Today about my works being used with my permission by the Naturpark Kaunergrat (Pitztal – Fließ – Kaunertal) in Tyrol / Austria. Their idea was to show visitors how bees and butterflies see the world including their ability to see reflected ultraviolet (UV) light.
They chose to use an attractive yellow flower, a St. John's wort - Hypericum sp. which were shot by me in reflected ultraviolet photography, simulated bee and butterfly vision. All shots were done at f8 in reflected ultraviolet photography using my "work horse" UV filter, the Baader-U filter, as well as my XBV filters for simulated bee and butterfly vision. Lens was a UV-Nikkor 105mm quartz fluorite lens. Light source was sunlight.
[click on image to see a larger one]
Human vision:
Reflected UV:
Simulated butterfly vision:
Simulated bee vision:
Quadriptych of human vision, UV, simulated butterfly and bee vision (left to right, top to bottom):
Hypericum's outer petals strongly reflect UV around 365nm, whereas its stamens are quite darker, reflecting around 385nm, hence forming UV nectar guides for UV seeing insects. This is all invisible to us humans, but clearly visible to bees and butterflies, and all this will be nicely visible to the visitors at Kaunergrat nature park Tyrol, Austria.
I have written more about this flower HERE.
Stay tuned, more will follow on that fascinating subject...
More info on this very interesting field may be found on my site http://www.pbase.com/kds315/uv_photos
Those shown multispectral images of mine where shot in my studio with my "work horse" UV-Nikkor f4.5/105mm quartz fluorite lens using the Baader UV/IR Cut filter and my proprietary XBV filters for simulated bee + butterfly vision. Light source in studio used was a Xenon flash modified for high UV output outside.
Stay tuned, more will follow on that fascinating subject...
More info on this very interesting field may be found on my site http://www.pbase.com/kds315/uv_photos
