Landscape Infrared. Recent shoot.

Johnny|lucidcomposure · 2 May 2007 at 22:04

Okay so as of late I have been asked a lot about infrared photography and it inspired me to get my blu tac out (Sorry if you don't get that)

Here are five of my recent works from

Congleton
Macclesfield
Peak District
Bosley

I call this one "Entity" There is rumor of a ghost figure that walks around this tree. I used an assistant to capture a ghosty image. Photographed at the Peak District

Photographed just as you get into Macclesfield along the Canal. I always wanted to capture this location ever since myself and an old lady friend took a walk down it many years ago. I only wish life can be viewed in infrared.

This was photographed at Bosley. This was the middle lock in a run of about 8 all next to each other. Very much a Cheshire point of intrest.

Macclesfield. This is a long boat depot. I stopped here as the building was such a good point of intrest which contrasted well infront of the wide canal and long boats.

Photographed in Congleton. Although this image suffers from some distortion from the EFs 10 - 22. I am pleased with the angle I managed to shoot at and the 135 second exposure gave plenty of motion in the forground branches.

Thanks for viewing.

Johnny

Dazzlercee · 2 May 2007 at 22:11

Great images, love IR as an alternative to standard imaging. I was at the top of Shuttlingsloe (nr Macc Forest) a couple of weeks ago...great view but visibility not good enough!

Messiah Khan · 2 May 2007 at 22:13

Some nice shots there. Can't wait for my Hoya R72 to turn up(How long does this damn hong kong post take :/). On the one from Bosley, what is cauing the distortion in the tree? Is that motion blur due to the shutter speed or something else?

yak.h'cir · 2 May 2007 at 22:13

Absolutely beautiful images! Would you mind sharing you processing technique?

Johnny|lucidcomposure · 2 May 2007 at 22:15

messiah khan said:
Some nice shots there. Can't wait for my Hoya R72 to turn up(How long does this damn hong kong post take :/). On the one from Bosley, what is cauing the distortion in the tree? Is that motion blur due to the shutter speed or something else?

Wind blowing the trees. My exposure times are between 40 seconds and 135 Seconds
ISO200 / 350
F8 / F11

yak.h'cir said:
Absolutely beautiful images! Would you mind sharing you processing technique?

These were shot in jpeg. I wanted to use the RAWs but I would loose my Custom WB and I dont care what anyone says. You cant re set it anywhere near as good as you can a custom preset one.

Curve adjustments/USM/Hue Saturation (moving the Cyan + 15 to bring in true blue from greenish blue)/Save as

^^Gord^^ · 2 May 2007 at 22:15

Some very nice shots there! The "ghost" idea worked very well and I really like the effect.

I'm not so sure about the last image, the leaves on the right handside distracted me from the water the first time I looked at it. Might be worth revisiting it and shooting from a lower angle?

Johnny|lucidcomposure · 2 May 2007 at 22:19

^^Gord^^ said:
Some very nice shots there! The "ghost" idea worked very well and I really like the effect.

I'm not so sure about the last image, the leaves on the right handside distracted me from the water the first time I looked at it. Might be worth revisiting it and shooting from a lower angle?

Funny you should say that. When waiting over 2 mins for the exposure I wandered around looking for better angles (Its only a peep hole you see there)
I am actually going back at the weekend (if its nice) and im going to stand in the actual waterfall and re take from a great angle. Its a very deep river and I will be standing on a ledge. I need to ensure its going to take my weight and will have my mate assisting me.

yak.h'cir · 2 May 2007 at 22:21

Fstop11 said:
These were shot in jpeg. I wanted to use the RAWs but I would loose my Custom WB and I dont care what anyone says. You cant re set it anywhere near as good as you can a custom preset one.

Curve adjustments/USM/Hue Saturation (moving the Cyan + 15 to bring in true blue from greenish blue)/Save as

Cheers! I'm going to have to sort myself out a filter to have a play

I wasn't aware you lost the custom white balance with RAW? When i shoot in RAW with my 350d as far as I can tell the custom balance stays...

Broadbandplacey · 2 May 2007 at 22:25

I'm going to go against the grain here and say that as IR goes they're not bad, but they're too soft, and the movement in the trees totally spoil them.

Most people just see the effect and go "ohhhhh amazing"

Strings · 2 May 2007 at 22:26

I love the second shot.

Have you a full res version of it?

^^Gord^^ · 2 May 2007 at 22:27

Fstop11 said:
Funny you should say that. When waiting over 2 mins for the exposure I wandered around looking for better angles (Its only a peep hole you see there)
I am actually going back at the weekend (if its nice) and im going to stand in the actual waterfall and re take from a great angle. Its a very deep river and I will be standing on a ledge. I need to ensure its going to take my weight and will have my mate assisting me.

Best check the camera insurance before going back then!

ElDude · 2 May 2007 at 22:52

I like that top shot. It's got a record cover feel about it.

Moredhel · 2 May 2007 at 23:14

Funny you should mention the super long exposures. Someone was talking about doing a 2 hour exposure of stars on his 400D by taking lots of 30 second exposures and compositing them somehow, anyone know how you do that? Is that what you do to hit 135 second exposure Fstop/11 or does your body let you do that anyway?

Johnny|lucidcomposure · 2 May 2007 at 23:17

Broadbandplacey said:
I'm going to go against the grain here and say that as IR goes they're not bad, but they're too soft, and the movement in the trees totally spoil them.

Most people just see the effect and go "ohhhhh amazing"

Try and shoot infrared on a Canon DSLR and tell me you can do better and I will accept that.
Don't expect sharpness at 135 seconds.
Thats two minutes and fifteen seconds it took to expose some of these shots. Wind can cause motion in 1/40th.

My 350D converted DSLR will produce needle sharp IR shots but at the moment this is the very best I can do with current kit.

Before I take an infrared photograph I have to scout what I feel is a pleasing composure. I think all my shots minus infrared promote that.
Please advice otherwise if not?

Let me guess.. Nikon user?

Thanks for the critic regardless

Johnny|lucidcomposure · 2 May 2007 at 23:19

Moredhel said:
Funny you should mention the super long exposures. Someone was talking about doing a 2 hour exposure of stars on his 400D by taking lots of 30 second exposures and compositing them somehow, anyone know how you do that? Is that what you do to hit 135 second exposure Fstop/11 or does your body let you do that anyway?

edit! I don't recall being drunk when I typed that but it makes no sense!!!

HE was doing that because his maximum shutter time was 30 seconds. I used a lockable remote trigger that I use with bulb mode to keep the shutter open until THE battery dies if I please.

Moredhel · 3 May 2007 at 11:27

Fstop11 said:
I was doing that because his maximum shutter time was 30 seconds. I used a lockable remote trigger that I use with bulb mode to keep the shutter open until by battery dies if I please.

Thank you.

Great shots by the way, despite other's negative comments about the tree motion, I think it adds to the ghostlike quality of the shots.

Mohain · 3 May 2007 at 12:47

Great stuff! No. 2 is excellent!

EDIT: Must get back into this IR thingy and get a filter for my sigma 10-20

Helium_Junkie · 3 May 2007 at 12:47

Quite stunning colours, the entity is a nice idea, well done

Amp34 · 3 May 2007 at 13:23

Fstop11 said:
edit! I don't recall being drunk when I typed that but it makes no sense!!!

HE was doing that because his maximum shutter time was 30 seconds. I used a lockable remote trigger that I use with bulb mode to keep the shutter open until THE battery dies if I please.

Actually that isnt quite true, the 400D has a bulb mode too. The problem is you cannot keep the shutter open for long enough if you want star trails due to too much light getting to the sensor. So he has to take multiple 30 second exposures and PS them together.

30 seonds does seem a little short for that sort of exposurre though.

And nice photos Fstop. What sort of exposure times will you need when you get our modified 350D? Into handheld or still 30 seconds or so?

Johnny|lucidcomposure · 3 May 2007 at 13:57

Amp34 said:
Actually that isnt quite true, the 400D has a bulb mode too. The problem is you cannot keep the shutter open for long enough if you want star trails due to too much light getting to the sensor. So he has to take multiple 30 second exposures and PS them together.

30 seonds does seem a little short for that sort of exposurre though.

And nice photos Fstop. What sort of exposure times will you need when you get our modified 350D? Into handheld or still 30 seconds or so?

Bulb mode is just how long you can hold the shutter down for. a remote trigger has a lockable trigger so it can be held down for any number of time.

My modified 350D will be able to shoot at speeds only about a stop less than what it can viewing visible light. Anything upto 1/4000th