say that because I've been contemplating a conversion for years now and finally my old D800 arrived home as a 720nm conversion. I last photographed in IR about 40 years ago and BLESS technology, I do not miss, sheet film or 35mm, long exposures and the processing as I always processed all my work in those days! By the way, your work is quite fine Louise. I came across your website a while back and was greatly enamored with your LE shot of the circular sculpture in the water, divinely simple and stark.
Thank you Paul, you are very kind. And welcome to Infrared conversion it is so freeing and interesting to explore what works and what, frankly, is pretty poor. Enjoy it! 😊
I first tried years ago when shot on film, a couple of years ago converted an old camera with a 665nm filter so still capture a bit of visable light. I also bought a converted full spectrum last year. Shot with them Al year round but do get my best photos during the summer months. Would like to get one that has something about 850nm so only shots in IR light. Very enjoyable video with some lovely photos.
Thank you kindly. Alan, it is quite freeing isn’t it. But it doesn’t stop me from taking some truly poor shots 🙈😳😊
That’s great Louise enjoyed it and you explained it well . I loved the tree lined avenue we all know but am I right in thinking it costs about £250 to convert . Love your content and you explain the subject well, my guess you have been a teacher at some stage 👍
To be honest it’s nearer 300 but I guess you'd balance that with the ‘stuff’ we need when shooting normally. Thanks Rob… hugely appreciate the feedback 👍
Another great video, Louise - I actually switched from phone to laptop to view and I'll PM you to tell you why. You have a great way of cutting through, informing without patronising, and are quite happy to tell your war stories. Well done!
I get the why. Thanks Christian. 👍👍noted 😊
Wow, those are some stellar shots! This makes me want to give black and white another swing, I've mostly been working with color infrared on a full spectrum cam.
Adding onto point 2, I'm not sure what's causing black frames in the case of your camera, but another common issue is cameras that have IR lights near the sensor that turn on during long exposures. I have a couple Sony cameras that seem to suffer from this, the A7Rii and A7Siii. I think the internal hot mirror filter can reliably be shot through on most cameras, but issues like that can cause fogging. Astrophotography forums are a good place to look for info like this, I find.
I love the comparison of infrared to marmite, gonna have to use that one; I tend to think of it like cilantro.
I've started looking at Astro forums as I got a MSM tracker for my birthday and I'm currently feeling excited and a little bit overwhelmed. Learning all the time! The issue with the EOSR and some modern v sophisticated cameras is documented and I get what the issue is. But... cilantro... I know exactly what you mean! It made me laugh, thank you 🙂
Your channel suddenly cropped up on my home screen out of nowhere, watched a couple, and suddenly I'm subscribed to someone who does infrared! Yey!! :D Been doing IR for about 10 years, started with filters and long exposures and progressed onto converted cameras - now on my third converted camera (Nikon Z5 full spectrum) and you've nailed what I love about IR and what makes IR work! Lens hotspots are the biggest killer, and moving from DSLR to mirrorless has other issues - faint lines on your images from the phase detect autofocus system :( Also means having to go through all the pain with finding lenses that work again!
Welllll hellllloooo! I do love IR and use it for scouting too. You’ll see IR used in a fair number of my vids. I confess to not being a fan of false colour abut that’s just personal preference and I can appreciate the technical behind the scenes stuff with it. Anyway Scott, welcome and thank you for commenting. Hopefully, I’ll be able to say hi again soon 👍 Oh and btw… hotspots… argh! 🙈
Wonderful shots Louise. I just had my Fuji XM-1 converted to 720 nm and about to go down the IR path. Question, which nm conversion did you do, 720, 850 or something else?
720… you’ll love it. I only wanted to do black and white so the 720 worked well. Ohhh it’ll be fun working out what works and what doesn’t. Enjoy 😊
Thanks for this very considered video. There are some great points to think about.
Thank you Ian. I do use my converted infra red a lot in my videos. I had no idea how much when I first got it done. 😊
@louisewelcomephotography And something I really appreciated was the way you set out what you were going to cover and then covered the contents really concisely. There are some out there in cyberspace that waffle. You adeliver great to the point video. Thanks
@@iantaylor7992 appreciated Ian 😊
Awesome vid, tried to get my old Canon 1Ds mk ii converted but was told they couldn't do it, so just bought a canon 500d to get converted and ready to get going with infrared. I'm subscribed to got Thomas Heaton and got the bug from him, however now have you subscribed. Looking forward to more inspiring tips and tricks
Ohh thank you. May I suggest Ben Harvey Photography. He's done 3 cracking IR tutorials over a couple of years and they are really informative, so well presented and ... to be honest, he's the one that inspired me to give it a go. Please search him out for the IR stuff; he's a great teacher, very methodical! :-)
I have been shooting infrared for 6 months and your tips reinforce what I have found from trial and error. It would have saved a lot of disappointment if it was available when I started out. I find having man made objects ,bridges and buildings really help the composition. My best have been taken at English Heritage ruins, also the granite tors of Dartmoor where I live. I didn't know about the position of the sun behind you.Many thanks.
Hurray, you learned something :-) You are most welcome. I'm off to Dartmoor this weekend so I may take mine along although I think heavy cloud will only lead to disappointment on the IR front! Keep going though.
You've got me waiting for summer here in Aus now. I'll get to dust off my Nikon D70 with the IR filter removed!
Hi Mark, my mission is accomplished 😂. My failure rate is enormous as I often end up with a white mess. Things I assume would be interesting just end up … meh! Enjoy when summer arrives. We are pining for autumn this end.
Interesting subject, never thought about IR. Something to look into. Thanks for sharing.and love your style in presentation.
You are welcome 😊. It is definitely something to consider if you hang your head in the summer months. I look forward to seeing if you give it a go 👍
Wow - I used to take ir photo's back in the day when you had to buy special film and I had to develop it myself (had my own darkroom). Life has changed.
One point having seen this (excellent) vid, I've looked around and some (older) DSLR's don't have any IR filtering so could be suitable.
I'll be checking what I've got !!
Oh and Lyn says "why are you videoing this in your knickers ??"
xx
Lol. Yeah, thanks Michael. I could have given you my IR filter to try when I was with you. I know there is a whole realm of knowledge that I don’t have having never experienced the dark room first hand.
Good video, Louise - your comments about composition are very valuable. I've just started in infrared with a converted Fujifilm XT10. I think I read somewhere that mirrorless cameras are more suitable for infrared conversion that DSLRs, but I'm not very technically-minded, so I couldn't say why?!
Hi Derek, thanks for contacting. The problem with IR is that because it is initially so impressive one tends to shoot everything as it is so ‘wow!’ Then you start to realise what works better. But it is such fun trying 😊. I sought help from Cameracal and their website. Really helped me work out what I wanted in my conversion. An old ish dslr converted beautifully… I would not have wanted to convert my more expensive mirrorless. It’s too precious to me 😊.
@@louisewelcomephotography Thank you for the tip about Cameracal, Louse. I'll check it out. I had mine from Infrared and Full Spectrum Camera Conversions. I paid £330 for a converted XT10, which was handy cos I already had a Fuji XT1 with a couple of lenses.
@@derekjones-xp2kf that’s a good price. Enjoy shooting with it. Cameracal may not be much use to you if your conversion is done but it’s always interesting 😊
I have a Canon 70D converted to full spectrum and use Hoya filters: the R72 for bw, an orange one 550nm and a red one which is 590 for false colours.
I strongly agree with you about the composition in order to avoid a total white picture.
Hi Fabrizio, in a way it forces you to think more carefully about what is in your frame. My failure rate is huge but when it’s right… 💥 boom! 😊
I loved the video and awesome information! I was shocked to see that you did not have 25,000 followers!!! I'm sure you are going to do very well with this channel! I can't wait to see and learn more about this fantastic subject called IR!!!! New subscriber!!!!👍👍👍 (ps I love your photos)
Morning Marvin and welcome to the channel. Thank you for making me smile. I look forward to chatting with you in the future. 😁
Thank you! As you said, you might want to research lenses for the camera brand you're considering converting. Look out for "lenses with hot spots" and at what apertures the hot spots begin to appear.
Spot on on all fronts! 👍and my best one is my most basic one. I am also using it to scout a lot at the moment. Have a look at my photographing big rocks published yesterday. It’s superb for scouting scenes like that. Who knew? 😂
Wonderful IR photos!
Oh thank you very much 👍
Great info for a IR virgin! Wonder if I can get some IR goggles to see the world in daytime IR ha!
Michael.. what a blooming great idea. Let’s set up a business and make our fortune 😂😉
Which filter do you use Louise a 720nm like r72 or a different one? How do you get your black and white photos? I want to get my mirrorless Olympus pen converted but not sure to get standard IR 720 nm or enhanced filter I believe it’s a 680nm thanks for your video.
Hi, I started with the r72 but decided that I wanted the freedom to be tripod free and thus I got a conversion done. I had an older camera and thought it worth the investment as I’d get a small amount for it if I sold secondhand. Then I had to work out what I liked about IR and as importantly what I don’t. False colour isn’t for me so my choice was easy. 720 nm… now for pp… slightly flatten re contrast convert in Nik silver Efex and take out the contrast that they recommend as I want control. Back into PS, adjust the levels to taste, dodge and burn, vignette if it is required. And boom 💥. Re the enhanced or standard… I can only say do your research and work out what you gain based on what you want to do. I spent a year being frustrated with screw in filters, took the conversion plunge and chatted to the people who were going to do it for me. I think I take a lot of meh IR shots experimenting. But when it’s right, you know! Good luck with it. Let me know what you decide 🤞
Nicely done! Heavens knows why I haven't come across your channel before, so now you have a new subscriber. I started in IR last year and am now hooked. Not a massive fan of false colour though don't object too much as long as it's subtle. Pink ANYTHING puts me right off though. I had an "old" Nikon Z6 which was just gathering dust, so chose to have it converted into Full Spectrum and then use a clip-in 720nm filter from Kolari. Being a mirrorless camera, it doesn't suffer from the problem as DSLRs as the viewfinder image comes off the sensor meaning that it will be in focus. In DSLRs, the viewfinder image comes from a prism which doesn't bend IR light in the same way that it does visible light, meaning that focus can be hard (or impossible) to assess through the viewfinder. Additionally, the AutoFocus mechanism may not work correctly in IR on a DSLR. This is something you don't mentions specifically in your video.
Agree 100% that conversion is the way to go. As said above, I went for a Full Spectrum conversion and added a 720nm clip-in filter. This gives me the flexibility to change the filter at will to whatever I feel is useful at the time; Ha filter for astrophotography, a different wavelength IR filter, or a "Hot Mirror" filter to turn it back into a normal, visible light camera.
Anyway, I'm looking forward to my first full summer in which I can get out and experiment with IR photography. Now following your channel, so looking forward to hearing more updates.
Hi Christopher, thanks for getting in touch. Really interesting to read your journey. 👍 I’m venturing to London next week to do IR only … one camera poss 2 lenses depending on if my 16-35 is oh for IR. A bit nervous as I am really limiting myself.
IR is also quite interesting out of summer especially when focusing on textures so I am discovering and I use it a lot for scouting as I tend to notice different things to normal.
I look forward to hearing from you in future hopefully 🤞
@@louisewelcomephotography I wish you a marvellous time in London and hope the weather co-operates! Coincidentally, I'm going to be in London next Tuesday (23rd May 2024) too, but not for photography; I'm performing at the Royal Albert Hall that evening in the Verdi Requiem with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra / Philharmonia Chorus, so do come along if you want to be blown away by some amazing music!! There's a marvellous tree in front of the RAH which, I think, would look stupendous in IR, though the blossom may have faded by now. Hyde Park / Kensington Gardens should offer lots of opportunities too, though "people avoidance" could prove challenging. Anyway, good luck and I'll certainly be following your channel with interest.
That is very kind of you and it sounds fantastic! I am 2 hours away from that location and work 3 evenings a week so that would prohibit the possibility but thank you for asking 👍. I hope it goes well, the acoustics are supposed to be superb there.
An interesting video Louise.
You captured some really nice image's.
Thanks Tim. Definitely not for everybody though. 😊
Hi Louise, I’m a bit late in finding you but very pleased that I have. Great video, photos and associated comments. You also live in Sussex so localish to me in SEast. Subbed.
Hi Christian, thank you. Lovely for you to say hello. I am currently in the mountains in the pouring rain in Slovenia 🇸🇮. You have made my day. Keep safe 😊
Hi Louise, I realize this video is a bit old, but could you tell me if you set a custom white balance in your DSLR for B&W IR images? Or do you set that in Lightroom, or in whatever image editor you use? Thanks!
Hi David, well that stumped me. I have checked and I need to say that I only do b and w infrared so the impact is restricted to mainly exposure and contrast. With that in mind I tend to auto ISO it and adjust in post according to the effect I want. Now I’d suggest having a look at Rob Shea Photography as he does secrets to white balance in infrared photography. Especially if you do false colour photos. Essentially there is no correct wb setting or kelvin values that covers all situations. 😊
Good explanation, Louise. Not for me but interesting. Not convinced the 'big' names know as much about it as you do, though.
Fair play John. I showed a couple of pals some IR stuff and they vehemently disliked it. Then felt guilty about their reaction. 🙈. Your comment on the big names made me chuckle… thank you for the Saturday morning laugh 😊
Love the photos and tips. You gained a new subscriber!
Thank you Dennis, glad to meet you (kind of). 😁
Just watched this today, been doing ir for a coupe of years. The screw on filters do a good job but you need to mention that is also an nd filter, you need a tripod for a long exposure. The converted camera behaves like a normal camera, but it. Judges at camera club competitions don’t get it either and think it’s just weird Black and white photoshopped
Hi there. I have pinned a comment regarding this when the video was first published but it is a very important point. My camera counteracts the filter.
And, judges are nervous I agree. It will be interesting to see if LPOTY judges take a different approach in their B and W category.
Great job very informative
Cheers Arthur. I have an IR vid out in 9 days that hopefully can help too 👍
Why limit yourself to summer? I shoot IR year-round, and I live in a climate that has only four months of daily sunshine but stays green all year. Stormy moody weather with slivers of light hitting your subject is fun to photograph. Several of my cameras are converted to full spectrum so I can enjoy well, the full spectrum of light. :) This also makes it so that I can put an IR Cut filter on the lens or over the sensor and be back to using a "normal" camera.
Good point, well made Martin. It’s just when I’ve found it particularly useful. I’m going to use it more at other times I think too. Thank you 👍
IR Photography is just the same as Sex.When sex is good, its very very good and when sex is bad it is still allright. Nice Job Louise.
Ha! That made me roar with laughter in an online work meeting as it popped up on my phone (no clients present). Thank you for making me laugh. I needed that. 😂
thank you!
You are welcome 😊
Is it worthwhile of me even bothering buying a filter ?
I use Canon 850D and a 90D 10-18 , 18-55,18-135 ... i use mainly for Scenery / Sunsets
Hi Colin,
Bright scenery yes, sunsets no. The reason we shoot sunsets is mainly for nice light and a bit of colour so this isn't going to help. But... and its a big BUT, you'll need to do some research as to whether it will work on your camera. I am a Canon girl and I had to dig. It had not even occurred to me that there may be an issue with my 'oh so lovely' new EOSR. My intro course tutor seemed unaware too mind you it was a couple of years ago now. My husband had the screw in filter and I had the converted camera. We had no idea until we got them on the computer that there was an issue re compatibility. So, dig online in forums. Start with your camera model and then IR filter... I got led a merry dance when I looked the other way round. I wish you luck Colin, and I can see why you asked. :-)
@@louisewelcomephotography Cheers for the reply .. I had no intention of using a IRF to capture Sunset's i'd be wasting my time lol . I was merely letting you know what i mainly use those lenses for , Was hoping that you've be able to tell me if they are acceptable to be used with IRF's. with your experience / knowledge .
No worries ,,,might just give the idea of buying IRF a pass . As am trying to save money for a better Zoom lense
@@louisewelcomephotography What Canon Model did you you have converted and how much did it cost . How long did it take ?
@@colintraveller A 6dby a company called protech to a 720mn spec as I did not want to do false colour. About two weeks and I will look up the current cost… give me a couple of hours… it’s still dark!
Colin here is the website, they talk you through all the options with photographic examples and were really helpful when I took the conversion plunge a couple of years ago: www.protechrepairs.co.uk/infrared_conversion_-_filter_choices.html Good luck :-)
I say “just plain no.” Plainly because I have no interest in that style. Which isn’t to say that your IR images weren’t interesting. They were simplistically appealing. I am, however, interested in knowing your camera settings, lens used, and you mentioned a needed filter I think?
Hi, with my converted camera I don't need filters 🙂 As a general rule, it's F9 and I vary the ISO to ensure the red channel works appropriately. The timings vary hugely according to light as with any other photography. I utterly get the 'no', I have that reaction to false colour IR. 😏
@@louisewelcomephotography “Converted camera?” “False color IR?” As you can probably tell by now, I am IR clueless! 😖