Infrared Photography
Capturing images in near-infrared has opened my mind to another way of looking at the world.
Whenever composing an image I often try to imagine how the scene may appear in other color spectra. I look up at trees framed by a brilliant blue sky, and picture them being transformed into sparkling white forms against an ink black background. Wisps of high cirrus clouds evolve into dramatic points of interest, adding to the scene's dreamlike appearance.
Hover over an image to transform the scene into the infrared wavelength
What is IR?
Near-infrared light consists of light just beyond visible red light (wavelengths greater than 780nm). Infrared images exhibit distinct effects that can be described as exotic, antique, surreal, and even lurid. Leafy vegetation appears almost completely white because it reflects almost all infrared light in the same way visible light is reflected from snow. Chlorophyll is transparent at these wavelengths, and does not block this reflectance. The sky turns stark black because no infrared light is scattered. Any clouds or suspended water vapour stand out strongly as a result. Reduced Rayleigh and Mie scattering cuts through atmospheric haze for dramatic contrast. Human skin looks pale and ghostly.
