The classic look of an infrared image is high contrast black and white, with pale vegetation, dark skies and a ghostly glow to the highlights. This was one of the techniques that every film photographer tried out at some point, and it was all about using rolls of dedicated infrared film combined with a specialist IR filter over the lens. With the arrival of the DSLR revolution you could be forgiven for thinking that the process had very much gone on the back burner, but this would be very far from the case. In fact it’s easier than ever to master IR techniques using a digital camera, since both CMOS and CCD sensors are very good at detecting infrared light – a little too good in fact Infrared light travels at higher wavelengths than visible light which means it focuses at a different point and creates a blurred edge to all details in digital images. To combat this, digital cameras all have infrared blocking filters over the sensors. The good news is the blocking filters aren’t 100 per cent effective, so if you use a filter that blocks out visible light and allows the passage of infrared you can get some decent results. The downside of using one filter to foil another filter is that there is so little light actually making it to the sensor that slow shutter speeds are unavoidable. Despite this potential drawback, every DSLR I have tested has been able to photograph infrared light to one degree or another. Some have more effective infrared blocking filters than others, which is key to infrared sensitivity, but I will go through the results of my testing a little later. Getting started in infrared photography is all about experimentation because the techniques required differ so greatly from normal photography using visible light wavelengths. The whole process, from lighting, composure, focusing, depth-of-field, colour saturation and image editing, can be so very difficult to perfect, but I find it all worthwhile when I look at the results. The pictures have a surreal quality that people tend to either love or hate... personally I love it.

What you need: Infrared filters and kit

The first and foremost requirement is an infrared filter. A number of filter manufacturers offer an infrared option, although many retailers may have to order them in as they are niche interest items. Holding an infrared filter up to the light, it appears to be black, which is a reminder that it is blocking the transmission of visible light. Some filters block light wavelengths at different thresholds, with some very expensive examples blocking all but the very highest wavelengths of light. For £20 to 35 you can pick up excellent filters from manufacturers such as Hoya, Lee and Tiffen. The screw-fit Hoya R72 is probably the most easily available, though costing around £30 and upwards depending on the filter size it can be quite costly for casual experimentation. It is in my opinion an excellent filter for infrared and is never absent from my camera bag. The ‘87’ rated gel filter from Lee is also widely available and, costing around £15, is considerably cheaper than the Hoya. The Lee 87 filter has a higher cut off threshold for light transmission which means you get a stronger infrared effect. However, the darker filter also requires longer exposures than the Hoya to yield results. The downside of the gel filters is their vulnerability to scratching, bending, folding and, occasionally – given ultra long exposures – light seeping in behind the filter, giving a disastrous white haze across your image. The correct method of using gel filters is to slot them into filter holders which can be relatively pricey, although I have heard of penny-pinching photographers cutting a disc from the infrared filter and sandwiching it between two UV filters. If treated with care and used correctly however, the Lee 87 filter produces stronger, more contrasting infrared images than the Hoya R72, although the screw- in format of the Hoya makes it far easier to use for ad-hoc subjects. A tripod is essential for infrared photography due to the long exposure times. Also, if you want to avoid camera shake from firing the shutter, a remote shutter release is a good idea.