with Canon PowerShot G1 and Hoya R72 Filter
Xiang Gui
Canon PowerShot G1 is one of the best digital cameras for infrared (IR) photography. In comparison with other Canon G-series cameras (G2, G3, and G5), the G1 has a much less aggressive internal hot mirror for filtering infrared light. Also, the G1 has a four-colour CYGM array as opposed to the normal RGB array of the other G-series cameras. I am now using my G1 specifically for shooting infrared pictures, while my G3 is used for taking normal shots.
Recently, I have been thinking about the look of an IR image – monochrome (B&W) or colour. Many IR photographers prefer B&W as it may be considered as the closest to infrared. However, the most popular IR filter nowadays, Hoya R72, is not opaque enough to prevent all visible light from coming into the lens and reaching the CCD. The colour processing arrangement and optical system inside the G1 seem to cooperate very well with the R72 filter. Due to the red light with a relatively long wavelength travelling through the R72 filter, the image straight from the camera has a red or magenta colour cast. Most importantly, you can see some filtered colour components across the entire image that come naturally with the G1/R72 combination. These components form the basis of the colour IR photography under consideration, and make any laboured manual tweaking unnecessary.
It is very convenient to set a custom white balance to clean up the reddish hue. This can be done either on camera during shooting in the field or in a digital "darkroom" using image-editing software such as Photoshop. For an image in JPEG format, Photoshop works reasonably well although to shoot in RAW using the G1 means a greater level of comfort for such an adjustment. In effect, the setting of a custom white balance establishes the main theme of an IR image.
Of course, this is not "real" infrared – but does that matter?! Greyscale is not a "right" look to the world either. Regardless of the historical reason, its ability of evoking atmosphere and strength on tonal differences have well been appreciated. By the same token, the use of a monochromatic colour in IR photography also has its value for generating a specific otherworldly feeling. In contrast to regular monochromatic colour pictures, a monochromatic colour in an IR photo does not result in a sombre or low-key image as a normal image often does.
Owing to the G1/R72 combination and post processing, colours are "tuneable" somewhere between monochromatic and normal. Consequently, the image can be made in such a way to have a restricted range of colours which are partially "true" (meaning a natural setting but not necessarily exactly the same as those in reality) and partially "false" (especially for the snowy IR look of the foliage). This could provide a landscape picture with dramatic hues and vigorous contrast for visual entertainment. As one objective of IR photography, what I would like to achieve is a dreamy mood with unusual but pleasing nuances to the scene while still maintaining the sense of reality.
To technically obtain a most desired effect, Photoshop or other software processing is of paramount importance. The retouching procedure is not particularly complicated and normally does not consume too much time. Levelling is my initial step to tighten things up. To swap the red and blue channels turns the sky back to blue. This is useful as an overly eerie scene may not be wanted from time to time. Colour balance adjustment is also helpful because, as discussed above, colour fidelity here represents a totally different concept in comparison with the normal colour picture. Other procedures, e.g., cropping and sharpening, are not unique to IR photographs. After completing the workflow, you might feel quite excited looking at the final version of the photograph – What a pleasant surprise!
A regular colour picture records a scene as we see it. It is basically what it is and leaves not much room for imagination. The reasons why I like IR images are not only because of being able to see the actual effect of invisible light, but also because of various "true" or "false" colours that may be recreated during and after shooting. This approach in balancing realistic and surreal colours offers remarkable artistic flexibility and adds a further dimension for photographic interpretation. Therefore, the entire process becomes more interesting and enjoyable.
Welcome to let me know what you think. You may email me at x.gui@shaw.ca. Thank you!
_____________________________________________________
Xiang Gui's Gallery of Colour IR Photos:
_____________________________________________________