How To Create a Surreal Infrared Photo Effect in Photoshop

In today's Photoshop tutorial we're going to take a look at replicating the unique appearance of false-color infrared photography. Authentic infrared photos are captured using infrared film, or digitally using an infrared lens, but the overall style and aesthetic can also be simulated with some tweaks to a normal photograph in Adobe Photoshop.
In false-color infrared photos the reds, blues and greens are reversed, so scenes with foliage and trees appear as a vibrant pink rather than green, which often looks like the photograph was taken on another planet! The result is a surreal image that transforms a typical landscape shot into a vibrant and unique photo.

Deals & Discounts:

Tools & Resources I Use:

Watch more of my content:

#Photoshop #PhotoshopTutorial #AdobePhotoshop

Adobe Photoshop & Adobe Illustrator design tutorials from Chris Spooner of Spoon Graphics. Subscribe to learn how to create stunning artwork as I share my tips and tricks in video format.

[PixelConcept]

Short, to the point and incredibly effective. Amazing video. This is what the internet is made for.

[pbates]

Nice going. First technique I found for Photoshop color infrared that actually works!

[bosozoku]

Richard mosse is someone who really made excellent use of this style in his travels through africa. Well worth checking his work out

[Orxxen]

Thanks for this Video. I instant copied it in Davinci Resolve and it worked just perfect and super easy barely an inconvenience

[akshaydesai]

Awesome video. Simple and to the point, Just exactly how Spoon Graphics is!

[SATYAJITGHOSH]

I've been looking for this! Thanks for precise tutorial.

[potdenutella]

im wondering what if you didnt put inverse color and still work on adjustment ?

[treeburke]

great tutorial. im trying to replicate this effect for video in premiere, but doesnt look as good. do you have a LUT made of this? that would be awesome if you did

[eduardatonga]

How did you get such a nice crimson color, my images tend to stay a pastel pink color or turn purple

[teresacdfreitas]

This looks great. Any thoughts on achieving this effect while maintaining the original cyan and pink (red and magenta I guess) tones in the picture? If I try this effect on a picture with pink flowers, for example, they turn to green. Would be great to be able to only swap greens or adjust it somehow to work.

[M_emery]

Any idea how I’d make it blue instead of red ?

[mattparkin]

I like that there's a channel swap involved here. Too much green in that resultant image, though!

[princessleai]

Can you perform this similar concept in Lightroom?

[WickedMissy]

Amazing. I’ve been messing with dang settings trying to re-create this effect and you do it in seconds! Always amazed 👍🏼

[leonardodau]

All these years, and you are still around. ;)

[danyeager]

WHERE can I find an infrared lens? Hmmm?

[jacephelan]

Thanks dude, I would love to shoot infrared the legit way but colored infrared film costs over 100 dollars now lol

[AMdvij]

Понять до конца не могу, как без масок отделил скалы, небо и человека, от травы, жаль что не на русском.

[davidt]

I have some photos for you to work on I will pay you

[edwardnoble]

"Captured digitally using an infrared LENS"... oooo that's really not true, you should really fix that as it's going to confuse people. Even if you said infrared FILTER it would likely give people the wrong impression as the effect you're showing is from a strong mix of IR and red, which is not usually possible with a non-converted camera. You'd be best off saying an INFRARED CAMERA (conversion), for this effect. This could be done with a 590nm conversion, a full spectrum conversion plus IR Chrome filter, or something similar.