How to Edit Infrared Photography

Infrared photography must be edited in post-processing software to achieve the typical look people often associate with the genre.
In this video I'm showing you my step by step process in both Lightroom and Photoshop to take your red RAW files, and convert them into an image with deep blue skies and bright white/pink trees and grass. I'll also demonstrate a black and white conversion too.

[@Robert-Bishop]

Do you have a different method for editing your infrared images. Let us know what works for you.

[@danev1969]

Robert, I converted my Sony A7 to 850nm IR and essentially, I end up with B/W images. I recently tried PS Filters / Neural Filters / Colorize. It is often quite surprising what the colorizing AI comes up with. Of course, you can continue the editing process after. Remember that if you enter PS as a B/W image to convert back to color with Image / Mode / RGB Color to open the tool.

[@INSANODELCOCO2]

Thank you so much! there were a lot of things I didn't understand about infrared photography. But your video is so simple yet so informative. I know now what to do. Thanks again.

[@Robert-Bishop]

That's fantastic - I'm glad it was useful. Hope you get some great images. 😊

[@nicholascoury6138]

I’m just starting to shoot infrared and this is a great place to start my post processing steps. Thanks so much!

[@Robert-Bishop]

Great to hear Nicholas. I hope you get some good results. Thanks for watching. 😊

[@tonymckeage1028]

Great Video, Infrared seems very popular at the moment with a number of KZbinr's doing camera conversions! Thanks for showing the process, well done!

[@Robert-Bishop]

Thanks Tony. I think it might be popular up here in this hemisphere because it's summer right now. Seems like the perfect genre for harsh summer light. Saw you had a vid on harsh winter light too, so need to give that a watch. Cheers for watching. 😊

[@mikesimcox7932]

Great Stuff ! Really like the effects, nicely presented and I have subscribed! 👍

[@Robert-Bishop]

Thanks very much Mike, I hope you enjoy future vids. 😊

[@LetsClickPhotography]

Cheers mate, I've saved this to one of my playlists to come back to when I actually get chance to go out and do some IR

[@Robert-Bishop]

Thanks Dave, I'm sure a lot of it you'll already know, but if it helps in any way that's great. 😊

[@AndrewWaltonPhotography]

Great walkthrough Robert. I'm going to try some of your tips next time I edit my IR images. Incidentally, I've seen a few photographers add noise to their digital IR images to try and replicate the IR film look which has a good bit of grain in it.

[@Robert-Bishop]

Cheers Andrew. Good tip with the grain, I might well give that a go, thanks. 👍

[@SidneyPratt]

Thanks.

[@Robert-Bishop]

Thanks for watching Sidney. 😊

[@paulcookphotography]

Sorry for the late comment on this mate. I think I told you last time I didn't really understand infrared photography, but I have to say, seeing the final edit on the image at 13:00, I really like the look of those snowy white trees! I'm not sure I will ever do this myself, but really interesting to see your process in the last two videos! Hope you are well and made it through the heatwave ok, and now back to somewhat more normal temperatures!

[@Robert-Bishop]

Thanks a lot Paul. Yeah, you can make what looks like a winter scene quite easily. We're always complaining about the weather over here, but it's actually really nice to have 15 degrees again! Don't know how you do it everyday in Florida! 😂 Cheers for watching mate.

[@NJM1948]

I have had a bit of a liking for IR shots and after seeing your previous vid using a filter I decided to take the plunge and buy a filter!!! I got the Hoya R72 ordered and looking forward to diving into IR - I really like the B&W finish you have achieved here and for me it is much better than the colour versions. So, thanks for getting me into IR and looking forward to having a go!!!

[@Robert-Bishop]

It's perfect for the harsh light of summer Nigel. I was thinking about getting the Hoya filter to compare against the Zomei. I think the 850nm is better for black and white, but I reckon you can get good results with the 720nm too. Thanks for watching, I hope you get some great images. 😊

[@MrBillkaz]

Enjoy the filter and if your camera allows definitely do a custom white balance off a sunny patch of green foliage … if done right my Sony rx 10 4 flips the green to white

[@MrBillkaz]

@@Robert-Bishop thanks for your great video … for me and the camera I use with the filter Hoya 720 it is so close to getting the color separation but it’s just short of what appears fully converted can … I woulld kill for an alternative from the 720 to maybe find a filter that will allow for color separation.

[@sillk963]

Although not my cup of tea, this was really cool. I definitely learned something.

[@Robert-Bishop]

Yes, I suppose in some ways it's a bit of a novelty, but I think it can certainly produce some striking images and it's ideal for bright summer weather. 😊

[@sillk963]

@@Robert-Bishop It's an artform, and there's so much to explore outside of "conventional" photography. Good on you for facilitating that kind of discovery!

[@beforetheshutter]

Nice to see how you go about editing the IR images @rob bishop, little tip perhaps, for the vignetting there option to add post-crop vignette in LR give you more control over shape and type than the lens correction slider does :)

[@Robert-Bishop]

Yeah, that's the one I use most often, to create a vignette. Definitely worth investigating if it works as a correction tool. 👍

[@beforetheshutter]

@@Robert-Bishop worth a shot 👍🏻

[@LeePelling]

Hi Robert , its been a while since i edited any IR images but from memory i had to create a custom profile using a dng profile editor to extend the white balance spectrum so you have more scope to alter it in lightroom using the custom profile you created , interesting to see how you managed to create the image without the need to do that. Nice results though mate !

[@Robert-Bishop]

Cheers Lee. I did read a bit about that, but maybe I need to revisit it and see if the process improves my results. Thanks for the heads up. 😊

[@LeePelling]

@@Robert-Bishop I did leave a comment on your previous video with a link to a page that has specific profiles for specific cameras , see if yours is listed and download the profiles. Probably in the held for review section due to the link !

[@Robert-Bishop]

@@LeePelling Ah right, yeah, think I've got it set to hold links back. Cheers mate, I'll have a look. 👍

[@juancarlosgays9792]

Hi there, is there a method for an image taken with 610nm?

[@Robert-Bishop]

The method in this video should get you most of the way there Juan. You will probably be seeing a touch more of the original images colour with a 610, so you may need to make some extra tweaks there. I haven't tried a 610 myself, but I will look to test one out this summer. Thanks for watching. 😊

[@cityklikksa7483]

i can not download your ir preset in your website..

[@Robert-Bishop]

Hi. Have you clicked on the link in the related blog post? It seems to be working for me.

[@cityklikksa7483]

@@Robert-Bishop yep..i tried...but not working for me..😔

[@Robert-Bishop]

@@cityklikksa7483 Strange. Here's the link, put this into your URL bar robertbishop.uk/downloads/robertBishop-infrared.xmp.zip

[@cityklikksa7483]

@@Robert-Bishop ohh...thank you so much...but, how can i use this in lr mobile?

[@Robert-Bishop]

@@cityklikksa7483 No problem. You will need to unzip the package on your computer first and then download the xmp file on your phone. Then in the LR app, choose and image, tap Presets at the bottom and then in the top right, tap the 3 dots. You should see an option to import presets, and you can find the xmp file on your phone to bring it in.

[@eltinjones4542]

You've put a lot of effort in to this Robert To be honest Robert all I've ever done in IR, is kill the saturation in camera raw (I never liked Lr) I then tweak Highlights, Shadows etc and maybe clean up in Ps and leave it at that I wouldn't have the patience for what you've done Again if it works for you great 📷👍

[@Robert-Bishop]

Thanks Eltin. I think whatever works for you is the right approach. I know a few people who prefer to use camera raw over Lightroom. These days the functions are mostly identical, I think. Thanks for watching and sharing your thoughts. 😊