Infrared Photography refers to the area of photography in
which photos are taken with film sensitive to infrared light. In
infrared photography, the filter
only allows the infrared wavelengths, not the wavelengths of visible
color, to pass through and produce an image. Visible color wavelengths
range from 400 nm (nanometers) to 700 nm; infrared wavelengths range
from 700 nm to 1200 nm. Most modern cameras have an infrared setting.
Although infrared photos can present everyday images in a new light,
they can also highlight objects that aren’t commonly visible to the
naked eye.
During the 1960s, infrared photography was especially popular in the
designs of musician album covers. Jimi Hendrix was one of the more
famous musicians who used the psychedelic feel of infrared photography
to produce a trippy effect. However, professional photographers, such as
Elio Ciol, have also used infrared photography for subtle aesthetic
effect.
While people and animals can be subjects of infrared photography,
cityscapes are more popular images rendered through an infrared lens.
For example, top-down views that show the layout and infrastructure of
the city are commonly shot through the infrared setting. Most often,
infrared photography is a tool for professional photographers and
scientific researchers, rather than hobbyists and amateurs.
Categories:
Types of Photography
