A how-to using a stock non-conversion Leica M10 Monochrom to make Infrared Landscape Photography images. A blending of exposure tips using the histogram with the Hoya R72 filter and processing the image in Capture One Pro. Also, use a light, sturdy tripod with a Visoflex 020 finder for precise focus.

I’ll provide a sample image from start to finish. Let’s get started.

[Read more…] about Infrared Landscape Photography (A stock Leica M10 Monochrom)

I’m excited to share my findings on Infrared Photography Tips (Leica M10Monochrom.) Using an infrared filter on a stock camera. I think you will be pleased with the results nonetheless.

A few striking image samples are below with an R72 filter on a Leica M10Monochrom.

So what is infrared?

Light is represented on a scale from left to right, starting with ultraviolet, visible color wavelengths in the middle, and infrared to the right. Our eyes can only see visible color wavelengths. Infrared wavelengths respond as heat. When you see a photo taken in infrared, it’s beyond what a human can see. Infrared is the warmth we feel when the sun hits our arms. The warmth is infrared.

In the 1990’s I shot Kodak HIE, a high-speed infrared film. I enjoyed the look and created some beautiful images. Unfortunately, Kodak halted production in 2007. I’ve wanted to get a digital camera converted to infrared.

The other month an Instagram photographer Christoph @croptz posted photos with a Leica M10M and an R72 filter (infrared filter). His images were wonderful. I DM’d the photographer, and he mentioned that he shot the photos with a Leica M10M without conversion, so if you don’t have a Leica M10M, follow some easy steps to see if your camera is sensitive to the infrared spectrum. Hopefully, these infrared photography tips will be helpful.
The first step to see if your camera is sensitive to infrared is simple. Find a T.V. remote. Set your camera on Auto ISO and a shutter speed of 1/125. Do this indoors and use an aperture of f/2.0 or so. Show the remote on Live View. Then press the remote’s “Power” button. If you can see a light from the remote on the Live View monitor, your camera can shoot infrared. The brighter, the higher the sensitivity to infrared.

After you figure out your camera qualifies, you need to purchase an infrared filter. I’ve been using the R72 by Hoya. B+W has a 092 filter that will work with less of an effect. My settings with my camera are ISO 5000-10000 at f/1.4-f/2.0 @ 1/125th second with the R72 filter in daylight. Your settings will vary depending on the camera’s I.R. sensitivity. The photo above shows that my Canon 5D Mark IV is slightly sensitive to infrared light, but I haven’t tested the camera with a filter yet. If your settings drop below 1/focal length shutter speed, you may consider using a tripod to avoid camera shake. A tripod could be handy if you want to shoot at a higher aperture or a lower ISO.

A note on fine-tuning your image: I shoot on Auto-ISO and have exposure simulation, clipping warning indicators engaged. If I see that the highlights are too bright, I can adjust the exposure with “exposure compensation.” You can use “Live View” or a “Visoflex” to punch in for focus. Infrared shifts focus, so confirm focus.
Another way to shoot would be to go “Manual.” In the days of film infrared, I would sometimes bracket the shot. If you shoot in manual, set the ISO at 3200 for starters. Then when you get your exposure, you add a bracket +1 stop and -1 stop—giving you some latitude in processing or toning the image.

A sample image with a step-by-step processing guide using Capture One Pro 21 software. Hopefully, these Infrared Photography Tips (Leica M10Monochrom) are helpful.

I shoot monochrome and not color, so my example will be monochrome.
The exposure is ISO 10000 @ f/2.0 at 1/125th of a second. Plenty of detail in the original file. The first processing move is to lighten the highlights and open the 3/4 tones just a little. I use the “Curve” tool to make that adjustment.

The second adjustment is with “Levels.” I move the “Midtones” to the left slightly to open them.

The following adjustment is “Color Balance” with the “3-Way” editor. I’m going to add warmth somewhat to the image in “Shadow,” “Midtone,” and “Highlight.”

Next, I will add “Grain” and adjust “Noise.” Select a type of grain like “Soft Grain.” Reduce the “Details” slider in “Noise” to half for an analog look.

The before and after comparison in regards to sharpness, noise, and grain.

The final image is a split comparison showing the photo before and after processing.

The last image is the final result.

Final words.

If you are shooting action, you may consider converting your camera to infrared. The loss of light is only 2-3 stops roughly so that you can shoot at faster shutter speeds and smaller apertures compared to 7-8 stops of light loss for a non-converted camera. For now, I will shoot infrared with my camera without a conversion. I hope that these Infrared Photography Tips (Leica M10Monochrom) are helpful so you too can try infrared photography.

I will explain what I thought while I shot and processed a Leica M10M file. I will combine what I considered in shooting and processing an image shot with the Leica M10 Monochrom.

A look into how I Shoot and Process Leica M10M files 1. Photographing into the sun can have challenges. Depending on the lens you use, flare can be a factor you need to balance. Exposure is critical in regards to the sun. 2. Processing the image will take a little time since you underexpose the image to preserve the sun. 3. Process a little more by tint and grain. 4. Final words about capture and process.

Exposure and framing the photo

I started on a hike, and a pair of trees with the sun behind them caught my eye. The shadow of the tree projected nicely on the hill coming toward me. I picked my M10 Monchrom with a 35mm Summilux and orange filter to frame up the image. The Meter pointed (Center-Weighted meter pattern) at the sky and then stopped down a 1 1/2 stop. I focused and then made an exposure. The pre-view was dark as expected, with the sun perfectly exposed.

Importing images into Capture One Pro

After the hike, I imported the images into a New Session in Capture One Pro and started processing the image. I always with Curves and Levels (global tools) when editing first. I find that I rarely burn and dodge areas in a photo. If I do, I will mask and continue editing. I initially pulled open the mid-tones in Levels from 0 to .20. Then I moved the highlight from 255 to 200. I selected Curves and opened up the shadows, and pushed back on the mid-tones and highlights in the RGB channel. The image was still a little too dark, so I changed to the Luma channel and did a similar thing with opening up the shadows while keeping the mid-tones and highlights unchanged.

Adding Grain and Tint in Three-Way Color

I then added grain using Silver Rich as the pattern and about 50 strength for an analog feel. The Tint in the Three-Way Color panel was edited and moved in all three sections to a warm color. I then ramped in warmth in the three regions (shadow, midtone, and highlight) of the image.

Final Words

The final word on the image is that I’m happy with the way it looked. Shoot and Process Leica M10M files. As an added attribute, the two trees to me represent a pair that weather seasons together. I enjoy finding images that have human characteristics. The pandemic has given me a year to explore close by and get familiar with it through my photography. I hope you have learned something and can be inspired to make images too.

Ideas to consider photographing with a Leica M10 Monochrom camera and processing images in Capture One Pro 20.

Starting with steps for that ultimate image with a Leica M10 Monochrom

This article will demonstrate how to 1. Expose an image. 2. Import the image to Capture One Pro 20 software and steps before processing. 3. Processing using Curves and Levels. 4. Adding an Adjustment Layer with Mask. 5. Add tint and grain for an analog look. 6. Export and prep in Photoshop for Social Media apps. This process will give you an ultimate image with a Leica M10 Monochrom using Capture One Pro 20.

Key for ultimate image using Leica M10 Monochrom and Capture One Pro

I may have stumbled upon a trick that might give B&W photographers a bar up in processing images for their Leica M10 Monochrom images. I’ve read and watched several reviews. I’ve heard of reviewers noting that highlight detail, if not exposed for, is lost. We’ll shoot for the highlights and process for the shadows. Adding that shadow detail can be lightened very easy with the Leica. I use to shoot B&W zone system photography back in the ’80s-’90s, which was the opposite. Expose for the shadows and develop for the highlights.

Exposure with a Leica M10 Monochrom

When shooting with the M10 Monochom, my exposure is based on the highlights and then processing for the shadows. I shoot with the Visoflex 020 EVF attached to check the histogram while shooting. I make sure that the highlights are not clipping. In certain instances, I’ve also found that the shadows need moderate adjustment to lighten values. I shoot with an Orange filter.

Import & Steps before processing your image

Import the image into Capture One Pro 20. First, I create a new session with Capture One Pro 20 on my external SSD hard drive. Then I insert the cameras SD card on my laptop, and copy the image files to the SDD Session sub-folder named capture. Then, I open the session in Capture One Pro 20 and open the session and click the capture folder, and the files will appear in the image browser. (Select your lens in the Lens tab, and in the Exposure tab under Curves, select Linear Response).

Processing using Levels and Curves for your monochrom files

Prep the shadow by opening them using Levels and Curves. You can do a dual adjustment in Curves using RGB and Lightness channels. Use Curves to lift the shadows and use the Levels Mid-tone adjustment to open up the Mid-tones. Make global adjustments first. Global adjustments will not create halos in your image.

Adding an Adjustment Layer with Mask

In some cases, with shadow build-up, you can create an adjustment layer by masking the entire image and fine-tune the gamma and tones in the adjustment layer! You will use your eye to determine what looks best for your photo. For final tweaks, use Exposure and High Dynamic Range adjustments (small increments only) for improving the image to your eye. Photographers will also use burn and dodge an image for tone control. I use that tool sparingly and use it only as a secondary adjustment.

Finishing an image with Tint and Grain for an ultimate analog look

In the Color tab scroll to the Three Way Color Wheel. You will select the hue for Shadow, Mid Tone and Highlight. I’ll finish up by added some tint with the 3-way color editor. The color editor allows you to tweak Highlights, Midtones, and Shadows to your liking. The tool’s breakdown is the saturation slider 0%-100% on the left, the tone slider in the center, and the brightness slider on the right. Each part of the tool has a tab that allows you to slide in the effect when you grab it. If you are toning a color image, desaturate before using the 3-way color editor. In the Details tab, I add grain as my last step for an analog feel. Select a Grain pattern you like and then, at actual size, increase the amount to your liking.

Complete and ready for Export and Prep for Social Media

Export the image to your desktop. I open up the image in Photoshop and change the image size, panel the image in Canvas Size, and then save a .jpg for Instagram or any other social media app. This should give you an ultimate image with a Leica M10 Monochrom and Capture One Pro 20. For you photographers that aren’t shooting with a monochrome camera can desaturate your color image to monochrome then use these techniques to maximize your image in the toning process.