Film handling
Alongside not exposing the film to light during the development process, there are more things to worry about specifically with infrared photography.
Kodak IR film in particular is very sensitive to scratches, as it doesn’t have a polyester film base. For this reason you have to be extra careful during the developing process. Also, when you are developing the film you must make sure that it is not exposed to infrared light or it will be spoiled, so be sure to develop it in an IR-proof location. It is important to change your film in something called a ‘changing bag’; this prevents any infrared light from reaching the film and fogging it up.
An additional point to note is that high temperatures can damage your infrared film, causing it to fog. This can occur even if the film is loaded inside a camera, so make sure not to leave it in an area that is prone to heat, such as beside windows or in cars on warm days. Something else that can cause fogging is the transparent window in the back of film cameras that allows photographers to see what type of film is loaded.
While this window blocks visible light, infrared light can still get through so it is important to block this area. Many photographers use aluminum foil for this purpose, and then cover it with black electrical tape.
