Infrared photography captures light that is invisible to the human eye, revealing a world where green foliage glows white, skies turn dark and dramatic, and familiar landscapes become surreal dreamscapes. It is one of the most distinctive and visually striking techniques in photography, and once you understand the basics, it opens up an entirely new creative dimension.
This guide covers everything you need to get started with infrared photography, from the science behind it to practical shooting techniques and post-processing approaches.
What Is Infrared Photography?
All light exists on a spectrum of wavelengths. Visible light, the light our eyes can see, spans roughly 400 to 700 nanometers (nm). Beyond 700nm lies near-infrared light, which we cannot see but which camera sensors can detect. Infrared photography uses filters or modified cameras to capture this invisible light, producing images that look nothing like what our eyes perceive.
Different materials reflect and absorb infrared light differently than visible light. Chlorophyll in plants is highly reflective of IR light, which is why vegetation appears bright white or glowing in infrared images. Blue skies appear very dark because the atmosphere scatters less infrared light. Water absorbs IR light and appears dark. These dramatic tonal reversals are what give infrared photography its otherworldly appearance.
Methods for Shooting Infrared
There are two main approaches to infrared photography, each with distinct advantages and limitations.
IR filter on a standard camera. You can attach an infrared-pass filter (such as a 720nm or 850nm filter) to the front of any camera lens. These filters block visible light and only allow infrared light through. The downside is that most digital cameras have an internal IR-blocking filter over the sensor, which means very little IR light reaches the sensor. Exposures of 30 seconds to several minutes are typical, making a tripod absolutely essential. This method is inexpensive and lets you experiment without modifying your camera, but the long exposures limit what you can shoot.
Converted camera. A camera conversion involves removing the internal IR-blocking filter and replacing it with an IR-pass filter permanently installed over the sensor. This allows the camera to shoot infrared at normal shutter speeds, making handheld IR photography possible. The conversion is typically done by a specialist service and costs vary. Once converted, the camera can only shoot infrared (unless a full-spectrum conversion is done, which allows switching between IR and visible with external filters).
The Wood Effect
The most iconic visual signature of infrared photography is the “Wood Effect,” named after physicist Robert Wood, who first documented it in 1910. The Wood Effect refers to the bright, glowing appearance of living vegetation in infrared images. Green leaves, grass, and trees appear white or very pale because chlorophyll reflects near-infrared light intensely.
This effect is strongest in healthy, actively photosynthesizing vegetation. Spring and summer foliage produces the most dramatic Wood Effect. Dead leaves, dry grass, and evergreen needles reflect less IR light and appear darker. The contrast between glowing deciduous trees and a dark IR sky is one of the most visually compelling aspects of infrared landscape photography.
Best Subjects for Infrared Photography
Landscapes with vegetation. Scenes combining trees, grass, and sky produce the most dramatic IR results. The bright white foliage against a dark sky creates high contrast and an otherworldly atmosphere.
Architecture and monuments. Stone and brick buildings take on an ethereal quality in infrared. The surrounding vegetation glows white while the structures remain in their normal tonal range, creating a unique relationship between built and natural environments.
Clouds and skies. Infrared light creates dramatic contrast between clouds (which remain bright) and the sky (which turns very dark). Dramatic cloud formations become even more striking in IR.
Portraits. Infrared portraits have a distinctive look: skin appears smooth and porcelain-like, eyes can appear striking, and veins may become visible beneath the skin. This is a specialized look that suits certain artistic styles.
Exposure Settings for Infrared
With an IR filter on an unconverted camera, exposure times are extremely long. Start with ISO 200, f/8, and a 30-second exposure as a test, then adjust from there. Some camera and filter combinations may need exposures of 2 to 5 minutes. Use your camera’s Bulb mode and a remote release for exposures longer than 30 seconds.
With a converted camera, exposure settings are close to normal visible-light photography. You can use the same shutter speeds and apertures you would for any other genre. The camera’s meter generally works accurately with a converted sensor.
Shoot in RAW format. Infrared images require significant post-processing, and the extra data in RAW files gives you much more flexibility for white balance adjustments and channel swapping. JPEG compression discards information that is essential for IR post-processing.
Focusing in Infrared
Infrared light focuses at a slightly different point than visible light. This is called “IR focus shift.” With an unconverted camera and an opaque IR filter, you cannot see through the viewfinder to focus. The workflow is: compose and focus with the filter off, then carefully attach the filter without moving the focus ring.
Some older manual-focus lenses have a red IR focus mark on the barrel. After focusing normally, shift the focus to align with this mark. For other lenses, stop down to f/8 or f/11 to increase depth of field, which compensates for minor focus errors.
Live View can help with converted cameras, as you can see the infrared image on the screen and focus directly. Autofocus may also work on converted cameras, though accuracy varies by lens and conversion type.
Post-Processing Infrared Photos
Infrared images straight from the camera typically have a strong red or magenta color cast. Post-processing transforms these raw captures into finished images.
Black and white conversion is the simplest and most classic approach. Convert to monochrome and adjust the channel mixer to control how different elements render. The result is dramatic, high-contrast black and white images with glowing vegetation and dark skies. Black and white infrared is one of the most striking looks in all of photography.
Channel swapping (also called “false color”) produces surreal color images. In Photoshop’s Channel Mixer, swap the red and blue channels. This typically turns the sky blue and the vegetation golden or white, creating a dreamlike color palette that is unique to infrared. Fine-tune with hue/saturation adjustments to achieve the exact color balance you want.
Custom white balance set on green foliage during capture or in post-processing removes much of the red/magenta cast and provides a better starting point for further adjustments. Some photographers set a custom white balance by metering off sunlit grass before each IR session.
Common Mistakes
Shooting on overcast days. Infrared photography needs strong sunlight for the best results. The Wood Effect is much weaker under overcast skies, and the reduced IR light extends exposure times even further.
Forgetting about IR hotspots. Some lenses produce a bright spot (hotspot) in the center of the frame when shooting infrared. This is caused by internal reflections that are invisible in normal photography but prominent with IR light. Research whether your specific lens is prone to IR hotspots before investing in a session.
Shooting in winter. Without green foliage, the Wood Effect disappears. Bare trees and brown grass lack the chlorophyll that creates the signature glowing white vegetation. Summer and early autumn produce the strongest IR effects.
Not shooting in RAW. JPEG compression discards tonal data that is critical for the white balance corrections and channel swaps that IR images require. Always shoot RAW for infrared work.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can any camera shoot infrared?
Most digital cameras can shoot IR with an external IR-pass filter, though results vary. Some camera brands block more IR light internally than others. You can test your camera by pointing a TV remote at the lens and pressing a button while in Live View. If you see the IR LED glow on screen, your camera can capture some infrared light.
What is the difference between 720nm and 850nm IR filters?
The number refers to the wavelength cutoff. A 720nm filter passes some visible red light along with infrared, allowing false-color processing. An 850nm filter blocks all visible light and only passes deeper infrared, producing images that can only be rendered in black and white. The 720nm filter is more versatile for beginners.
Is camera conversion reversible?
Technically yes, but it is expensive and not commonly done. Most photographers dedicate an older camera body to infrared conversion rather than converting their primary camera. Used camera bodies are often available at modest cost specifically for this purpose.
Can I simulate infrared in post-processing?
You can approximate the look by converting to black and white and swapping channel values to make vegetation bright and skies dark. However, this simulation never fully matches true infrared because visible-light data does not contain the same information as IR light. True infrared capture produces unique tonal relationships that cannot be replicated from visible-light photographs.