Introducing Hyper Color

For the past few months I have been testing a new Infrared conversion filter, and I am happy to finally be able to show it to you.  It’s called Hyper Color.

So, what is Hyper Color?  Basically the next evolution in Infrared photography.  I tried initially to compare to other types of IR and say, “Well it’s a little like…”  or “If you were take a Super Color image and…” But each time I couldn’t quite find a comparison.  Hyper Color is unlike every other  type of IR filter we offer. 

Let’s take a look.

This a Hyper Color Infrared image  of a model by the name of Elissa. 

The first thing you will notice is we don’t have the traditional White, China-Doll look to the skin that you usually get with Infrared.  Instead, the skin has a more natural look.  It’s not exactly like natural  color as this model had a healthy, olive toned, tanned complexion, yet in Hyper Color it’s a rosy tone. 

Here’s another model, Jaclyn.

Once again you have the great color tones, and the slight rosy skin tone.  In total, I had the opportunity to do 4 model type shoots and I also learned something that didn’t come as a big surprise.  The Hyper Color filter in conjunction with the Lensbaby Velvet lenses is a perfect match.   If you aren’t familiar with the Velvet56 and the Velvet85, they are both the best art lenses on the market, with a Bokeh swirl that is wonderful.  And there are no hot spots.  So, if you are going to shoot people in Hyper Color, either of the Velvet lenses is the perfect choice.

At first I thought this would be  the perfect “Fashion Filter”  but to call it that would be seriously short changing the ability of Hyper Color, because it’s also great for Landscapes and still-life.

I had the opportunity to shoot with Hyper Color while in Isla Mujeres last year for our Workshop there, and the look on landscapes is equally cool.

Here

This is one of the wells at the ruins of Hacienda Mundaca, at the southern portion of Isla Mujeres.  It was a very cloudy morning, yet the color tones came out great.  

Here’s another, this with a little sky, this time at Tower Grove Park, in St. Louis, MO.

Kinda different and cool,  don’t you agree?

 

So, Hyper Color is a new, exciting type of Infrared, but I probably buried the lead by waiting till now to point this out. 

All of these images are pretty much straight out of the camera 

There was no Channel Swap needed ! 

Uh huh,……. Let that sink in for a second. 

You can make cool images and not have to do a color channel swap. 

Now you see why I’ve been dying to show this to you.   

This IS the next step, in the evolution of Infrared Digital Art.   

But Wait, . . .  There’s more!  

     – no, it doesn’t make mounds and mounds of julienne fries.

Hyper Color is great for creating Monochrome.  

Take a look.

I learned early on with Hyper Color that most images will easily convert to monochrome and you can get some great dark blacks, and still have lots of grays.

Remember that image at Tower Grove Park a minute ago?  Here it is as a B&W monochrome.

There is a great inky quality to the water, yet the reflections still remained. 

 

So, here’s what I’ve learned from a few months of testing Hyper Color:

• It is it’s own thing.  There is nothing else like it.  With that said, I’m not going to stop shooting my other IR cameras, but I have instead added a new dimension to what I can create.
• It is way easier in Post Production. 
• It makes cool monochrome images.
• And lastly, I learned that I hate making cool images I can’t show anyone, so I am really excited now you can all see them and start shooting Hyper Color as well. 

If you want to see more of what I’ve made working with Hyper Color Infrared, click here  

 CLICK HERE, to get your Hyper Color conversion.