Theme - IR Cloud

[Cheryl Slechta]

Finally I'm getting around to working on images after traveling, trying to sell camera gear, getting my house and property in order so I can sell them, and backing up all of my images onto a new external hard drive! And I don't multi-task well

One of the items I'll be selling is an infrared converted camera. I have 2 - a 30D with enhanced black and white conversion and a Rebel T3 with an enhanced color IR conversion. I've got to convince myself that I'll like the color IR images when I convert them to a straight black and white ir image. (Sorry, long explanation). Anyway, here's one that started out as a colored IR. I converted to b&w in CC, then used Nik SEP overexposure and changed the film to Ilford FP4 Plus, then CEP Midnight and played around with the sliders, added a slight frame and then back into LR and did some negative dehazing to soften it up as the Ilford had made it very grainy (I love grain but I wanted a softer effect).

So, it's just a grab shot and the clouds aren't very impressive but I like the way their shapes mirrored the shapes of the tree line.

[Dennis Bishop]

Based on this, I'd be very happy with the conversion of colored infrareds. I agree with you about the appeal of the cloud shape following the edges of the trees. Every once in a while, it's possible to incorporate something like that into an image. The tonal range in both the trees and clouds is great and so is the diagonal. Every once in a while -- mostly when I see images like this -- I want to get an old camera body converted to IR.

[Judy Howle]

This is really lovely Cheryl! It works well in IR. I too like the composition with the clouds mirroring the shape of the trees.

I didn't know you were moving! Are you leaving FL? I hoped to get down to see you in Micanopy before long.

[Cheryl Slechta]

This is really lovely Cheryl! It works well in IR. I too like the composition with the clouds mirroring the shape of the trees.

I didn't know you were moving! Are you leaving FL? I hoped to get down to see you in Micanopy before long.

Hi, Judy, not leaving Florida. I'm hoping to move to downtown St. Petersburg if (a) I sell my place and (b) I can find an apartment to rent. So it'll probably be awhile.

[Michael Gerald-Yamasaki]

Cheryl,

Greetings. A very engaging image - sharp contrast yet soft seeming. I like the leaves against the clouds. Regarding your process why convert in CC when you have and use SEP? Thanks for posting.

Cheers,

-Michael-

[Cheryl Slechta]

I usually never convert in CC but when I pulled it into CC I wanted a quick glance to see what it looked like. Then I ran through the different options and used IR which lightened it up a bit. So I started from there and went into SEP. Not my usual routine.

Cheryl,

Greetings. A very engaging image - sharp contrast yet soft seeming. I like the leaves against the clouds. Regarding your process why convert in CC when you have and use SEP? Thanks for posting.

Cheers,

-Michael-

[Nancy Bell]

I like the glow that you get with IR images. That combined with the deep blacks of the branches & the sky make this dramatic, in a bit of an unearthly way.

Good luck with the sorting thru stuff, selling, moving, etc. I did all that almost exactly a year ago when I left Colorado for Arkansas. I hope you have some helpers!

[Diane Miller]

Very cool image -- I love to play with IR and haven't had time in a while. You gave me a push -- thanks!

I love the color IR filter, even though I rarely do the creative color stuff, and generally tone it down when I do. I love using SEP and love the range of gray I can get in skies.

I find if I'm going to go to B/W I don't need to go outside LR/ACR to adjust the white balance of the raw file to separate the colors to match what I get with the in-camera JPEG. (LR/ACR doesn't go far enough with WB to match the in-camera setting.) Working directly from the reddish color balance gives me the same result, which is surprising. I shoot raw + JPEG to see what the JPEG looks like, but much prefer the raw file for the Shadows and Highlights adjustments before going to PS.

[Anita Bower]

I completely agree that the clouds nicely complement the tree. Looks good in infrared. Lovely composition.
You certainly are busy!