#springfoliage

2025-04-14
Floating the Sacramento River in early April, I brought along my 720nm infrared filter to capture the spring foliage in a different light—literally. With a full-spectrum camera and reversed red/blue channels in post, the newly leafed deciduous trees glow in near-white, contrasting beautifully with the stark, lifeless snags.

This quiet moment, with my son casting for trout nearby, turned into an unexpectedly poetic capture—life and death frozen in IR.

#InfraredPhotography #SacramentoRiver #NatureContrast #SpringFoliage #SurrealLandscape
While taking a lazy float on the Sacramento River with my son in his drift boat, I kept an eye out for scenes to shoot with my new 720-nanometer infrared filter on a full-spectrum modified camera. I picked up this filter with fresh spring foliage in mind, and the deciduous trees around Redding, California, were just leafing out on this early April day. New growth contains high levels of chlorophyll, making it especially reflective in the near-infrared spectrum. The 720nm filter blocks visible light except the deep red edge, allowing near-IR to pass. Most digital sensors can see up to ~1000nm—far beyond human vision.

In post, swapping the red and blue channels gives a subtle bluish sky (which comes out red straight from the camera), and custom white balance helps produce bright, surreal foliage.

As my son anchored to cast for trout, I noticed the contrast between pale new leaves and the dark dead snags—an eerie but beautiful scene.

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