IR Chrome fotografija
Infrardeča fotografija obstaja že od začetka 20. stoletja. Leta 1910 je Robert W. Wood izdelal prvo fotografsko ploščo, občutljivo na infrardečo svetlobo. Tehnika je hitro našla uporabo v letalni izvidnici, kjer je vegetacija na posnetkih zasijala belo, kamuflažni materiali pa so ostali temni.
Med drugo svetovno vojno so se pojavile izboljšane kamuflaže, ki jih klasični črno-beli IR film ni več zanesljivo zaznaval. Zato je Kodak leta 1940, po naročilu ameriške vojske, razvil barvni infrardeči film Aerochrome (IR Chrome). Ta je infrardečo informacijo preslikal v vidni spekter – vegetacija se je prikazala v rožnatih in rdečih tonihnamesto bele.
Ključna razlika med klasičnim IR filmom in IR Chrome filmom je bila v interpretaciji slike. Črno-beli IR film ponuja le en kanal (odtenke sive), kar zahteva izkušenega opazovalca. IR Chrome pa je uporabljal tri plasti emulzije (IR, rdeča, zelena), kar je omogočilo boljšo ločitev med vegetacijo, vodo in umetnimi materiali že na prvi pogled.
Zaradi izrazitega barvnega kontrasta je bil IR Chrome izjemno uporaben pri zračnem izvidovanju, kasneje pa tudi v gozdarstvu, kartografiji in okoljskem monitoringu. Po vojni so film množično odkrili tudi umetniki, ki so jih pritegnile njegove nadrealistične barve. Značilen videz se je pojavljal v umetniških projektih, filmih in na naslovnicah glasbenih albumov.
Kodak je proizvodnjo filma ukinil leta 2007. Kljub temu duh IR Chrome fotografije živi naprej. Z razvojem digitalne fotografije so nastali posebni filtri in postopki obdelave, ki posnemajo videz originalnega filma. Pomemben mejnik je leta 2019 dosegel francoski fotograf Yann Philippe, ki je razvil sodoben filter kot digitalni ekvivalent legendarnega IR Chrome filma.
IR Chrome Photography
Infrared photography has existed since the early 20th century. In 1910, Robert W. Wood created the first photographic plate sensitive to infrared light. The technique was soon adopted for aerial reconnaissance, where vegetation appeared bright while camouflage materials remained dark.
During the Second World War, improved camouflage materials reduced the effectiveness of traditional black-and-white infrared film. In response, Kodak developed color infrared film Aerochrome (IR Chrome) in 1940, commissioned by the U.S. military. This film translated infrared information into the visible spectrum, rendering vegetation in pink and red tones instead of white.
The key difference between classical infrared film and IR Chrome lies in image interpretation. Black-and-white infrared film records only a single channel (grayscale), requiring trained analysis. IR Chrome, however, used three emulsion layers—sensitive to infrared, red, and green light—allowing clearer differentiation between vegetation, water, and artificial materials at a glance.
Thanks to its strong color contrast, IR Chrome proved highly effective for aerial surveillance, and later for forestry, cartography, and environmental monitoring. After the war, artists embraced the film for its surreal and vivid colors, and its distinctive look appeared in artistic projects, films, and on music album covers.
Kodak discontinued the film in 2007, but the visual legacy of IR Chrome lives on. With the rise of digital photography, specialized filters and post-processing techniques were developed to replicate its unique appearance. A major milestone was reached in 2019, when French photographer Yann Philippe successfully created a modern filter as a digital counterpart to the legendary IR Chrome film.