Infrared (IR) photography involves capturing invisible light to produce striking images. To change a digital single-lens reflex (SLR) camera to infrared, you can add a filter and make minor adjustments or you can modify the camera permanently.
If you're just starting to explore infrared photography, it is safer to choose the simpler and nonpermanent option, which will enable you to learn how infrared photography works while still allowing you to use your D-SLR camera for normal shooting.
Instructions
1. Check your digital SLR camera and lens to get the specifications for buying a new filter. The IR filter you buy must fit the lens well.
2. Buy the IR filter for your camera. There are numerous options on the market. The main difference lies in the range of wavelengths each IR filter lets through.
3. Put your camera on a tripod and compose your shot early on. Once the filter is attached to the lens, you will most likely see nothing in the viewfinder. An IR filter looks black, and it readily blocks the image you should see in the viewfinder.
4. Put the filter onto the camera lens.
5. Use manual exposure. The camera's exposure meter won't work correctly with this set-up. Moreover, exposure times for IR photography are very long, even in broad daylight. Benchmark exposure times are 10 to 30 seconds; thus, a tripod is vital for avoiding motion blur. This is why most IR photos have subjects that are not moving. Landscapes are popular subjects for IR photography not only because they are static but also because most living things are rich in infrared.
6. Set your camera to auto focus (AF). It will also help if you step down the aperture enough to get focus on the entire distance of your subject. Older lenses may have a special IR focus distance guide. However, modern auto focus lenses do not.
7. Choose the lowest ISO setting to keep the noise level as low as possible.
Tags: your camera, auto focus, camera lens, exposure times, infrared photography