Meadowlark Botanical Gardens - IR Landscape

[slejhamer]

I've been experimenting with IR for the past month or so and took this at a park near my home. I used a circular polarizer to reduce glare from the pond, with the IR filter stacked on top.

Any tips on controlling exposure in shots like this would be appreciated, as would general comments/suggestions/likes/dislikes.

http://members.cox.net/mschlesinger/infrared_meadowlark_gardens.jpg

[Conk]

Very cool. I just gotta have one of those filters.

[slejhamer]

Thanks Colin!

Honestly I wasn't thrilled with the color tones in the image, but one of the things I like about IR is how well it lends itself to B&W and duotone.

After I posted the above image I went back and converted it to a gray quadtone, which I like better than the semi-radioactive look. Played with the frame, too.

What do the rest of you think? Does this image do anything for you? I haven't done much landscape shooting (color or otherwise) so I'd appreciate your feedback.

http://members.cox.net/mschlesinger/infrared_meadowlark_gardens_bw.jpg

Thanks in advance,

[ken-w]

slejhamer wrote:
What do the rest of you think? Does this image do anything for you? I haven't done much landscape shooting (color or otherwise) so I'd appreciate your feedback.


The photo looks great Mitch. I like the contrast of the gazebo thingy against the white foliage background and the dark water. The tree with leaves in the foreground creates a nice 3D effect for the photo.

[Leighow]

MITCH

Wonderful shot.. and I much prefer the IR over the greytone.

To be totally honest, if I did see the post but only the photo, I would have bet $10 that it was one of Don Ellis' shots from Bali. Just beatiful. Still. Supurb reflections. Symmetry. Civilized but country.

Indeed, if I did not know better I almost want to say that the background looks like a first snow has covered the leaves.

When your hot.. you're hot.

Thanks

HOWIE

[Rudi]

Mitch,

two thumbs up! :D

I also prefer the first one. What I think I'd like to see, is the first image inside the frame from the second one...

[slejhamer]

Well, thank you all for the encouragement! This park is walking distance from my house, and I'm eager to see how it looks through the seasons. (Looking forward to real snow, not the IR effect. Just gotta remember to increase exposure a stop or so... )

leighow wrote:
I would have bet $10 that it was one of Don Ellis' shots from Bali.

Now THAT is a compliment! However, as I study Don's and Ken's IR galleries, as well as other pros or semi-pros who shoot IR, I realize that my composition is a bit too busy. I will try to simplify using different angles. Again, fortunate that the park is so close to home. :)

KEN - thanks again for the emailed suggestions. I will give 'em a whirl. But tell me how do you get people in your IR shots that aren't blurred? The slow shutter speed is killing me.

HOWIE and RUDI - I keep flipping back and forth between the false color and the gray. My wife seems to like IR in general but not the cyan tone, so I may compromise and use sepia. I might also try diffusing it, an arsty-fartsy technique I've seen elsewhere and one that I kinda like.

RUDI - yes, I like that second frame much better, even with the false-color image. It's just the standard Photoshop drop-shadow action to which I added a 15-pixel black border. So easy, yet it seems nice and complementary. Thanks for noticing!

Cheers all,

[cgesteland]

Wow Mitch!

What a perfect reflection. Sheesh! I have to say I like the first one too. The colors are just more interesting to me than the ol' B&W.

Good framing and beautiful detail. Just one more thing my poor widdle s300 can't do. :(

;)

[slejhamer]

Thanks Clio :)

I ended up keeping the false colors for my print, but shifted the magenta hue to a burnt orange. Also played with the contrast (thanks again, Ken! ) and did some creative cloning. I'll post the final to my gallery soon.

Cheers,