Ultraviolet garden

Following my first proof-of concept attempt at UV photography yesterday, I went out around campus again today with a tripod and remote. I got some much better shots of flowers and the campus. This time I’ve left the photos exactly as they came off the camera. Near violet UV records in the blue channel, and deeper UV in the red channel (For reference the dandelion outer ring has a reflectance peak around 350 nm, recorded here in the red channel).

A newly opening dandelion with the strong UV ring.

A white clover flower.

Unknown white flowers with little UV. Anyone know what they are?

Buttercups also have a strong UV pattern.

Ultraviolet campus

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First attempt at UV photography

Here is my very first attempt at ultraviolet photography. The was taken with a Nikon D1H with a UV Nikkor 105 lens and filter glass for blocking visible and infrared light (400 nm and up). I took this with a half second exposure and no tripod and remote, so it is a bit blurry. The dandelion, like many flowers, has a distinct UV ring pattern that is visible to many insect pollinators. Here, reflected UV light is false colored white.

My first UV photo of a dandelion.

I really wish I had gotten a more stable shot since there is also an ant visiting the center of the flower.