Barry Beckham

Seeing the invisible

Infrared light, hiding so we can’t see.

It’s definitely there,  hidden from thee.

Seeing the invisible, is that statement fair?

If we’re unable to see it, do we know it’s there?

Scientists say, there’s a spectrum of light.

Most we can’t see, it’s way out of our sight.

Infrared, gamma, ultraviolet and X-rays,

Speeding around in so many ways.

The reds all around us, just not quite in view.

Does it have colour, red green or blue?

Science steps forward, the spectrum’s unsealed.

Uncloaking the invisible, secrets revealed!

The infrared light, not normally seen

Is revealed in a picture, on an LCD screen.

It takes just a filter, to block out some light.

Let in the invisible and we have our first sight.

It can look dramatic in black and in white.

Blacks full of richness, the rest crisp and bright. 

All it took was a box with a hole

To capture the invisible, like seeing your soul.

Infrared photos  are well worth a try.

Surreal and impressive, grabbing the eye.

If you have an old camera, not worth a thread,

Have it converted, to shoot infrared.

The infrared filter is removed from inside.

It’s replaced with red one, designed to hide.

Once it’s converted, it’ll eat up bright light.

It’ll give you great quality, without a huge fight.

The contrast is low, so it’s easy to cope.

The work is quite simple, no need to hit and hope.

To process the image we need a new room.

One full of light, some call it Lightroom.

Others will argue,  what we need is a shop.

One just for photos,  we’ll call that Photoshop?