Refining An Old Technique – Editing Infrared Photos With Affinity Photo

As I have stated previously, I have been looking to distance myself from the Adobe Creative Suite for quite some time now. Over the past few months I have made the bold decision to move to a completely new computer with no Adobe software installed at all. In it’s place I have been using a combination of Affinity Photo and Luminar 3. As of this moment I have my fair share of complaints about Luminar, although I can’t say the same for Affinity.

Affinity Photo is an affordable alternative to Photoshop that is incredible for it’s price range. I won’t go into too much detail seeing as this is not a review, but I can say I am having an incredible time learning to use it. Seeing as it is almost time to start taking my infrared camera out, I figured it would be good to practice editing my IR photos with Affinity. At first I thought it was going to be more difficult than in Photoshop, however it turned out to be even easier.

My process for editing IR photos has always been a little complicated ever since I started this little project. For years I have had the unfortunate pleasure of being stuck using an outdated version of Photoshop and Lightroom. My reasoning was pretty rational, I didn’t want to pay a monthly subscription fee for Creative Cloud. As a result I have been stuck using Photoshop CS6 ever since 2012.

Naturally, using outdated software was starting to show it’s drawbacks. For example, Photoshop CS6 wasn’t capable of recognizing the white balance information from my Canon .CR2 files. Indeed I would set my white balance in camera and than import the file into Photoshop, once imported all of my settings were instantly wiped. This is especially frustrating for someone using a custom white balance with infrared in mind. The resulting images were plagued with too many red tones. It got so bad that the default white balance presets in Photosohp were not strong enough to correct the problem. I ended up having to download an external program in order to create a custom white balance preset just to be able to view the file as it was shown in camera. On top of that, my outdated software didn’t even recognize my newer .CR2 files coming off of my Canon T5. This required me to use yet another additional piece of software to convert my .CR2’s to .DNG’s. Needless to say, I was finished.

In camera white balance (Left) VS Output DNG (Right).

In camera white balance (Left) VS Output DNG (Right).

Upon switching to Affinity photo all of these problems were instantly solved. My newer files were recognized, with the correct white balance at that! There was no need for additional software to fix any issues. It even managed to handle color correction better. I can easily say that something that used to take my 45 minutes to finish with Photoshop and Lightroom now only takes 15. I am ecstatic.

The Affinity develop module (similar to Adobe Camera RAW) although good, doesn't quite compare. This however is totally forgivable when I can easily develop presets to conduct my red/blue channel swap. I know this could be done easily with Photoshop, however I just really like the way it is handled in Affinity Photo. For everything that Affinity lacks, it more than makes up with how it improves my workflow. Throughout the year I plan to devote more time to exploring Affinity Photo. Who knows, I might even create some tutorials in order to help people switch.

Today’s photos were just an exercise in order to familiarize myself with my new workflow. I will include my final results below. I feel like these look very nice considering I was trying out completely new software. As always, I hope you enjoy.

I have been hard at work on other projects as of late. I have a new website dedicated to exploring books and history. Feel free to check it out at http://topshelfbookclub.com .

Previous posts about Infrared Photography:

A CAMERA THAT SHOOTS INFRARED - A BRIEF GUIDE TO IR PHOTOGRAPHY - SAMPLE IMAGES – 3/2/17

INFRARED NATURE WALK – 5/3/17

INFRARED LANDSCAPES 5/2/19 - INFRARED PHOTOGRAPHY

Previous posts about switching from Adobe:

ON THE ROAD TO DITCHING ADOBE. A REVIEW OF LUMINAR 3, A SENSIBLE REPLACEMENT FOR LIGHTROOM.

New Photos - Winter 2017

Here is a collection of photos I took all through the winter of 2017. I haven't had much time in the studio for the past few months due to various circumstances, however im hoping to get back in the swing of things sometime soon. 

The first is a recent project. Here is a simple product shot of some Pomegranate juice. I have always wanted to do a project with a pomegranate, and I may revisit this shot in the future to maybe add some splashes or something cooler. This could be the start of an interesting set of product shots, so expect more in the future. 

The second set of images is a little project I made for someone very special. Over the past few months this person has been struggling with severe depression and was even hospitalized for an entire month due to various different conditions. During her stay she informed me about Project Semicolon, this set of images was my way of providing support. 

The final composition is made out of about a dozen different shots of different colored liquid frozen in mid air. We achieved this result by applying food coloring to heavy cream and tossing it in the air, freezing the image with my flash. This project was incredibly fun to shoot, and we had a lot of fun producing the raw images. I will include the final image as well as two of the best raw images in the slideshow below. 

A Camera That Shoots Infrared - A Brief Guide to IR Photography - Sample Images - 3/2/17

After two years of experimentation with mixed results I've finally decided to bite the bullet and purchase an infrared converted camera. 

I have had an obsession with infrared photography for the better part of two years now. Ever since I took my first few shots, I knew I could have a lot of fun with this new method of shooting. As I kept on practicing, my results kept getting better and better eventually resulting in images such as Dreamland. A few other examples of some IR shots can be found at the following two posts. 

IR images from 7/3/15.

IR images from 7/28/15.

However, up until recently I have been severely limited in what I can achieve due to the technical aspect of shooting infrared images. 

Technically these photos are not pure infrared. They are a mixture of visible light and a small amount of infrared light that exist outside the perception of the human eye. So in essence they are near infrared images. A few different methods exist to capture these types of images. Up until now I have been using a $70 Hoya Infrared Filter. 

These filters are designed to be attached to standard DSLR cameras. The disadvantage with this method is that standard cameras have a filter in front of their sensors that prevent any IR light from hitting the sensor. Filters like the Hoya IR filters block out visible light and allow the IR light to reach the sensor. However getting a useable image requires a ridiculously long exposure. 

This little handicap comes with its own set of problems. All of which I will explain at a later date. It is these handicaps however, that convinced me to buy a camera dedicated specifically to shooting in IR. 

The other more expensive alternative to the Hoya filters is to have a camera converted to only shoot in IR. The downside to this is that you can only use that camera to shoot IR photos. However if you are serious about shooting infrared, you can never go wrong with a camera conversion. 

There are a handful of ways to obtain an IR converted camera. One is to have an old camera converted by services such as LifePixel. Although LifePixel is a great service, I personally didn’t feel like going through all the unnecessary work that it requires. 

Instead I decided to purchase a camera that was already converted off of eBay. I was able to find someone who sells cameras brand new with the IR conversion already applied. So rather than having to worry about all the technical details myself, I just purchased one that was already done. 

The specific model I got was a Canon T5 or 1200D for those outside of North America. 

I was genially surprised by the quality of the camera. It arrived in pristine condition, almost like new. Im actually pretty sure it was new and only used for testing. The battery and charger were even sealed in their packaging completely untouched. In addition to the camera a CD was included with a set of tutorial video’s and guides just incase you need help learning how to shoot infrared. 

After attaching a lens, I set the camera to RAW and than I was ready to soot. 

At some point in the future I intend to create an all purpose guide to shooting in infrared. So if you are looking for a tutorial, that will probably be released this summer. However today I just want to share some test shots from my first day with the camera. I am still learning the basics of how to shoot with this particular camera. As you can imagine it is very difficult to shoot photos using light that you cannot see normally. It will also take some time to perfect my post production process, but I will improve with time. 

The following image is a pure unedited JPEG that was white balanced in camera. I’ve included this so you can get an idea of what I was seeing through my live view screen. 

These two images are the ones I was the most proud of. I think I really nailed the post production on these ones. 

The following images are to test how the IR light affects human skin. I basically just pointed the camera at myself, so I didn't expect them to turn out great. All I can say is that you can definitely get some outstanding results when photographing people. Although I need a little more practice. Just for fun I’ve included a few processed images of myself, as well as one unprocessed. 

These final images are the other leftovers that are not to bad and not to good. I mainly included them to showcase the rest of my tests.  

Overall I am very happy with my new camera and I cannot wait until the leaves come out in the spring. Once spring comes along I will take some fantastic IR landscapes. 

I can’t wait to share more IR photos with everyone. At some point I plan on making a guide to IR photography, and it will most likely be a video. Definitely let me know what you would like to see in that. 

As always I thank everyone for taking the time to read the blog. Let me know what you think of the images, and have a good day. 

 

"Orange Mango" - 9/14/16 - Photo and Video Tutorial

After receiving positive feedback on last weeks photo, I decided to build on the concept and create something a bit more exciting.

The following image is the result of several hours of experimentation. The photo itself is made up of two exposures, one for the background and one for the bottle. Both of which were processed in Adobe Lightroom, and later combined in Adobe Photoshop. The splash effect was later added in the post production process, by liquifying the bottle and than adding several layer masks comprised of various paint splashes.

The final product is shown below. 

In addition, I have also produced a video tutorial detailing the process for creating the splash's. 

11 More Images Added to "Aqueous Motion - Volume 1"

On Monday I posted a small collection of five images titled "Aqueous Motion - Volume 1", today I have added eleven new images to the series. I mainly focused on perfecting the techniques used on Monday's shoot and i've learned quite a bit from doing so. If you need more information on the project itself feel free to check out Monday's post for more information. 

In the meantime enjoy the photos. 

New Photo Series - "Aqueous Motion - Volume 1"

After seeing quite a few examples online I decided to experiment with underwater ink photography. It took a while for me to find the correct ink to use in order to get the effect present in the images, but after a few hours of research I finally found the right kind of ink for the job. 

The following five images were created by dropping acrylic ink into a flower vase. I than captured the flowing cloud of ink by using a flash and a very fast shutter speed. After I went through about 100 test images and a few gallons of water, I managed to pick out these five as the best images. 

Im still experimenting with this technique, so expect more in the near future. 

Below are the five final images. Enjoy, and let me know what you think. 

[Updated Images] - "Sparkling ICE" - "Passing Time"

All of the projects I have posted over the last few weeks have been taken as part of my final portfolio for my photography major. After getting some feedback from one of my professors i've decided to revisit a few of these images. Below are new and improved versions of "Sparkling ICE", and "Passing Time".  

"Time - Part 1" - "Passing Time"

The following is another installment of my photo series, "Time - Part 1". I decided to take a break from the overall theme of the project and shoot this one in color as apposed to black and white. I will still include a black and white version of this shot, however I like the color version a lot more. 

As always any feedback is always appreciated. Let me know what you think. 

Above: "Passing Time" - Final Version

Below: "Passing Time" - B&W Version

"The King's Golden Apples" - 12/21/15

The following is the first image from my latest project. This photo series titled "The Firebird" will be a photographic representation of an old Slavic fairy tale of the same name.

The story tells of a Tsar in possession of a tree bearing golden fruit. One day the Tsar discovered that someone was stealing his golden apples, and thus sends his three sons to investigate. This first image represents the magical apples that grow in the Tsar's orchard. 

The full story can be read here. 

All images from this series can be found on this page, which will be updated as the project continues. 


"Time - Part 1" - "Gone and Still Forgotten" 10/8/15

Here is another addition to my photo series "Time - Part 1". I was trying to recreate an image I saw in a book I was reading, with my own personal touch of course. In order to pull this off I ended up building my own floor, and after a few days of work I ended up with the following image. It's meant to look like the floor of an abandon building, with a pocket watch sitting on it. Any other meaning is totally up to the viewer. 

If interested you can purchase this along with the other images in "Time - Part 1" at the following link. 

Let me know what you think. I hope you all enjoy. I only have one more photo planned for this series so definitely look foreword to that. In the meantime enjoy. 


Texture Project - "Texture 6"

Here is yet another entry in my ongoing side project. To those who are not aware, in my spare time I like to combine different textures together to create another completely different image. So far I have made five others that you can find elsewhere on the site. 

The following marks the halfway point in the project, originally intending to create 10 different textures. I decided to use the same color scheme as the first image purely due to the fact that I really like the way it looked with the raw images. The image is based off a handful of photos of baking trays acquired during my eight months working in a bakery. I knew id find a use for these images at some point. 

[Photo] "Time - Part I" - "Check"

The following image is another image in my photo series 'Time - Part I". Again going with the theme of pocket watches, here we see a watch on a chess board. For more information on this series see the main page for the project. 

[Photo Series] "Time - Part 1" The first 2 images.

Over the past two weeks i've been thinking of ideas for a new photo series. I eventually settled on the theme of time. I intend to take a collection of photos each incorporating a pocket watch or clock. Currently there is no set story for the project and it's meant to be more of a collection of similar images than an actual story. 

The main goal of the project as of today is to use these images to create various pieces of wall art. Since im still in the early stages of the project a lot can still change. That being said I would still like to share what I have so far. 

I've set up a gallery page for this project. Once more images are finished they will be posted to the gallery as well as on this blog. 

The two images below are what i've finished so far. Any feedback would be greatly appreciated. 

[Photo] "10:05"

I few days ago I had an idea for a photo series involving pocket watches. This image may or may not be used in the final project. I still want to post it just because it looks cool. 

[Photo's] "Crystal Clear I-IV" - Having Fun With Off Camera Flash.

Today I decided to try experimenting with camera flash for the first time.

Over the past week i've purchased a few new pieces of equipment. Specifically an off camera flash or speed light from Flash Point. I also purchased a wireless transmitter that will allow me trigger the flash without it being attached to the camera. With these new pieces of gear added to my collection I figured the perfect way to test them out would be to stop some action. Specifically freeze water in mid air. I know i've already done similar shots to this before, however I used a rather inefficient method that wasn't worth the hassle. The method I used this time was amazing. I was able to get four amazing shot's in the same amount of time it took to get one using the old method. It was also took a lot less time than before. 

Ill go into more detail on my setup in the future, as I intend to make a video explaining how to freeze water using a flash. However I basically started out placing a mirror on a table with an old film projector screen as my background. I than placed two soft boxes adjacent to the subject and placed my flash under the table pointed at the screen. I was shooting with my canon T3i with my Canon 75-300mm lens set to 75mm at f/11. My ISO at 100, and my shutter speed at 1/200th of a second. Attached to the camera I had my trusty cable release as well as my wireless transmitter. The whole thing was than plugged into my laptop which I than used as a preview window. I than stood next to the glass dropping various fruit into it trying to capture the water splashes. After about twenty minutes I had what I was looking for. 

What you see below are the results of the shoot. Overall I am quite pleased with them and more importantly I now have a good knowledge of how to use this new flash. Obviously I still have some learning to do, but that's all part of the process. 

In the future I hope to do even more with this setup. Im even looking into buying some colored gel's to create some scenes with different colors. And I do have plans to show this all on video so be patient. That all will come in the next couple of months. 

Enjoy the photos. 

-Nick

 

Crystal Clear 

 

Crystal Clear II

 

Crystal Clear III

 

Crystal Clear IV