Attached Link: http://www.kleptography.com

hi guys! every chance i get, i'm shooting in infrared, exploring, discovering, and having lots of fun doing it! it sure is THRILLING to explore the world this way!!! kemal and i have done a lot of reading about shooting infrared with our cams, and we're just experimenting. it's been frustrating seeing the results. We've found out why our images don't look the way we think IR images should look. every digital camera microchip (CCD or CMOS) has the ability to see in infrared, as well as in the visible part of the light spectrum. So digital cam manufacturers put internal filters to remove the IR part in order to get more accurate and natural colors. Some Sony model digital cams and camcorders (F-717, F-707, F-828 are the camera models for example) can move this filter out of the way and this mode is known as night vision or night shot. Since certain materials tend to become partially transparent (clothing), Sony removed manual controls in this mode which makes DAY infrared shots over-exposed. The only way to control this and get a normal shot is to reduce the amount of light and that's why we're using neutral density filters when we're shooting infrared. it's frustrating because because the shutter speed is FIXED...1/60th of a second. Also when you shoot in this mode, you can't manually focus. Arrrrgggg! a lot of people who, for example, upgrade from F-707 to better Sony models turn their 707 into a full-time infrared camera by removing (physically) the internal infrared filter (hot-mirror). Then you replace that hot-mirror with a regular piece of glass (same or close-to-the same thickness). this will allow them to have full control in manual mode, and you can shoot EVERYTHING in IR, focus manually, and shoot on ANY shutter speed with AMAZING results! We plan to eventually turn our F-717 into an infrared cam so we have more control. The other way to take IR images with our cam is to use our IR filter that we purchased. But the problem with this is that the hot-mirror is CUTTING OUT almost all the infrared part, and then you have external IR filter which cuts off almost all visible part of the spectrum, and what you have leftover is just a narrow window of IR light. They're not pure IR images. Anyway, we want to shoot PURE infrared images, and we just can't do that with our digital cams until we PHYSICALLY modify our camera. Once we do that, we will be able to take some INCREDIBLE infrared images because when we shoot, we will be capturing the ENTIRE infrared spectrum and not just a part of it!!!!!!! Check out this gallery guys. Don Ellis' IR images are made with a cam he has physically modified so he can take better IR images. We're gonna try to get our 3rd digital cam in Jan, and when we do, we will turn our Sony F-717 into an infrared cam, and i cannot WAIT!!!!

here's just a little tip for anyone who owns a Sony cam and wants to shoot IR images. the F-707 & F-717 cams have two IR lights which automatically illuminate your scene as soon as the cam is put in night shot mode. This is necessary if you shoot in complete darkness, but when you're shooting IR images in the daytime (with neutral density filters attached), they cause a problem because that light gets bounced off the filters back into the camera, causing two bright spots on the top part of your image. You can fix this by covering these two IR lights on your cam with black electrical tape. With the Sony F-828, it works just a bit differently because these IR lights are placed inside the pop-up flash. You just need to put your flash in manual mode so it doesn't come on when you're shooting IR images. Another thing i wanted to add about taking IR images with digital cams is that the hot mirror is made differently from manufacturer to manufacturer. Seems like the CHEAPER digital cams actually take BETTER infrared images because the hot-mirrors are cutting out LESS infrared light. Interesting!!! :) A better made hot-mirror is GREAT for taking regular pictures, but it sure makes it hard when you wanna take infrared (especially on DSLRs which do NOT have live preview!)

here are a few IR images i made last week using 2 ND filters, as well as a circular polarizer (just experimenting). honest feedback and suggestions, as always, are very welcome! this one i kinda like. wish the focus was sharper. *sigh*.

here's another version i'm working on.

IR reflections in the water. same filters used. very little postwork done to this. original was green. i changed the hue. tiny crop if i recall. well...still needs work but i kinda like this one too. dunno why. well, i just dig reflections. :)

again, same filters with this one. this is the cropped version. this was taken in the middle of the city...just a little river and a few trees...totally surrounded by businesses, parking lots, cars, and concrete. a little haven by the restaurant where we work. i don't really care for this one. i was really hoping to nail this shot. well, i will definitely shoot it again.

this one i took several weeks ago. i think i just used the IR filter on this one. i'm not sure if this one has potential, but i'm gonna work on it a bit 'cause i kinda like it. anyway, thanks so much guys for your time!!! i really appreciate it! i'm totally exhausted after working almost 40 hours the past 3 days. kemal and i are gonna go out and shoot here in just a bit! i'll catch up with you guys in here and in your galleries later. :)

oops...forgot the picture. here we go...

COOOOOOL!!! A full-time IR-cam!!! Aw, im happy for you Sheila! I know how much you love taking those shots.....my God, you take them so well. I just adore that second one from the bottom. What is that tree??? Is that a willow or what they are called? Thanks for sharing your news and your pointers. Im sure they will be useful for anyone thats interested in testing IR-shooting. #:O)

A full time IR digicam would be the coolest thing Sheila! :) Thanks for posting this very informative thread about your experiences, and for that link to Don Ellis' site. You know how much I like the IR effect...I'm quite jealous of how good his real IR images are. :) BTW, those last 2 images are amazing, and the very last is out of this world!!! ((drools))

Cool thread! I don't have an IR filter, but I think you can get a pretty decent "pseudo-IR" effect experimenting with the Virtual Photographer filter, specifically the "ANVIL" preset.

Andreas, we don't have our IR cam yet. :( We won't convert his cam to an IR cam until Jan. hopefully we'll buy a new digital cam then. Yep, that's a weeping willow tree you were askin' about. :) Have you started doing any IR shooting yet? Kort, I'm jealous of Don Ellis' images too! OMG, i just cannot wait to be shooting EVERYTHING in IR!! LOL!!! and thanks guys for your feedback on those images! Joe, that's a neat image! i really love the reflections! that preset does do a good job! and the one Kort uses is good too! :)

Hey here are some inspiring IR galleries you might want to checkout (some are using Sony camera as Sheila stated above too!) Niek Haak Carl Schofield Herbert Schoenke pygmy Linda McIntyre

adding IR info to the tips link.. thank you sheila.. great info!

Fantastic links, Joe!!!! Thanks a bunch!!!! Niek Haak's gallery is the one i like the most!!! :) Thanks so much for posting these!!!! thanks, Cindy! :)

Very cool, more IR links...gotta check 'em out!

real cool looking. thanks for the tips