Travel Tuesday: Zion National Park in Infrared

by | Mar 1, 2022

Today’s Post by Joe Farace

One touch of nature makes the whole world kin.” ― John Muir

I have made infrared images all over this country and even some in Mexico but by far the best place that I’ve found to make infrared photographs in the United States is Zion National Park.

The Park is located in the Southwestern United States, near Springdale, Utah. A prominent feature of its 229-square-miles is Zion Canyon, which is 15 miles long and up to half a mile deep, cut through the reddish and tan-colored Navajo Sandstone by the North Fork of the Virgin River. The lowest elevation is 3,666 ft (1,117 m) at Coalpits Wash and the highest elevation is 8,726 ft (2,660 m) at Horse Ranch Mountain.

How I Made this Photo: The above image was shot using my oldest Canon IR camera—an EOS D30 that was converted to infrared by a company that no longer exists using their Standard IR conversion. That camera was ultimately replaced by a D60 then finally an EOS 50D that was converted by Life Pixel using their Standard IR (720nm) conversion. Lens was the wonderful Tamron AF 11-18mm f/4.5-5.6 Di-II SP LD Aspherical IF lens (at 11mm) that while officially discontinued is still available via these Amazon sellers at attractive prices.

Exposure for the above image was 1/100 sec at f/14 and ISO 400. For more information about exposing for infrared photography, please read this post when you have time. Image was captured as a RAW file that was then converted to monochrome using one of the Photoshop actions that are available via Life Pixel, then it was tweaked with Vivenza, and finally toned with Photokit’s Platinum toning feature.

Sometime in the future I would like to hold an infrared workshop in Zion National Park. A few years ago one of the big photography websites approached me about sponsoring such a workshop but with a change of their ownership the offer evaporated. If your organization is interested in sponsoring an infrared photography workshop at Zion, please click the Contact button and let’s talk.

I’ve found that Life Pixel does a great job with IR conversions and they have done some of my Canon DSLRs and all of my Panasonic Lumix G-series mirrorless cameras. This is not a paid or sponsored endorsement, just my experience.

My book, The Complete Guide to Digital Infrared Photography is  available from Amazon for $41.99 but used copies starting around seventeen bucks as I write this. Creative Digital Monochrome Effects has a chapter on IR photography and is available from Amazon for $19.40 with used copies start around two bucks, less than your next cup of joe at Starbucks.