Black-eyed Susan - Rudbeckia hirta in reflected ultraviolet photography and simulated bee and butterfly vision XIX

Today more shots of that beautiful flower, originating from the USA Prairie, here today again that commercially sold hybrid of a Black-eyed Susan - Rudbeckia hirta (possibly R. hirta x R. fulgida) in reflected ultraviolet photography using different filters aside from the Baader-U filter, but different ones today for simulated bee and butterfly vision but also part of my XBV filter set. All shots were done at f8-f11 on my balcony. Lens was a UV-Nikkor 105mm quartz fluorite lens. Light source was direct sunlight. 

PS: These other filters (filter stacks actually) I used have partially corroded over time, so I had to polish them using finest Cerium-Oxide powder. I made some slurry with that using filtered water, then polished the filter glasses with that using a very soft cloth and small circular movements, then rinsed them clean and dried them. So these images hopefully prove that this was successfully done....I think so.

[click on image to see a larger one]

Human vision:
 

Reflected ultraviolet (UV - false color):
 

Simulated butterfly vision:
 

Simulated bee vision:
 

Quadriptych of human vision, ultraviolet, simulated bee and butterfly vision (left to right, top to bottom):
 

This flower shows a very prominent UV bullseye pattern, as its petal tips are very UV bright (around 365nm) and its center is very UV dark, and all this gets nicely visible, also in simulated bee and butterfly vision.

I have previously written about that 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

Black-eyed Susan - Rudbeckia hirta in reflected ultraviolet photography and simulated bee and butterfly vision XVIII

Today shots of a beautiful flower, originating from the USA Prairie, here today a commercially sold hybrid of a Black-eyed Susan - Rudbeckia hirta (possibly R. hirta x R. fulgida) in reflected ultraviolet photography using my "work horse" UV filter, the Baader-U filter, as well as in simulated bee and butterfly vision using my XBV filters. All shots were done at f8-f11 on my balcony in shade. Lens was a UV-Nikkor 105mm quartz fluorite lens. Light source was available light.

[click on image to see a larger one]

Human vision:
 

Reflected ultraviolet (UV):
 

Simulated butterfly vision:
 

Simulated bee vision:
 

Quadriptych of human vision, ultraviolet, simulated butterfly and bee vision (left to right, top to bottom):
 

This flower shows a very prominent UV bullseye pattern, as its petal tips are very UV bright (around 365nm) and its center is very UV dark, and all this gets nicely visible, also in simulated bee and butterfly vision.

I have previously written about that 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

Cliff maids - Lewisia cotyledon in reflected ultraviolet photography, simulated bee and butterfly vision XI

Today in Spring 2026 after some hiatus due to a move to the French border more shots of a white long blooming, perennial flower Cliff maids - Lewisia cotyledon in reflected ultraviolet photography and 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 and some UV LED help.

[click on image to see a larger one]

Human vision:
 

Reflected UV:
 

Simulated bee vision:
 

Simulated butterfly vision:
 

Quadriptych of human vision, UV, simulated bee and butterfly vision (left to right, top to bottom):
 

Lewisia has a visible UV pattern, its petal tips are UV bright around 385nm, its center is UV dark, so this gets quite nicely visible, also in simulated butterfly and bee vision. 

But there is also a highly UV reflective area visible, formed by those shiny petals which is especially quite visible in UV! 

 I have written more about that 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

Spider Web reflects UV to attract prey III

I have written a while ago about spider webs which would actually reflect ultraviolet (UV) light, so as to attract prey (insects like bees etc).

Now it just happened that National Geographic Learning (Cengage) asked me for permission to use my works for their teaching materials.

These were shot in reflected UV and visible light. Lens used was my UV-Nikkor 105mm, for reflected ultraviolet light I used my "work horse" UV filter, the Baader-U filter. Light source was available light and a UV LED light with Nichia UV LED emitting at 365nm.

[click on image yields a larger one]

Spider web in visible light (hardly visible at all) with some prey:


and now the proof that the web actually reflects UV light strongly:


Here two diptychs showing this side-a-side (visible light is left, reflected UV on the right):



Detail of the above:



Quite amazing what happens in nature, if you take a closer look...also in wavelengths that we humans cannot see, but animals and insects can!

I have previously written about that 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

Kaunergrat Nature Park Tyrol Austria shows St. John's wort - Hypericum in reflected ultraviolet photography and simulated bee and butterfly vision

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

Rudbeckia hirta - Human vs simulated animal vision II: butterfly, bee, dog, horse, bat

I was asked by a member working for their program Jeux Photoniques at the Université Laval in Québec, Canada for a series of images to simulate the vision of different animals. I used images of a Rudbeckia hirta flower Black Eyed Susan - Rudbeckia hirta which I had shot using visible and reflected ultraviolet photography. All shots were then 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 animal vision. Lens was a UV-Nikkor 105mm quartz fluorite lens. Light source was a modified Xenon flash.

[click on image to see a larger one]

Human vision:
 

Simulated butterfly vision:
 

Simulated bee vision:
 

Simulated dog vision:
 

Simulated horse vision:
 

Simulated bat vision:
 

Hexaptych of the above:
 

The idea behind these mappings is, to demonstrate the different forms of vision, including the ability to see UV and with this ability, to see patterns which only appear in ultraviolet light (UV) but invisible to us humans.

 I chose Rudbeckia hirts, as it has a strong UV pattern, its petal tips are UV bright around 365nm, but its center is quite UV dark, so this gets quite nicely visible, hence why I used this flower here to simuate the following visions:

1. Humans have trichromatic vision, they see Blue, Green, Red
2. Butterflies see UV, Blue, Green, Red, they are Tetrachromats
3. Bees see UV, Blue, Green, they are Trichomats
4. Dogs are Dichromats, see Blue and Yellow, but also some UV
5. Horses are Dichromats, they see Blue and Yellow, but no UV
6. Bats do not see color, but some are sensitive to UV also

 
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

My multispectral works at the Tokyo Polytechnic University Color Science and Art Center

Today about my works being used with my permission by professor Yasushi Noguchi of the Tokyo Polytechnic University in Japan who is the director of their new Color Science and Art Center, which was created to educate about about color. There is now an exhibit about animal color and vision and the difference to human vision, hence why they liked to show my works there.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/p7GPvQENfwSDn2qX6 

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

Cliff maids - Lewisia cotyledon in reflected ultraviolet photography, simulated bee and butterfly vision X

Today in Spring 2024 more shots of a white long blooming, perennial flower Cliff maids - Lewisia cotyledon in reflected ultraviolet photography and simulated bee and butterfly vision. All shots were done at f11 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 a modified studio flash.

[click on image to see a larger one]

Human vision:
 

Reflected UV:
 

Simulated bee vision:
 

Simulated butterfly vision:
 

Quadriptych of human vision, UV, simulated bee and butterfly vision (left to right, top to bottom):
 

Lewisia has a visible UV pattern, its petal tips are UV bright around 385nm, its center is UV dark, so this gets quite nicely visible, also in simulated butterfly and bee vision. 

But there is also a highly UV reflective area visible, formed by those shiny petals which is especially quite visible in UV! This has recently been discovered by Prof. (em) Klaus Lunau of the University of Duesseldorf, Germany and he has published about that in NATURE 2020 here: Lunau, K., Ren, ZX., Fan, XQ. et al. Nectar mimicry: a new phenomenon. Sci Rep 10, 7039 (2020). https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-020-63997-3

I have written more about that 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

Moth orchid - Phalaenopsis in reflected ultraviolet photography and simulated butterfly and bee vision using a UV-Nikkor 105mm lens V

Today in February 2024 some studio shots of a well known decorative flower, a white Moth orchid - Phalaenopsis in reflected ultraviolet photography using my "work horse" UV filter as well as simulated bee and butterfly vision  shot with my "work horse" UV-Nikkor f4.5/105mm quartz fluorite lens. UV filter used was the Baader-U filter, my "work horse" filter for reflected UV as well as my proprietary XBV filters for simulated bee and butterfly vision. All shots were done at f11. Light source used was a Xenon flash modified for high UV output. 

[click on image to see a larger one]

Human Vision (VIS):
 

Reflected UV (Baader-U):
 

Simulated Bee Vision:
 

Simulated Butterfly Vision:
 

Quadriptych of human vision, UV, simulated bee and butterfly vision (left to right, top to bottom):
 

This orchid has not a very specific UV pattern, its petals are UV reflective around 380nm, but its middle tip (column and gymnostemium) have a rather UV bright spot reflecting around 370nm surrounded by an UV-dark area which gets nicely visible.

The UV-Nikkor 105mm lens is known to be a very well working one for multispectral imaging w/o focus shift, with a nice 1:2 close up focusing capability from infinity up to 48cm (0.48 meter). Sharpness is very good and so is its contrast, even from f4.5 onwards. With a Nikon PN-11 extension tube of 52.5mm length it reaches 1:1 (1x) magnification. It has the standard Nikon-F mount, and it covers full format sensors (41mm image diameter). It is defined to reach down to 190nm and up to 1300nm in near infrared; my measured transmission spectra of it may be seen here.

I have written more about this orchid 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

Arrowwood - Viburnum bodnantense in reflected ultraviolet photography, simulated bee and butterfly vision

Today still in cold January 2024 shots of a blossoming Arrowwood - Viburnum bodnantense bush in reflected ultraviolet photography and simulated bee and butterfly vision. All shots were done at f11 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 a modified Xenon flash.

[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):
 

Arrowwood bush flowers have no distinct UV reflection pattern, but their stamen create a UV dark center important to attract UV seeing pollinators and this gets nicely visible here, also in simulated bee and butterfly vision.


More info on this very interesting field may be found on my site http://www.pbase.com/kds315/uv_photos

My multispectral works in High Energy Physics presentation

Well, I never would have expected to see my work in a scientists presentation about most modern high energy particle theories in physics: The German Physicist Dr Michael Weinert has recently been using (with my permission of course) some of my multispectral works in his presentation on high energy particle physics! Source:  "Weinert COMEX7 2023".

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.

[click on image to see a larger one]

Visual image:


UV induced visible fluorescence using unfiltered commercial 365nm UV torch, no UV blocking:


UV induced visible fluorescence commercial 365nm UV torch, UV blocking:


UV induced visible fluorescence using Nichia 365nm UV torch, UV blocking:

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