[.ca] The Art of Color Infrared Photography (ISBN 1584280654)

Mixed feelings on this book:
I just bought this book recently, and while I think it might be a useful technical reference, it gives little new insight into the possibilities of CIR film. Charts and graphs are all well and good, but I don't find them terribly helpful. Mr. Begleiter also gives very little information on color filters other than Wratten 12Y and seems to use only that filter except for the one image taken with an orange filter. I would've liked to see more exploration into the color results from different filters other than yellow. Don't get me wrong, there is useful information in this book, primarily the information on filters to correct for tungsten or fluorescent light and what happens to the film when it is outdated. This book, however, should not be the only book you read on infrared photography. This book could work as a companion piece to Joseph Paduano's "The Art of Infrared Photography", which provides more information on which color filters to use to get certain color results. The two together would make a fairly complete course in IR photography. Begleiter's book is good on a very technical level, though I think it would be more helpful to see actual images made with different conditions and exposures instead of graphs or at least in addition to the graphs.

Comprehensive, accessible, a great introductory manual!:
Begleiter's book presents infrared film in a comprehensive and accessible fashion for both pro shooters and hobbyists. Speaking as a professional photographer, I found the text to be straight forward and not garnished with techno-speak designed only to show the reader how much the author knows about the subject. Rather, the text aptly tells you what you need to know to get you started and achieve your desired results. The images illustrate Begleiter's points and demonstrate the artistic and technical possibilities any photographer can achieve when applying infrared film to either a professional assignment or a personal project. If you want to add this film to your arsenal of techniques and you wait to learn how to use it by reading the notes that accompany the film, then you have waited too long. Begleiter's theme is that you should first understand the film, how it works and how to use it, and then apply it where it will give you a fresh look that represents your interpretation of the scene. There is no question that infrared film can be over-used and mis-used. To his credit, Begleiter doesn't shove his opinions down the reader's throat, respecting his readers enough to let them make their own decisions about using the film and letting them enjoy the experience of learning for themselves.

Begleiter is a Genius!:
If you are interested in adding some zest to your color photography, this book will lead the way. The images in this book are goregeous and the descriptions on how to create images of your own are excellent! I highly recommend purchasing this book!

An inspiring book:
I was initially disappointed with the book, but my impression changed favourably with further reading. It illustrates well almost all of the points to consider when using current color infrared films from Kodak. There are some grave errors in the book, however. Three key diagrams that illustrate the radiation from heated objects are misconcieved (probably by the 'artist') and suggest that they emit almost as much X-rays and cosmic radiation as visible and UV light. The correct appearance is given by the Planck radiation law, which has been known for almost a century.

A Good Place to Start:
Mr. Begleiter's The Art of Color Infrared Photography seems to be the only book on the subject of color infrared photography that is currently on the market, so if you are looking for guidance on the subject, this is it. The good news is that this book does do a good job of providing enough information to get you off to a good start. You will be confident that you know what you are doing the first time you load a roll of Kodak CIR film into your camera. The book covers all of the topics essential to infrared photography, such as: the physics of infrared light, how the film works, film handling, processing, pushing/pulling, using filters, focusing and various light sources. I give the book only 4 stars because it is not what I would call comprehensive. I wish some of the above topics had been covered in more detail and with more examples. There is only one example of using a yellow filter vs an orange filter, and no examples of doing this under different types of light. Filters are rather essential to IR photography, and I would have liked to see them treated in more depth. There is mention of the alternative AR-5 process for developing the film, but there is only one example of that, too. It peaked my interest, but I couldn't find out more. There is no information on cross-processing color IR film as a negative, which I know some people do. Mr. Begleiter probably doesn't cross-process his film, but some information on the subject would be nice. A little color IR goes a long way, but this book does showcase some nice examples of subjects for which color IR is actually appropriate and attractive, which is helpful and encouraging. All in all, this book not perfect, but it is a worthy addition to the library of any photographer.