Our challenge photos have infra red potential, but can you fulfil their promise?
Now for something rather different for this, our 8th DPNow.com Photo Fix Challenge; we're challenging you to fix an infra red image, and in another change to the challenge you can choose from one of four donor images.
You may not know that we run a lens and camera gear hire service via our Olympus UK E-System User Group site. The newest addition to the hire stock is an Olympus Pen E-PL1 Micro Four Thirds camera that we've had converted to take near infra red pictures. The camera will be available from hire early next month. Naturally, we've been testing the camera - and having quite a bit of fun with it at the same time!
Here's one we did earlier - a false colour rendition of an infra red still taken using our converted camera. Roll your mouse over the image to see a mono interpretation.
All digital cameras are sensitive to near infra red (as opposed to thermal infra red), but much of this sensitivity is lost because cameras are fitted with infra red filters or 'hot mirrors' in front of the camera's sensor. We've had our camera's filter substituted for one that lets light up to a wavelength of 720nm through. Some shorter wavelength colour does get through so there is real colour recorded along with the near infra red and this colour can be emphasised to create stunning and surreal effects - if you know how! Alternatively, you can process the tones in black and white to get some glowing scenes that almost look like night time, and yet not - all at the same time.
There are many techniques for processing infra red images and since this challenge was launched we have now published an introductory guide to infra red digital photography with tips on processing infra red to get great false colour and black and white results.
As usual, we're providing download links for the original camera files, both a camera JPEG versions of the photos, and the original RAW file. I can tell you from the start that there will be much more flexibility for your creativity if you choose the RAW file path. The camera was set to a low Kelvin white balance temperature, so there is less red and orange in the JPEG images right from the start. Processing the RAW file will let you choose your preferred white balance from the very start.
You can simply go for the best technical post processing job and get the colours and tones looking great, or you can indulge in some artistic licence and make minor or radical changes to the image content. In the end you have to impress DPNow readers when they vote for the overall winner.
So here are the four donor images you have to choose from:
Image 1: (click for a larger view in a new window) Can you make this picture look great?
Image 2: (click for a larger view in a new window) Can you make this picture look great?
Image 3: (click for a larger view in a new window) Can you make this picture look great?
Image 4: (click for a larger view in a new window) Can you make this picture look great?
If you are interested in taking up the challenge, I'd recommend you download one of the original camera files (you have the choice of the RAW file or the JPEG file) and have a closer look than the previews available on this page.
Original image file download links:
Please note that these files and their images are copyrighted. Permission is granted for use and editing/manipulating for the sole purpose of entering this challenge. The images and derived images are not to be used for any other purpose without permission. In return, we promise not to use entries to the challenge for commercial gain without permission from the entrant.
Submit your entry
Once you have completed your work on the image, send a JPEG version to us attached to an email via [email protected] Please ensure that the JPEG file size does not exceed 5MB. The best entries will be judged in printed form. We will acknowledge all entries received, so if you don't get an acknowledgment, we probably didn't receive it - please check with us just in case.
We will then judge the best entries and present them to DPNow visitors and invite them to vote for their favourites. The top entrant will win a book from the DPNow library.
Finally, the deadline for entries is midnight UK time on Friday, 27th May, 2011.
Have fun with the challenge and good luck!
