Indoor Infrared Photography with Gelled Flash

<p>I shoot lots of clubs, and have been trying to do it a bit more artistically than the typical photography of this type. I've done some pretty nice stuff, I think, but am getting a bit bored of my usual techniques and want to try something new.</p>

<p>I've thought that IR photography might work very well with the kind of thing I'm doing. It would certainly, I believe, look a bit bizarre and would be fun to try out at least.</p>

<p>I intend to shoot flash, and would prefer to gel it rather than put a filter over the lens. Obviously, filtering the lens would make it practically impossible for me to see to focus and compose, and I'm already shooting in a very dark environment as it is. Gelling the flash would also make it a little less obvious when I'm shooting the punters, as it would make the light from the flash practically invisible, and so might help me get nice candids.</p>

<p>I'm also toying with the idea of shooting both IR film and digital. The end product I want is black & white images, so I'd convert the digital shots in post. I have a Nikon D70 I could use (for its extra IR sensitivity, although it hasn't been modified as a primarily IR camera) and I'll be using an F4 or an FE for the film.</p>

<p>I've done a search here, but the information available, while some of it is useful, doesn't quite tell me everything I'd like to know.</p>

<p>I do know that Lee produces a Wratten 87 polyester filter that I could probably just tape over my SB-800. Any recommendations on which film might work best? (I do my own black & white processing & printing.) Any advice on the digital side?</p>

<p>I am of course going to experiment! With digital, it's no problem. I would like as much advice and information as I can get on using film for this, as that is a more expensive proposition and the results can't be assessed until afterwards. Not only that, the clubs I shoot are usually pretty packed as well as being dark & humid, I'm normally working for the promoter who wants shots he can use--my artistic aspirations be damned!--and I can't really take copious notes of settings as I'm taking the shots. So some good starting points would be well appreciated.</p>

<p>Thanks in advance for all advice, even if it consists of accusing me of being mad. Cheers!</p>

<p>If you tape a Lee 87 over your SB-800, the filter will melt to the SB-800 lens in a few shots. I've had much less restrictive filters (polarizers and green and red Roscoes) do that. Dismantling an SB-800 and spending the afternoon cleaning the lens with 1800 grit and Cerium oxide is not fun...</p>

<p>OK, I'm going to do something a little unusual for me. I'm going to tell you exactly how to do what you're trying to do, before I tell you why you shouldn't do it...</p>

<ul>

<li>The Lee comes in a 4 inch square. You can make a frame for that and mount it so that the filter is about 3 inches from the lens of the SB-800 (your frame will need a four walled holder, to keep too much visible light from leaking around. You could also experiment with cutting and folding Lee to cover a Nikon or Stofen diffusing dome. (I've always wanted to do that).</li>

<li>You will need the D70 modified for IR use, otherwise its effective sensitivity in the IR spectrum of an 87 filter is about ISO 4-8, with the camera cranked up to ISO 800. That will make flash photography too difficult, your working range will be about 2 feet. Also, the camera, focusing with visible light, will have a substantial focus error in the infrared. That's why older manual focus lenses and some AF primes have IR correction marks. Those marks are off, they correct for Kodak HIE film with a Wratten 25 filter. The correction for Wratten 87 is about twice that. A good IR conversion of the camera will include correcting the focus for one of your lenses. (better pick your favorite correctly).</li>

<li>You can't filter the AF illuminator on the camera into IR, it's a nearly monochrome red LED. You'd have to replace the LEDs in the SB-800 or the SC-29 (I'd advice the latter) with IREDs to get an invisible AF illuminator. </li>

</ul>

<p>Now, why you shouldn't do this...</p>

<ul>

<li>IR "sees through" certain clothes: tight synthetic materials. A club is exactly where you're most likely to see that sort of clothing, along with a frequent lack of underwear. One ticked customer gets the idea you're catching "x-ray camera" looks at his girlfriend's secrets, and you're going to need an ER visit to have your camera removed from one of your bodily orifices.</li>

<li>Tattoos also end up showing up through clothing in IR shots.</li>

<li>IR negates makeup. Any blemish someone has covered gets uncovered in an IR shot.</li>

<li>IR shows "pooled blood" as dark blotches. Only reasonably calm and centered people look "ethereal" in infrared photographs. Excited people, with physical exertion, alcohol, and drug use look like hell: the skin literally looks rotten, a blotchy zombie army. It's hard enough to get club photos that look reasonably human under visible light.</li>

<li>With manual focus cameras like the FE and the F4 (and no trying to pretend the F4 can autofocus in a club), you need to manually compensate the focus for IR. Good luck doing that with moving subjects.</li>

<li>An IR flash, despite the low visible light output, has a large total light output, and it can burn eyes at close range. If people don't think you're flashing, they won't keep clear of you. It's a big liability risk.</li>

</ul>

<p>In short, IR event photography is possible (I've actually second shootered an entire wedding in IR), but it's insanely difficult, and depending on the event, totally ill advised.</p>

<p>Check out http://www.beyondvisible.com/ and get in touch with Shane.</p>

<p>Displayed on the website are UV filters for flash but he made me an IR filter for my SB-14 so may be able to do the same for your flash. They are solid filters not gels so you do not have to worry about them melting.</p>

Just signed up for an account to reply to this. Hoping eight years hasn't been too long to continue this discussion! Wondering if the OP's digital IR setup was tested in a club setting, and where some sample photos could be seen. I had a similar epiphany recently, and will be trying out some party photography with a converted Canon 6D and a hot shoe mounted IR light

An array of IR LEDs would probably be a bit of a game changer in this field.

 

Start collecting old TV remotes?

Check ebay. Scientific companies like Edmund optical sell IR light sources and sometimes you find old equipment cheap second hand. Those cameras used by hunters at night have IR sources.

Digital by far is the way to go these days. If your DSLR is modified with clear optical glass you can shoot from UV into IR. You then have the option of being selective by using a IR filter from 650nm (near IR with some visible red) to 1000nm (deep IR with near X-ray).

Take note that your focus will shift. And removing the cameras filter and replacing it with clear or IR glass might through off the finders focus. Every lens will be different as well. You need to make lots of tests.

But considering this all, you have a great project ahead. Have fun!

An array of IR LEDs would probably be a bit of a game changer in this field.

 

Start collecting old TV remotes?

 

You can easily buy IRLEDs:

 

Infrared, UV, Visible Emitters | Optoelectronics | DigiKey

 

Probably easier to use traditional ones with solder leads. It wouldn't be hard to arrange an array of them.