Infrared photography

The waiting is over. The modified Nikon D100 has arrived and it's been fairly easy to get used to using it. Shooting things only in IR (Infrared) is a challenge. I'll spare you the granular details of what exactly IR light is and what wavelengths it occupies. Rather, I report that my first findings are that all things with Chlorophyll appear white as I had knew they would. Suprisingly, pine trees or their needles rather, remain in a normal grayscale tone whereas more palmate leaves that are still alive appear quite bright and white - almost glowing. Human subjects also appear slightly brighter and tend to exude a glow which could add to the mood of any photograph. Unfortunately, ducks, geese, gulls, and comorants appear pretty normal in a B&W sense.

I've used different types of Near IR film before... the prices are somewhat more than 'normal' film and often require special handling and development. This camera is going to open up a new world for me as a photographer. If you wanted to try screwing a IR filter onto your camera - I say go for it - however, you'll not be photographing things that move very successfully as the exposure times are significant... ie - requiring a tripod. The beauty of this camera is that the IR filter is not on the lens, but on the CCD itself. Allowing normal daylight thru the lens and to the operator's eye (TTL). Focusing is still an apparent challenge with Infrared... plus, any camera takes a bit of time to get to know.