tutorial: mixing color and infrared

clicket · May 21, 2005

First, you make two shots, on a tripod, of the same scenery. Has to be quite static, of course (here, I knew the water was moving fast and I was anticipating the effect of its smooth flow). Take one of the shots with an IR filter on, the other w/o. Just make sure you have the best exposure in both cases, that is, don't bother with any compensation.
Open the colour - standard - version in PhotoShop and convert it into the LAB mode ("Image - Mode -..."). Hold it there.
Next, open the IR version in PS and convert it into a B&W version, using any procedure you feel comfortable with.
Once you're satisfied with the B&W rendition of the IR picture, select all of it ("Edition - Select All") and copy it ("Edition - Copy").
Switch back to the open colour version you have converted into the LAB mode previously. Open the channel window ("Window - Channels") or palette and in it click on the Lightness channel to select it.
Now, you are going to replace that Lightness channel (which is in grayscale) with the B&W rendition of you IR shot. You have previously copied this, so it sits inside the temporary memory of your computer. To paste it, do this : First "Select all". The entire grayscale image of the Lightness channel is selected. Then use the"Edition - Paste Into", and voilà, the B&W IR replaced the Lightness channel.
After the conversion, switch back the mode to RGB ("Image - Mode - ...").
You now have something different you can tamper a bit to your taste, and for our pleasure.

Eric&Susan · May 21, 2005

I like it

Great idea to mix both worlds

Eric

MuskyDude · May 22, 2005

Very interesting. Yet one more option with PP'ing IR shots. Thank you very much for taking the time and effort to share this with us. As soon as I'm set up to do IR with my D70 I'm going tot try this. Thanks!

AJ

Skippy · May 22, 2005

Ohhhhh I Like that

clicket wrote:

First, you make two shots, on a tripod, of the same scenery. Has to be quite static, of course (here, I knew the water was moving fast and I was anticipating the effect of its smooth flow). Take one of the shots with an IR filter on, the other w/o. Just make sure you have the best exposure in both cases, that is, don't bother with any compensation.
Open the colour - standard - version in PhotoShop and convert it into the LAB mode ("Image - Mode -..."). Hold it there.
Next, open the IR version in PS and convert it into a B&W version, using any procedure you feel comfortable with.
Once you're satisfied with the B&W rendition of the IR picture, select all of it ("Edition - Select All") and copy it ("Edition - Copy").
Switch back to the open colour version you have converted into the LAB mode previously. Open the channel window ("Window - Channels") or palette and in it click on the Lightness channel to select it.
Now, you are going to replace that Lightness channel (which is in grayscale) with the B&W rendition of you IR shot. You have previously copied this, so it sits inside the temporary memory of your computer. To paste it, do this : First "Select all". The entire grayscale image of the Lightness channel is selected. Then use the"Edition - Paste Into", and voilà, the B&W IR replaced the Lightness channel.
After the conversion, switch back the mode to RGB ("Image - Mode - ...").
You now have something different you can tamper a bit to your taste, and for our pleasure.

That is very clever editing

the image is very very pleasing to the eye indeed, I really like the smoothness of the colors, and the whole image has that inviting look to it......thank you for sharing your skills, ahhhhh one can only wish to comprehend the art of editing some day..... dream on Skippy

tutorial: mixing color and infrared

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