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Infrared Photography Effect

Replicate the surreal look of Kodak Aerochrome and other false-color infrared films. This filter selectively isolates green foliage and shifts its hue while boosting lightness, mimicking how leaves reflect high amounts of invisible infrared light. It also darkens blue skies to simulate the physical filters used in traditional IR photography.

Understanding the controls

Foliage Hue sets the target color for anything the algorithm identifies as green. Classic Aerochrome renders foliage as a vivid pink or magenta (around 340°), but you can sweep the slider to create orange, deep red, or even alien blue forests.

Foliage Lightness controls the “Wood effect”—the tendency of chlorophyll to strongly reflect infrared light. Increasing this makes leaves appear to glow brightly against darker surroundings.

Sky Darkness targets blue hues and reduces their lightness. Because skies emit very little infrared light compared to the blue light they scatter, real IR photos feature dramatic, dark skies that make the bright foliage pop even more.

Frequently Asked Questions

It replicates the look of false-color infrared film. It identifies green foliage and shifts it to pink, red, or white, while selectively darkening blue skies to create a dramatic, surreal landscape.

True infrared film is often shot with a red or yellow filter that blocks blue light. Because the sky scatters a lot of blue light and very little infrared, it appears dark or almost black on the resulting image.

Landscapes with bright green foliage and clear blue skies produce the most dramatic results. The algorithm specifically targets greens and blues, so images without those colors won't change much.

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