Infrared Photography: Complete Beginner's Guide

What Is Infrared Photography?

Infrared photography captures light just beyond the visible spectrum, typically in the 700nm to 1000nm wavelength range. Our eyes cannot see this light, but camera sensors can, and the results are striking: green foliage turns bright white, blue skies go nearly black, and skin takes on a smooth, porcelain-like quality.

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The effect happens because of something called the Wood effect, named after physicist Robert Wood who first documented it in 1910. Chlorophyll in living plants strongly reflects near-infrared light, which is why healthy vegetation glows white or bright pink in infrared images. Meanwhile, blue skies appear dark because the atmosphere scatters visible blue light but passes infrared relatively freely.

The result is a dreamlike, otherworldly look that transforms ordinary landscapes into surreal scenes. Trees look like they are covered in snow, water turns dark and mirror-like, and clouds pop with dramatic contrast against deep black skies.

Two Ways to Get Started

There are two main approaches to infrared photography, and each has significant trade-offs in cost, convenience, and image quality.

Option 1: Screw-On IR Filters

The cheapest way to try infrared is with a screw-on filter that blocks visible light and passes only infrared wavelengths. You mount it on your existing lens just like an ND filter or polarizer.

Popular filter options include:

720nm filters are the most common starting point. They block nearly all visible light but allow a small amount of deep red through, which gives you the option of either dramatic black-and-white conversions or subtle false-color effects. The Kolari Vision 720nm IR Filter and the Hoya R72 are both excellent choices.

850nm filters block all visible light and produce pure black-and-white infrared images with maximum contrast. The white foliage effect is most pronounced at this wavelength.

590nm and 665nm filters allow more visible light through, producing vivid false-color images with oranges, yellows, and blues that look almost psychedelic. These are popular with fine art photographers.

The catch with filters: Because your camera's sensor has a built-in IR-cut filter (placed there by the manufacturer to ensure accurate visible-light colors), very little infrared light actually reaches the sensor. This means extremely long exposures, typically 30 seconds to several minutes, even in bright daylight. You will need a sturdy tripod, a remote shutter release, and patience. Autofocus will not work through an opaque IR filter, so you must focus manually before attaching the filter.

Option 2: Camera Conversion

A more committed (and more rewarding) approach is to have a camera permanently converted for infrared. A specialist removes the camera's IR-cut filter and replaces it with a filter that passes infrared light. After conversion, the camera shoots infrared natively at normal shutter speeds with working autofocus.

Conversion services like Kolari Vision, LifePixel, and Spencer's Camera handle the process. Costs typically range from $285 to $400 depending on the sensor size and camera model. Turnaround is usually about two weeks.

Which camera to convert? You do not need an expensive body. Any older mirrorless or DSLR with a working sensor will do. Popular candidates include the Sony A6000, Canon EOS M series, Panasonic Lumix G-series, and older Nikon DSLRs. Many photographers buy a used camera specifically for conversion, keeping their main body for visible-light work.

Filter wavelength choices for conversion are the same as screw-on filters: 720nm is the most versatile starting point, while 590nm offers the most dramatic false colors. A "full spectrum" conversion removes the IR-cut filter without replacing it, letting you switch between IR, visible, and UV by swapping external filters. Full spectrum gives maximum flexibility but adds the cost and hassle of buying multiple filters.

Essential Gear

Beyond a camera (converted or with an IR filter), here is what you need:

A sturdy tripod is mandatory if you are using screw-on filters. Even with a converted camera, a tripod helps with composition since IR images look very different from what you see with your eyes. The Manfrotto Befree Advanced is a solid travel-friendly option.

A remote shutter release or intervalometer prevents camera shake during the long exposures required with screw-on filters. Most cameras also support a 2-second self-timer as a free alternative.

Wide-angle lenses work particularly well for infrared landscapes because the dramatic sky contrast and glowing foliage fill the frame. Be aware that some lenses produce a visible "hotspot" in infrared, a bright circle in the center of the frame caused by internal reflections. Kolari Vision maintains a lens compatibility database on their website that rates lenses for IR hotspots.

Lens hoods help reduce flare, which is more common in infrared since the filter or sensor change can increase susceptibility to stray light.

Camera Settings for Infrared

With a Screw-On Filter

1. Compose and focus first with the filter off. Switch to manual focus after locking focus.
2. Attach the IR filter. The viewfinder and LCD will go nearly black since the filter blocks visible light.
3. Set your camera to Manual mode. Start with ISO 200, f/8, and a 30-second exposure. Adjust from there based on the histogram.
4. Shoot in RAW. The white balance will be wildly off, and RAW gives you the flexibility to correct it in post-processing.
5. Use the histogram to judge exposure since the LCD preview will look red or magenta and is unreliable for evaluating brightness.

With a Converted Camera

A converted camera is much simpler to use:

1. Set a custom white balance by pointing the camera at green grass or foliage in direct sunlight and using your camera's custom white balance function. This shifts the heavy red/magenta cast to a more neutral starting point.
2. Shoot in RAW for maximum post-processing flexibility.
3. Use normal exposure settings. ISO 100 to 400, typical shutter speeds, normal apertures. A converted camera handles infrared light exactly like a regular camera handles visible light.
4. Autofocus works normally on converted cameras since the conversion service recalibrates the AF system for infrared focus.

Best Subjects for Infrared

Not everything looks interesting in infrared. Here are the subjects that produce the most dramatic results:

Living vegetation is the star of infrared photography. Trees, grass, shrubs, and flowers all glow bright white due to the Wood effect. A landscape with lush green trees becomes an ethereal winter-like scene. The contrast between glowing foliage and dark skies is what makes most infrared images so compelling.

Architecture surrounded by vegetation creates powerful compositions. A dark stone building framed by glowing white trees has a gothic, fairy-tale quality. Historical buildings, churches, and bridges surrounded by landscaped grounds are classic infrared subjects.

Water and reflections appear dark and smooth in infrared, especially if you use a longer exposure. Lakes reflecting infrared-bright trees create striking mirror-image compositions. The contrast between dark water and bright foliage is naturally eye-catching.

Cloudy skies are your friend. Clouds reflect infrared light and appear bright white against a dark sky, adding drama to every landscape shot. Overcast days that look dull in visible light can produce incredible infrared images.

Portraits take on an unusual quality in infrared. Skin appears very smooth and almost translucent, eyes can appear dark or light depending on the wavelength, and veins near the surface become visible. The effect is striking but requires some experimentation.

Subjects to avoid: Anything without vegetation, sky, or water tends to look flat in infrared. Urban concrete jungles, indoor scenes, and night photography generally do not benefit from the IR treatment.

Post-Processing Infrared Images

RAW infrared files straight from the camera look terrible. They are heavily red/magenta with a converted camera or murky with a filter. Post-processing is where the magic happens.

Black-and-White Conversion

The simplest and most classic approach:

1. Open your RAW file in Lightroom, Photoshop, or your preferred editor.
2. Set the white balance using the eyedropper on foliage or grass. This neutralizes the heavy color cast.
3. Convert to black and white. Adjust the luminance sliders: boost the red channel to brighten foliage, darken the blue channel to deepen skies.
4. Increase contrast. Infrared images benefit from higher contrast than typical photos.
5. Add a slight vignette to draw the eye to the center.

False-Color (Channel Swapping)

This technique produces the vivid, surreal color images that define creative infrared work:

1. Set a custom white balance on foliage in your RAW editor.
2. Open the image in Photoshop.
3. Go to Image > Adjustments > Channel Mixer.
4. In the Red output channel, set Red to 0% and Blue to 100%.
5. In the Blue output channel, set Red to 100% and Blue to 0%.
6. This swaps the red and blue channels, turning the sky blue and foliage golden or white.
7. Fine-tune the hue, saturation, and individual color channels to taste.

The channel swap works because the infrared light captured in the red channel gets moved to blue (making skies look naturally blue again), while the blue channel information moves to red, creating warm golden foliage tones.

Common Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

Hotspots from incompatible lenses. Not all lenses perform well in infrared. Before buying a lens for IR work, check the Kolari Vision or LifePixel hotspot databases. Wide-angle zooms are the most common offenders.

Forgetting to set custom white balance. Without a custom WB set on vegetation, your files will be almost entirely red and much harder to process. Take 30 seconds to set a custom WB every time lighting conditions change.

Shooting in JPEG instead of RAW. The camera's JPEG processing cannot handle the extreme white balance correction that IR images need. Always shoot RAW.

Choosing the wrong time of day. Midday sun (10am to 2pm) produces the strongest infrared contrast because plants are most actively reflecting IR light. Golden hour, while beautiful in visible light, produces weaker IR contrast. Overcast days work well because clouds add drama to the sky.

Not enough foreground vegetation. Infrared images need something that reflects IR strongly to create contrast. A landscape of bare rock and water will look similar to a normal black-and-white photo. Include trees, grass, or bushes in your compositions.

Infrared and EXIF Data

When you shoot infrared, your camera still records all the usual EXIF metadata: shutter speed, aperture, ISO, focal length, GPS coordinates, and more. This data can be invaluable for learning which settings produced your best infrared results.

Since infrared requires very different exposure approaches than visible-light photography, reviewing your EXIF data after a shoot helps you dial in your settings faster next time. Drop your IR photos into ExifGrabber to compare the exposure settings across your favorites and build a mental library of what works.

One thing to watch for: if you have set a custom white balance, the EXIF data will record it as a custom or manual WB setting with a specific Kelvin value. This can be helpful for recreating the same white balance in future sessions. Check out our guide on how to see camera settings from a photo for more detail on reading EXIF data.

What Does an IR Conversion Cost in 2026?

Here is a rough pricing guide for the most popular conversion services:

Service	APS-C Body	Full-Frame Body	Turnaround
Kolari Vision	~$285	~$325	2 weeks
LifePixel	~$300	~$350	2-3 weeks
Spencer's Camera	~$275	~$325	2-3 weeks
Advance Camera Repair	~$285	~$325	2 weeks

Prices vary by camera model and filter choice. Full spectrum conversions are usually the same price as single-filter conversions. Some services offer expedited processing for an additional fee.

A popular budget approach is to buy a used Sony A6000 or Canon EOS M50 for $200 to $300 and convert it for another $285 to $300, giving you a dedicated infrared camera for under $600 total.

Getting Started: Your First Infrared Shoot

If you want to try infrared before committing to a conversion, here is a step-by-step plan:

1. Buy a 720nm screw-on filter in your lens's filter thread size. Budget about $50 to $80 for a quality glass filter.
2. Pick a location with plenty of deciduous trees, grass, and open sky. Parks, gardens, and tree-lined paths are ideal.
3. Go at midday on a day with some clouds. Harsh midday sun that looks terrible for normal photography is perfect for IR.
4. Set up your tripod and compose a scene with strong foreground vegetation and interesting sky.
5. Focus with the filter off, then switch to manual focus and attach the IR filter.
6. Start with ISO 200, f/8, 30 seconds and adjust based on the histogram.
7. Shoot plenty of frames. Bracket your exposures since the LCD preview is unreliable for judging IR exposure.
8. Process in Lightroom or Photoshop using the techniques described above. Start with a simple black-and-white conversion before attempting false color.

The learning curve is steeper than regular photography, but the payoff is images that look like nothing else. Once you see your first infrared landscape with glowing white trees and a jet-black sky, you will understand why infrared photographers become addicted to the medium.