Gazebo
Taken at the Singapore Botanical Gardens using infrared filter and long exposure
Taken at the Singapore Botanical Gardens using infrared filter and long exposure
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Sep, 2014Views
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Behind The Lens
Location
This shot was taken at the Singapore Botanical Gardens. I was on an overnight transit and decided to spend some time in the city. The last time I visited this place was when I was doing some business over there and I love spending weekends at the gardens relaxing away from the busy city. I also just finished a course on infrared photography a few months before and thought the gardens would be a perfect place to take some dreamy or surreal infrared shots.Time
It was definitely mid day, around noontime. I remember it was really hot that day and I think I got a sunburn from standing under the sun to take these shots. But it was the perfect time to take infrared photos.Lighting
It was definitely harsh, direct sunlight as it was noontime, an optimal time to take infrared photos.Equipment
I had a Nikon D5300, a tripod and of course an IR (infrared) filter and towel to cover my camera and another one to wipe my sweat haha.Inspiration
I've always wanted to take one of those dreamy shots that I've seen on the internet. Prior to this, I took a short infrared photography course, so I was pretty excited to try it out on the field as well. I was on my way to a photography trip so I had my equipment with me. I love how this is supposedly seeing the world of the "unseen" as we don't normally see infrared light. And I wanted to explore how this type of photography can supposedly capture a clearer picture despite haze or fog. I love exploring the various areas of photography and this was a different type of creative art for me, sort of like a confluence between photography and art that one can create and customize. To me photography captures or documents an actual scene while infrared photography allows me to use that scene as a foundation then allow my imagination and creativity to be embedded.Editing
Yes, as part of making infrared photos, we have to do some post-processing. I shot in RAW and opened it in Photoshop, followed the IR workflow and experimented with the Channel Mixer as well as Hues, Saturation and Luminosity setting.In my camera bag
I normally have my Nikon D5300 with my 18-200mm travel lens but depending on where I am going to shoot, I would also bring my wide angle lens. More recently, I've gradually transitioned my photography to an Olympus Pen F camera with a 24-140mm lens especially when I travel for leisure. And similarly, I would bring a wide angle lens when opportunities to use this come along. Due to my switch to micro 4/3, I'd been able to bring along more lenses as well as filters when I travel, without breaking my back, and so as not to miss any unplanned opportunities. And of course, cleaning accessories, batteries plus storage cards are always part of my bag.Feedback
This is a very specialized kind of photography and while it's interesting and offers an artist to flex his/her creativity, it's not for everyone. Shooting it is easy, but there's a lot of post-processing steps to do before your photo becomes ready to show. It does require a lot of patience and detail-oriented attention. I recommend everyone to explore especially if you're still discovering your unique style. Use your existing camera and if possible, just borrow an IR filter instead of buying it to try it out first. And if this is something you like, then you can invest in accessories later on. Professionals use separate converted cameras specially for IR photography, which can be pricey.
