
Blooming Almonds Infrared

by Mike Lee
Title
Blooming Almonds Infrared
Artist
Mike Lee
Medium
Photograph - Digital Photography
Description
When I had a full spectrum modification done to an old camera I ordered two filters with it. I got the 830 nanometer filter which only allows near infrared light to pass (the visible light part of the electromagnetic spectrum ends somewhere in the mid 700 nanometer range). I use this filter for deep contrasty black and white imagery. I also ordered a 590nm filter. This filter blocks some of the yellows and everything lower in the spectrum (no blues, greens, purples, etc). It allows some yellows, oranges and reds along with the full infrared part of the spectrum. This facilitates the creation of some rather surreal artistic “false color” imagery. It also requires a fair bit more on the post production side of things and therefore has a longer learning curve than the pure IR black and white which is fairly straight forward. This is the first image from that filter that I find worthy of sharing. I still have some learning/practicing to do as of this posting but I feel like I’m figuring some of it out. By swapping the red and blue channels in post production, along with a few other techniques you can bring back blue to the sky (even though absolutely zero blue color was captured in camera). Greens end up ranging from yellow to almost white adding a bit of warmth to the overall look.
I grabbed this image of an almond orchard alongside Interstate 5 in the vicinity of Artois California while traveling through the area on an early March day. The entire time I drove down that highway I was back and forth between sun and rain and caught this orchard when some good sun broke through, which helps infrared photography greatly
Uploaded
March 8th, 2023
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Comments (160)

Paisley Marten 22 Days Ago
You've beautifully captured the serenity of nature in this image. The contrast between the soft pink blossoms and the calming blues in the sky creates a peaceful and refreshing feeling. The rows of trees leading into the distance draw the viewer’s eye, evoking a sense of tranquility and calm. There’s a dreamlike quality to this landscape, as if the moment could stretch on forever. The clarity and purity of the scene are uplifting, and the balance of colors is stunning. Your ability to capture such peaceful beauty is truly inspiring!