Infrared Cleopatra Gardens 1

The Cleopatra Farmhouse and Restaurant is justifiably well known in KwaZulu Natal for its fine food and wine. However, the gardens are also a marvel of flowers, shrubbery, trees, and aquatic plants. The mountainous backdrop of the Highmoor in the Drakensberg Range adds to a surreal quality in these infrared images.

Infrared InterludeI naturally took my Canon 40D camera to South Africa, the one converted to full spectrum capabilities. Using the Okavanga Technique of placing a Cokin 3-stop neutral density filter in front of the lens creates infrared images with blue skies and "white" foliage, while placing an R72 (720 nm) filter in front of the lens creates full monochrome infrared images. The magic of post-processing with Lightroom allows some colour splash effects. On the whole I was disappointed with my infrared work on this vacation, the camera having difficulty in focussing correctly - an ominous development. Nevertheless, some shots were OK. Here is a short selection.