In the old days, infrared photography implies keeping the films refrigerated, changing the film inside a dark bag, and hoping there is no artificial mark produced by camera. And you never know what will come out (that might be a blessing, come to thinking about it), Digital SLR made infrared photography infinitely easier.
(Dancer: Olivia Eng, from Paco Gomes & Dancers)
Although you can put a infrared filter in front of the lens, this usually results in super long exposure, which is a problem in dance photography. A modified digital SLR serves much better. By putting a infrared filter inside the camera, right before the sensor, you can see what you are shooting, adjust by taking a test shot, and shooting at fast shutter speed.
(Dancers: Nina Fischer, Olivia Eng, from Paco Gomes & Dancers)
For infrared photo, you pretty much want to shoot in RAW format only. Once you bring the image to Photoshop, you will want to do a channel swapping to get rid off the red cast, and make the color close to normal. There is something mysterious about making a photo almost real, but not quite real.
(Dancer: Mari Takahashi)
Infrared turns the sky into deep dark, water into black hole, grass into dreamy white. It creates a perfect stage with dramatic light for dancers.
(Dancer: Mari Takahashi)
Infrared and dance photography seems to work very well together. Both distort or exaggerate the reality. Together they really enhance the surreal feeling. It’s like inside a dream.