Spice Up Your Photos by Using Infrared!
ÒThe most commonly used is Kodak high speed, 35mm, which is outstanding for portraits, indoors or outdoors, in any kind of light. Also, Konica, in 120 format can be ordered directly or through some camera stores. Using this film stock, even harshly lit portraits will appear as softly lit, and elements may take on a slight glow, with red or orange filters enhancing the infrared effects.
It"s important to keep in mind that exposure for infrared is different than what the light meter reads, so when shooting the first few rolls, bracket shots at least one stop under and one stop over the metered or normal exposure, and keep in mind that as with any other black and white or color film, that it"s better to overexpose than to underexpose (an underexposed negative will cause detail to be lost in the print, while an overexposed negative may yield a print that"s slightly grainy, but the detail will be present.)
Most lenses have a red dot (or a red line on the barrel of a zoom lens) to use in focusing infrared film. Ideally, you should focus normally, and then rotate the focus ring so that the focus distance lines up with the infrared mark. Normal focusing will work well at distances of several feet or more unless the aperture is open wider than F8.
While infrared processing is by the same method as any other black and white film, it"s important to keep in mind that infrared film must be loaded and unloaded in total darkness.
Experiment and have fun with infrared film, and try shooting at least one infrared roll at every session. If you keep it loaded in a separate camera, you can shoot it intermittently during your session.
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