A difference between slide and print Infrared film

During my experiments with color infrared film – both medium format slide and print formulae – I wanted to determine the best outputs for both products.

What I’ve discovered is – with the color print Infrared film (“CIR 120”) I’ve acquired, I have more flexibility with my shots.  In sunlight, I can use the photographer’s “Sunny 16” formula, which gives me plenty of powerful colors and representations.  The color slide film (“Aerochrome”) is more finicky.  With a yellow filter, it prefers a sunny day and an F-stop of, off of a 1:250 shutter speed.

I’ll show you what I mean.

Last week, I did a walk through St. Agnes Cemetery on a sunny afternoon.  After paying my respects to my baby brother (always pay your respects), I stopped at the site of one of my photographic successes, the tall tree in front of the Farrell grave marker.  This became the photo Farrell, which one a blue ribbon at Altamont last year.

Tell me that doesn’t stand out.  Ooh baby.

I had two shots of CIR 120 print film left in the Rolleiflex, so I shot the location to finish off the roll.  I was at the spot where I shot the tall “Farrell” tree, so let’s see what color infrared print film can get me.

Wow.  Plenty of pinks and crimsons and scarlets, blue-white tombstones against a blue-indigo sky.  Sweet.

Okay, roll’s done.  I opened the Rollei, popped out the infrared film, immediately packed the shot film in a plastic black light-tight canister, and then added some Aerochrome infrared slide film to the Rollei –

And I shot from the exact same location.  Just as a comparison.

Ooh.  Now this one has a lot more saturation than the print film, and the colors have more pop to them.

But film formulae definitely have their benefits and their strengths.  That’s for sure.

And if I use these films under optimum conditions …. I can get breathtaking shots like these, for sure.

I can get these super-punched-up shots like this from the Aerochrome film …

And I can get these super-detailed, pastel-like shots with the CIR 120 infrared compound.  This was a lily pad in a Corinth pond, just a nice example of what was on the beginning of my CIR 120 roll.

Super wow…

Yeah, I’m having lots of fun with this infrared print and slide film.

So much fun, in fact … that I used up my stash.  Urgh.

Time to make a call to my source for another fix.

This is fun.  Real fun.