My first encounter with infrared photography was over 25 years ago, in a college photography class, where I was handed a roll of black-and-white infrared film. That experience felt like stepping into an alternate reality—an ethereal world that existed just beyond the visible spectrum. From that moment on, infrared photography became an integral part of my creative journey. One of my favorite techniques involved using a point-and-shoot camera equipped with an infrared filter over the flash, loaded with Kodak high-speed B&W infrared film. Shooting at night, with the flash rendered invisible by the filter, I could move unnoticed through the streets, capturing scenes that felt like secret moments frozen in time.
As the digital age unfolded, my fascination with infrared photography deepened. One of my first digital experiments involved taking apart an Sony P72 camera, carefully replacing the hot mirror filter with a hand-cut clear filter, and affixing an infrared filter to the lens. The results were magical. Since then, I’ve immersed myself in digital infrared, even exploring infrared video. I’ve modified everything from point-and-shoots to DSLRs to mirrorless cameras—both for myself and for others who share this passion. In my experience, point-and-shoot and mirrorless cameras offer the best precision for infrared work, focusing directly from the sensor, while DSLRs—despite modern live-view features—still fall behind in focus speed.
Though my career has led me into the tech industry, I hold a degree in commercial photography, and infrared photography has always been my way of blending the technical with the poetic. It’s a medium where the ordinary world dissolves, and the unseen becomes visible—a dreamscape where light and shadow are more than they seem. I continue to use my cameras every day, not just for artistic expression, but as a form of meditation, a way to stay grounded in the whirlwind of technology.
