The wind blew slowly at the Prairie Grove Battle Field Park, we simply could not have asked for a better day or location to learn about the dynamic uses of black and white infra-red film. Infra-red film is truly a film of art, for the images you create exhibit a surreal characteristic that bring forth thoughts of alien landscapes or fairytale woodlands. The film is by far not an accurate means of photography for the average user. Instead you rely on the philosophy of mass, taking a large number of pictures to find the one you call art. Even with the many variables, there are a number of things you can do to improve and produce outstanding infra-red photographs.

The following information can be found on www.fotoinfo.com , a great source of various photographic techniques.

Please understand that IR Photography is easy, although it might take the cost of a couple of rolls of film and some effort to get good results. Anything more than that and you are doing something wrong.

Infrared film is available in both black and white negative film and color slide film. The black and white film is more common because it can be developed like any other black and white film without any special techniques. Handle both films in complete darkness when the camera is loaded and unloaded because the cassette is not capable of stopping infrared light from getting to the film however, it does stop visible light.

Exposing Infrared film

Camera meters and hand held photographic meters cannot measure IR radiation. There are meters available but their costs prohibits their use. There are ways to use regular meters effectively. Please follow our recommendations in the appropriate IR film type section and then test. Typical shooting situations can be repeated. Studio setups can be repeated so go for it but test first.

Focusing IR Light

There is a formula that helps in focusing IR light. This doesn't work well if you are running about with a 35mm camera. In the real world there a couple of things you can do. The most important is to use your depth of field. Depth of field will enable you to catch the focus. If you can not use depth of field then you must short focus the image. Look on your 50mm camera lens. There is generally an additional red mark that is to the left of the focus mark. This is for infrared light. It must be remembered that this is the mark you use if you are only using IR light or a Wratten 87 filter. You are still capturing visible light if you use a red or yellow filter. That visible light needs to be focused normally or it will be out of focus. So what do you do? Depth of field. Try and use f/11, f/16 or f/22 if possible. The visible spectrum is here.

B&W Infrared Films

There are three black and white films on the market. Kodak High Speed Infrared film HIE is the better known film. Konica's was second in the market and Ilford has a red extended sensitivity film.

Kodak HIE film is readily available in 35mm-36 exposure rolls, 35mm x125' and 4"x5". there are some special order sizes but the quantities make it cost prohibitive for the average user.

It is very easy to expose the Kodak film but as with all infrared films there are options that will change the look of the final print. Go to the how does it do it section to get an understanding of the films layers.

Exposing Kodak's B&W HIE Infrared Film

An easy way to test what the best exposure is in a shooting situation is to rate the film at EI 200 and meter through your filter with the camera meter. Do an exposure bracket of one stop over to one stop under. This exposure bracket, in a typical situation will generally give an excellent exposure. If it does not a greater bracket is needed or an adjustment to the initial EI is needed, depending if the negatives are to light or to dark.

What is an exposure bracket?

If the camera meter says 125th sec at f8 the bracket would be 125th at f5.6, f5.6.5, f8, f8.5, f11 for a total of 5 exposures. (Please note that your shutter speed stays constant.) Generally your lens will have some type of indicator for half stops with either a click or a mark. Eyeing the halfway mark works fine.

Filters for B&W Infrared Film

Filters are used with B&W infrared films to create the "infrared look" otherwise known as a ghost like quality. Yellow and red filters or any variation of these colors will give the infrared look while allowing you to see through the lens. Yellow provides the least effect and red the most effect.

There is a series of filters called opaque filters that allow only infrared light to expose the film. These filters are the 87 series Wratten filters from Kodak. These filters do not allow you to see through the lens or focus the camera. Composition and focusing must take place without the filter and then the filter is put on to expose the film. These filters are excellent for scientific work and in pictorial photography. They will give you the most infrared look and stop all other light from exposing the film. The trade off is that they are slower to work with because you can not see through them.

Exposing kodak's B&W HIE film without a filter will look like a very grainy black and white film without any infrared effect. Processing Kodak Black And White Infrared Film

Processing Kodak's HIE

Kodak's times in the processing section work fine. They are great a starting point. You might have to add or subtract time depending on how the negatives look. L I personally use something goofy that works fine for me. I process it in T-Max RS diluted 1:8 at 76 degrees for 8 min. Usually I rate the film at 200. Sometimes I bracket but usually I do not. Test. . . .Test. . . .Test.