IR effect

[tomcat]

Tomcat, would appreciate it if you could advise how you use the channel mixer to process this photo. I don't seem to be able to have any colors adjusting the channel mixer. I know that it's not a good pic, but just one for you to teach your mastery. Thanks

Pai seh leh.... I also not master at IR photography.. just starting only.
:embrass:

From what I learnt so far, whether or not you get colours in your IR pics depends on the camera used, the IR filters used and whether or not you used a Custom White Balance when taking the pics.

I presume you are using 300D and Hoya R72 filter. If 300D is like the 10D, the IR images should have colours that are processible. Your pic however looked to be quite close to B&W. Did you do a CWB or did you 'Autocolor' it away in Photoshop? The top part of the sky could be black because it was cloudless but the lower part should show some red before channel swap and blue after channel swap because it looked like there were clouds there.

If the original image was indeed lacking in colour, one thing you can do is to increase the colour saturation either before or after you do the channel swap. You should also do Level adjustments as well.

Try the post processing again and see if it could be improved. Or you can send me the original file and I can try it out myself. The pic you posted is too small to work on without causing a lot of jpeg artifacts. Don't know if the CS forum allows members to see each other's email address or not. Mine was not set to hide but if you can't send to me for some reason and want to, let me know and I'll pm you the address.

 

[teerex]

Tomcat,

I'm using a CP5700, WB was set at Auto. The only post done was contrast correction 'cos the original was very dark. Shot at +2ev.
I'll try to send you the original pic from the CF. Don't know if able to but will try.

In the meantime, I'll try to see what I can do.

Thanks. :thumbsup:

 

[jujuman]

Tomcat, I shot the pic in RAW, but with Auto White Balance. It cast a reddish hue, and the sky was quite dark.
This time I tried Autolevels in PS and the pic turned out much better, with that surreal effect.
However, the sky still remained dark, almost black. Can't get it to look bluish.

I've posted the pics, JPG format, in my pbase gallery. Maybe you can use that image to play around with.

 

[tomcat]

Tomcat, I shot the pic in RAW, but with Auto White Balance. It cast a reddish hue, and the sky was quite dark.
This time I tried Autolevels in PS and the pic turned out much better, with that surreal effect.
However, the sky still remained dark, almost black. Can't get it to look bluish.

I've posted the pics, JPG format, in my pbase gallery. Maybe you can use that image to play around with.

I downloaded your full-sized jpg files and tried to correct the white balance but it was not too successful as the IR images were still quite monotonous, like this:

You might have more success if you try to correct the white balance during the raw conversion process. Members of other forums have posted that it is OK to use AWB if the end result is B&W IR but it is necessary to use CWB if the result is to be coloured IR pics.

Also, in coloured IR, a clear cloudless sky will always appear totally black. The sky would only be blue if there is are very light clouds. So if you want blue skies in IR photos, the sky must not be cloudless.

By the way, if you examine the photos closely, you would notice that the lens that you are using has a IR hot-spot in the centre as evident by the blurry flare-like spot in the centre of each pic. This is actually very common with most lenses, some has it worse than others. If you want to use this lens, do not point it such that the hot spot ie centre of the lens, is on any thing bright like a white cloud in the sky or a white or light colour object. Try always to take pictures with the sun behind you to minimise the hot-spot problem in your pics.

 

[jujuman]

Thanks so much for the tips Tomcat. I'll bear those in mind next time.
BTW, the lens I'm using is the 18-55mm bundled lens that came with the EOS 300D

Thanks again for the help


TM