Cyanotypes, Infrared, & Polaroid Transfers, Oh My!

At the Art Institute of Atlanta 28 years ago, we played with film and alternative processes like polaroid transfers, emulsion transfers, cyanotypes, pinhole cameras and infrared, and these processes still inspire artists.

I've used infrared a couple of times in architectural photography (I call these images building portraits) because I love the artistic, dreamy quality these building portraits can take on. Infrared film sees a spectrum of light that is invisible to us; where sunlight is hitting a person, trees, your subject will appear to have a faint, ethereal glow, especially trees and people. You can make blue sky turn dark for contrast if you use a red filter on your lens. The film had to stay cold and was difficult to find and process; however, these days you can convert a digital camera to infrared or use a special filter on your lens. I also know how to create a similar look in Adobe Photoshop.

I don't have an infrared filter or camera (I really should address that!), so when I photographed The Ashley Condominium in Florida, a storm was approaching, which made the building's lighting appear flat and dull. Nevertheless, the blue sky and green palm trees suggested it would look fantastic in infrared.

So in Photoshop, I brightened the green of the palm trees and the center column of the building to imitate the effects of sunlight on foliage and bright spots, darkened the blue sky as it would be in an infrared, and added a black and white adjustment layer on top. The dark blues and bright greens showed through the adjustment layer. I then enhanced the highlights and shadows, giving this portrait of the Ashley an infrared-inspired look.