Recently I have started using Rollei Retro 80s film with an IR 72 filter again, for an infrared look. On a bright sunny day at midday I rate the combo at EI 2, typically shooting a 1/2 second exposure at f/16. Even though this is not a true infrared film stock, I do like the look I get.
I took both images with my Rolleiflex 3.5E3 twinlens reflex. TLR’s and rangefinders are great for infrared work, compared to SLR’s as the IR 72 filter is almost completely opaque to visible light.
While walking in Edinburgh, we passed by what appeared to be a playing field. After seeing hills of rock and natural ground cover, seeing this perfectly flat space covered by artificial turf seemed almost surrealistic, and an infrared treatment seemed appropriate.
Nikon D7100, 18-200mm Nikon lens
Post-processing with Lightroom and Nik Efex
(Scheduled post while I’m away)
I’ve been to these tracks many times. First time I’ve shot them in infrared.
Rolleiflex E3, 75mm/3.5 Xenotar with IR 72 filter,
Rollei Retro 80s film
developed in Rodinal 1+50 for 14 minutes @ 20 C
This past weekend on another gloriously sunny day I went out to do some more infrared shooting; I am definitely binging!
Rolleiflex E3, 75mm/3.5 Xenotar lens with IR72 Infrared filter.
Exposure 1/2 second @f16
Rollei Retro 80s film,
developed in Rodinal 1+50 for 14 minutes @ 20 C
Yesterday I went down to the Beaches with a couple of cameras loaded wih EFKE 820 Aura infrared film. This film is no longer made, and the remaining rolls are fetching high prices on eBay etc. I had three rolls of this stock, two years past date and not cold-stored, so there is no way the film should have worked, but it did 🙂
Rolleiflex E3, 75mm/3.5 Xenotar lens with IR72 filter
One second exposure @ fll
Around 30 years ago in the early 1980’s I shot a roll of Kodak Infrared Ektachrome E4 Slide film (you can see an image from that roll here). It was magic, but I never got around to shooting more of it.
A couple of weeks ago I shot two more rolls of Colour Infrared Slide film, purchased from the Film Photography Project online store. They have a limited supply of an equivalent E6 process infrared slide film, expired but cold stored. Here is one of my favourite images:
With the proper filtration (in this case a yellow-green filter and a polarizing filter) you get some really interesting colour effects, with foliage coming out red in a lot of cases, and blues tone becoming very vivid. The world becomes a different, alien, fantastic place.
I wish I could shoot this film stock all the time, as I don’t feel digital infrared (either post-processed faux infrared, or specially converted digital camera) gives the same magical effect. But I must be realistic: this film is not cheap, it is no longer made, and E6 slide processing is getting rarer, except by mail order.
A magic, but transient moment, and I mourn its imminent passing.
This past Saturday I was with my Photographic friends Mike and Donna, shooting infrared film In Kleinburg, Ontario. I was shooting Efke 820 Aura infrared film, but the it turned out the filter (an IR 920) was blocking the wrong light, and when I developed the film that evening, I was horrified to see basically a blank roll :-(. All I have from Saturday is mosquito bites.
Not wanting to admit defeat, I went out on Sunday with a different filter (this time an IR 72) and a different infrared film to Guild Park in Scarborough, and had somewhat better luck 🙂
(Nikon F3, 28mm/2.8 Nikkor lens, Rollei Retro 80s film, IR72 filter, 1 second exposure @ f16,
developed in HC-110 Dilution H for 10 minutes @ 20 C)
It has been quite awhile since I have seen non-expired colour infrared film available for sale. Black and white is easy to get, though not inexpensive, but not colour, so today I have a faux-infrared image taken with my iPhone using the Hipstamatic application. When I walk to from the bus stop to my office I pass large power lines and towers every day, and I am always struck by the lines and drama.
I continue to work a lot with Ilford SFX Infrared film, as I love what it does with people’s skin. I used it last Wednesday for a shoot with a lovely young model. Although this film’s nominal speed is ISO 200, I normally shoot it at ISO 25, because of the red filter (25R) I use to accentuate the effect. This time out though, I had a senior’s moment and shot it at 100, 2 stops underexposed. After thoroughly cursing my own carelessness, I looked online for the best way to process the film to salvage something, and ended up developing it in HC-110 developer for 19 minutes, to give a two stop push. The results are amazing! The glow and grain really work well together! I’ll have to try to screw up more often!
For the the image below I took a hybrid approach, using Nik Silver Efex Pro on the negative scan to accentuate the graininess and texture.
Black and White photography by definition is a reductive exercise, just by stripping away colour, to focus on light, shadow, tonality and texture. In this portrait, we go even further; only the eyes and hands are unobscured, but even so the model packs a lot of expression into her eyes and hands. On of my favourite portraits of 2011!
Picture taken with Mamiya M645, 80mm f2.8 lens with 25A red filter, Ilford SFX Infrared film. One shoot through umbrella to model’s right.
My Third Eye 