Eye-Popping Winners Of Infrared Photography Contest Bring IR Magic To Light

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 marks the fourth time Kolari, a maker of specialized infrared and ultraviolet photography equipment, has invited international photographers and videographers to submit their work. The contest received more than 3,000 submissions across 12 categories, including abstract, aerial, astro landscape, black and white, long exposure, portrait and infrared short film.

“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 said 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 spans lower-energy, longer wavelengths that humans can’t perceive without 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 white quality.

A panel of seven judges chose the winners of the 2024 Life in Another Light contest based on technical execution, composition and creativity. Jurors included Pierre-Louis Ferrer, a specialist in infrared and ultraviolet techniques, and Yann Philippe, another photographer well known for infrared work. The contest rules state that post-processing of photos is allowed, but they add that “while digital manipulation is permitted, please keep in mind this is not a Photoshop competition. Images that appear to be overly processed may be disqualified at the judges’ discretion.”

Since not all photo enthusiasts have the right equipment to take infrared photos, Kolari Vision included a category for “visible light” photography. The winning images are a breathtaking journey into the limitless imagination. You can see the top entries below, and glimpse all runners-up and honorable mentions here.

Abstract, first place

Aerial, first place

Astro landscape, first place

Black and white, first place

Taken with Candy Chrome filter, first place

Taken with IR Chrome filter, first place

Landscape infrared, first place

Landscape visible light, first place

Long exposure, first place

Portrait, first place

Ultraviolet, first place

Infrared short film, first place