Take a look at the image above and you’ll see how unique, surreal and concrete it looks. While this may look like an effect done in Photoshop or After Effects, it’s actually achieved in camera by capturing infrared light, a spectrum of light that exists outside the boundaries of human vision. While we may not be able to see infrared light with the naked eye, we can capture it with a camera (after setting it up), and if shot correctly, the results can be stunning. After reading this article, you will understand the basics of infrared cinematography and how to achieve this look in camera.
There are many key characteristics of infrared imagery, and they all boil down to how color and light appear on the final image. For example, look at these two sample images from Wikipedia, one taken normally and one taken with an infrared camera:
This is a fairly typical example of what you’ll see when shooting infrared, at least in outdoor locations: black sky, white-pink foliage, and less visible color. Obviously, this is a very specific look that you’ll only want to use in special situations, but it’s great for music videos, experimental films, dream sequences, and other situations that could benefit from a more surreal aesthetic. While there are many ways to try to replicate this look in post-production, it will never be the same as what is actually achieved in camera.
why so striking
Although infrared lenses show us a part of the spectrum that we don’t normally see with the naked eye, they still have a natural quality to them that you can never achieve in post-processing to the same degree as when capturing organic matter. Being able to see the hidden parts of the spectrum gives the viewer a sense of entering another world that can only be achieved by shooting in this way. One of my favorite examples of films shot using infrared is the documentary Enclave. The following is an interview with artist and photographer Richard Mosse describing his approach to the format:
How to get the look
There are many ways to capture infrared images, just like there are many ways to capture regular photos or videos. Back in the days of film, you could go out and buy special infrared film that was sensitive to infrared light, which was a great solution at the time, but for the purposes of this article, I’m going to discuss your two main options if you’re shooting digitally words. Before I begin the explanation below it’s worth noting that digital cameras are actually specifically designed not to capture infrared light. There is an IR blocking filter on modern digital cameras that blocks infrared light so that it doesn’t interfere with your image, since infrared light doesn’t look good mixing with light from the normal spectrum. Therefore, both options below involve fixing the problem or modifying the built-in IR blocking filter:
Option 1 – IR Filter
I’ll preface my explanation of this particular option by pointing out that this method is generally better suited for photos than for movies. Even so, I’m including it here because in some situations (like time-lapse photography, or if you’re shooting with a camera like the C100 that can shoot at very high ISOs) it might be a viable choice.
As I mentioned above, digital cameras often have built-in infrared blocking filters that block infrared rays from hitting the sensor. But fortunately, these filters do not block 100% of infrared light, and in fact there is still enough infrared light hitting your sensor that you can extract an infrared image from it. The goal is to let only infrared light hit your sensor, which means you’ll need to use a special infrared filter, like this one from Hoya:
Hoya infrared filters from B&H
This filter is designed to filter out all light except light on the infrared spectrum. Since your camera already blocks a lot of infrared light internally, this means that when you use a filter like the one above, you’re only letting a small amount of light reach the sensor. That’s why I said before that this technique is most commonly used in photography, because you can set a long exposure and compensate for the fact that very little light hits the sensor. Unfortunately, for video, you generally want a shutter speed of 180 degrees (or 1/48 when shooting 24p), which makes this option less than ideal in most situations. Still, if you’re shooting in a very bright environment (let’s say a beach on a sunny day at noon), and you’re using a fast lens (F1.4 or so), you should still be able to get usable results. This is especially true if you’re using a camera like the C100 or C300 that can shoot at very high ISOs to help you get extra exposure.
Option 2 – Modify the camera
Your other option is to actually modify your camera and remove the IR blocking filter from the inside, then modify it to only allow infrared light. This sounds drastic, but it’s actually relatively simple to do, and most local camera stores can remove it for a reasonable cost ($300 – $400 on average). There is no doubt that removing the IR blocking filter will give you better results than just using an IR filter (as described in option 1) as you will have more light actually hitting the sensor , which means you can still see the infrared effect in low light. Not to mention, you don’t need to use another filter on the lens because it’s all done internally, which makes shooting infrared even simpler.
Of course the downside to modifying the camera is that you can only use it for infrared photos/movies after modification. That said, if you have an older digital SLR camera but you don’t use it that often, and you plan on doing some more experimental filmmaking, it might be a good choice.
If you are thinking about shooting some infrared footage and are looking for a low light lens or two to help you out in your shooting situation, be sure to check out my 10 Affordable Lenses for Shooting in Extremely Low Light Conditions.
