Playing with Photoshopping

I am beginning dislike the look that I originally loved about those artists' works. The blue sky is photoshopped into place. When shooting infrared, even when one manages to "properly" white balance the foliage to turn white, the sky remains amber. It is by switching the red and blue channels in photoshop that the photographer achieves the blue sky. Examples below (of images I've shot):

original (white balanced)

red and blue channels swapped

original (white balanced)

red and blue channels swapped

Photographing infrared light already embraces the notion of other-worldly photography, what is the point of making the images "more realistic"? I do understand that maybe it is to put it into terms that the "common people" can understand, but when you go through the effort of setting up your equipment to capture this non-realistic looking imagery, going back and trying to "fix" it by making it look closer to what we're all used to seeing is really just clinging to what is familiar instead of going out on a limb and really exploring the depths of something completely foreign. Hurray for run-on sentences, I know.

This having been said, I do enjoy the visual dialog between the two color aesthetics of the same image when placed side by side. I am currently playing with the notion of a "mirror world" sort of visual.

obvious mirror reference

could make an interesting poster
(can flip either way)

I rather like the vertical diptych, and will print one off 18x24 to bring in for critique. I feel this may be the direction I will end up taking this project.

Bonus Midnight Blog!

I borrowed a friend's batteries + infrared filter (the peripherals I'm waiting on) to do a few quick test shots. I think I'm going to fall in love with this digital infrared look/feel.

Elina: shot w/ sunlight coming through window
(not retouched - believe it or not)

On a side note: apparently to get the rich blue sky and water, infrared digital photographers will screw with channel mixing and hue/saturation adjustments. Seeing as how I'm still new to this (and am still of the purist mindset) I will be pushing the images as far as I can with just custom white balance, basic-tab raw editing, and as little photoshop as possible.

Black and White Infrared

Here are two images I've shot already on black and white film and then scanned in. The camera I'll be using to shoot with digitally has already been modified and I am now just waiting on the peripheral equipment to arrive in the mail before I can start shooting infrared digitally.

Tree in Infrared

Graves in Infrared

I plan on exploring infrared portraiture as well as landscape and architecture. Perhaps I will succumb to the urge to photograph abandoned buildings in the process.

I aim to have two completed images posted each week along with a few words on my conceptual progress. I am confident that as I explore the possibilities of shooting this invisible light and studying the way it effects objects and materials, a direction will emerge and a specific concept will be decided upon.

Plan for Design For Media Semester Two!

I plan on doing an entire series on infrared photography work (primarily working with digital infrared techniques).

The idea to do this was inspired by two artists:

Roie Galitz - http://galitz.co.il/gallery/infrared/

Chun Lo - http://www.pbase.com/chunlo/infrared_landscape_

I have already gotten ahold of a nikon d100 and removed the hot mirror filter from the sensor myself and the infrared filter is on it's way in the mail. In the meantime I will post my work with infrared film using a Hoya R72 filter.