Kolari Vision revealed the winners of its 2024 “Life in Another Light” infrared photography contest on Tuesday, and they’re a stunning, otherwordly testament to the genre. Infrared light lies beyond the visible light spectrum, but photos shot with infrared film or filters let us peer inside these hidden worlds.
This is the fourth time that Kolari, a manufacturer of infrared and ultraviolet photography devices, has invited foreign photographers and videographers to present their work. The festival won more than 3,000 entries in 12 categories, including abstract, aerial, astronomical landscape, black and white short film, long exposure, portrait and infrared.
“What changes when we switch to infrared, and which things remain constant? What beauty lies in the light that our eyes can’t see? What do new perspectives show us about our world that only photography can capture?” Kolari asked when announcing the competition. “Our contest isn’t just about capturing images; it’s about discovering new ways to see the world.”
Visible light covers wavelengths from 400 nanometers to 700 nanometers. Infrared light covers lower energy and longer wavelengths than humans can perceive with specialized equipment.
While infrared photography has practical applications in fields including criminal forensics, medicine and dentistry (tracking tooth decay for example), it’s a favorite among fine art photographers. Infrared images often have a surreal, dreamlike quality that turn everyday scenes into rich fantasy worlds. Mountains and lush foliage become bright red or pink, water turns a deep turquoise and skies take on eye-popping hues not typically seen in nature. Dark textiles appear white, and the surface of skin reflects infrared light in a way that minimizes imperfections, often lending faces a haunting, ghostly quality.
A panel of seven judges selected the winners of the 2024 Life in Another Light contest based on technical execution, composition and creativity. Among the jurors were Pierre-Louis Ferrer, a specialist in infrared and ultraviolet techniques, and Yann Philippe, another photographer well known for infrared work. Both were instrumental in developing Kolari infrared filters used in specific contest categories — Ferrer helped create the Candy Chrome filter, while Philippe worthe IR Chrome filter — and judged photos created with these tools.
The contest rules state that post-processing of images is allowed, but they add that “while virtual manipulation is allowed, please note that this is not a Photoshop contest. Images that appear to be over-processed may be disqualified at the discretion of the judges. “
Since not all photography enthusiasts have the apparatus to take infrared photographs, Kolari has allowed “visible light” photography in certain categories. The winning photographs are a breathtaking adventure into the infinite imagination. You can see the entries for the first position below and take a look at all the finalists and honorable mentions here.
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