Slowing down shutter speeds on bright days with ND filters

Lauren Scott shows you how to create an IR effect with a specialist filter

Back in the day, infrared photography used to be a complex and slightly unsatisfying process. Here in the digital era, however, the technique is pretty foolproof. In this project, we’ll show you how to take stunning, somewhat eerie, infrared images without having to convert your existing camera.

To a get started, you’ll need a circular IR filter to fit your lens. Once screwed on, this prevents visible light from passing through while allowing IR light to reach the camera sensor. Using an IR filter in practice is simple, but it does still pose some challenges. The filter blocks out visible light, so your exposures will need to be longer to compensate. A stable tripod is vital for avoiding camera shake. As IR filters are inherently very dark, you’ll have to prefocus on the scene before attaching the filter.

To avoid blur, choose subjects that are inanimate – think trees, buildings and landscapes. For the best results, aim to include foliage in your images to break them up.