Giant Sunflower - Helianthus giganteus in reflected ultraviolet photography and simulated bee vision

Today shots of a Prairie flower, Giant Sunflower - Helianthus giganteus in reflected ultraviolet photography using my "work horse" UV filter, the Baader-U filter as well as in simulated bee vision using my XBV6 filter. Lens was a 55mm Dialyte lens. Light source was sunlight. All shots were done at about f8.

[click on image to see a larger one]

Visible light image  

UV image using Baader-U filter (approx. 320-395nm, effective peak approx. 375nm):  

Simulated bee vision image using experimental XBV filter:  

Triptych of the above images:  


This flower has a specific UV pattern, its petals are UV reflective around 385nm up to the middle and the rest and its center is UV dark forming a UV bullseye pattern, and all this gets nicely visible.


Stay tuned, more will follow on that fascinating subject...