Processing Infrared Shots from a Converted Camera

This tutorial is for converting a "full spectrum" photograph into the classic blue sky/white vegetation result via channel swapping. If you are trying to convert a strictly infrared image (predominantly red) you will have to download Adobe's DNG Profile Editor and play with your image until it looks similar to our beginning point (light blue vegetation/ivory yellow skies).


Let's start with a shot from our infrared converted camera (a Canon D60 converted by LifePixel);
 

First we'll do a quick, basic edit (as we would do for any photo ). 

Next we're going to play with the Channel Mixer; Image > Adjustment > Channel Mixer. 

You screen should look something like this; 

Make sure your output channel is set to Red (your dialogue box should look like this); 

Now we're going to swap channels! Move the red slider to a value of "0", move the blue slider to a value of "100"; 

Your screen should look something like this (note the green skies and pink vegetation; 

Switch the output channel to blue, move the red slider to a value of "100", move the blue slider to a value of "0"; 

Your screen should now look something like this; 

Now for some final adjustments. Let's go to the Hue/Saturation dialogue box; Image > Adjustments > Hue/Saturation; 

We'll get a dialogue box that looks like this; 

...but we want to play with seperate hues, so choose yellow from the drop down menu and adjust to your liking; 

...the same thing for the cyans and greens;

And vioila...our finished picture!