Infarred + M8

[POINT OF VIEW]

The M8 is coming up on it’s one year anniversary. I am sure everyone remembers the internet lighting up with mostly negative comments about the M8 camera, could not see synthetic black. It would display it as a dark purple at best. It still does, without the IR filter. I was on the line regarding whether I should buy or not buy. For many reasons I decided to buy. The one big reasons that made up my mine to buy, was for the very reason many people said the camera was flawed. I realized with the right filter I could finally take decent infrared photos. I spent many years with M6 & later M7 with IR film trying to get predictable IR shots. At best it was always a crap shoot. Not to mention the loading, unloading and developing of the film in total pitch black darkness (even, no safe light in the dark room ). So along comes the M8, I now had the best of both worlds, the full color spectrum and the invisible IR world. The attached IR photos are all M8, shot in B&W with a very dense red filter. I show some back to back regular IR shots, than some with some pastel coloring done is Corel Paint. I used to hand color IR prints and it took for ever to get the same results. My fascination with IR is the phantom, ghostly appearance. I realize like all forms of art, IR isn’t for everyone, but if you are experimenting with IR, I would love to see your results. Here are mine.
http://www.pbase.com/leicalight/infrared_m8

 

[Essemmlee]

Now they are a bit freaky.

IR is a great medium for landscape pictures and you have some fine examples. I'm not sure it works as well when there are people in the frame. My opinion, which is worthless, except to me.

 

[bottley1]

Dear Point of View,
Nice! For the coloured shots do you hand tint them in PS afterwards?

 

[POINT OF VIEW]

M8 + Ir + Color

M8 + Ir + Color

Hi, I do not use Photo Shop, I like and use a software called, Corel Paint Shop, Pro Photo X1. It has a more intuitive work flow and is cheaper than PS Elements. Thank Bill

 

[davidzapr]

A second to paint shop pro! Great photos!

 

[jbf]

A lot of these photos seem to have a massive lack of sharpness. I'm just curious as to why? Is it because of the long exposure times or perhaps because of the aperature/focusing or is it just the cameras resolution?

Interesting results though! The pastel coloring is quite interesting.

I really like some of the shots of the harbor(sp?) and of the trees/leaves.

 

[DaveB]

 

[POINT OF VIEW]

Infrared sharpness

Infrared sharpness

Hi, regarding sharpness, there is a inherent soft edge with everything done in infrared. With that said, your right, some of the photos could be more edged. That would require a tripod and increasing the F stop. Everything on that shoot was hand held. There really is a great potential for making artistic photographs with infrared. Thank you for your comments. Bill

 

[jbf]

Wow! I always though you had to have a tripod for infrared. I had no idea you could hand hold that! Thats awesome.

BTW, people look sooo strange in infrared!