Orange Coneflower - Rudbeckia fulgida in reflected ultraviolet photography soft focus

Today about a question I carry around with me for long: "Is sharpness everything?" So here "pictorial" shots of a very decorative flower,Orange Coneflower - Rudbeckia fulgida in reflected ultraviolet soft focus photography using my "work horse" UV filter, the Baader-U and a UV/IR Cut filter for the visible light shots. Lens was a self made lens with quartz elements. Light source was sunlight. All shots were done with variable soft focus settings, SF0 - SF3.

All diptych images show left results using UV/Cut filter for the visible shots and right using the Baader-U filter (approx. 320-395nm, peak approx. 350nm) for the reflected UV shots.

[click on image to see a larger one]

 

 

 

 

Quadriptychs for comparison, first VIS then UV:
 

 


So, I have used variable soft focus settings, SF0 - SF3 and show the results in VIS and UV, the latter showing the prominent UV pattern this beautiful flower has, and all this gets nicely visible in this side-a-side presentation.

I have written previously about soft focus photography 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

Negative Space used by Eschscholzia californica (California Poppy): UV ultraviolet photography

Today about Eschscholzia californica (California Poppy), which makes use of a very interesting concept: Negative Space. I made those shots at Herrmashof Park, Weinheim, Germany using a custom made up UV lens from a simple quartz singlet that I used before, stopped down mildly to various degrees to control a wanted soft focus effect. Shots in UV were done using the Baader-U filter and sunlight was used as light source.

[click on image to see a larger one]







The most interesting part, aside that soft focus effect was for me, how this California Poppy uses its pitch black petals (in UV) to make its anthers stand out brightly against that dark background by massively increasing contrast. To help attract pollinators? I would guess so...


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

Gazania rigens: Quartz Singlet Lens for Soft Focus Reflected UV Ultraviolet Photography III

Today a set of shots with a Gazania rigens flower that I have shot previously with a quartz-fluorite lens now using a custom made up UV lens from a simple quartz singlet that I used before, stopped down mildly to various degrees, so as to control a wanted soft focus effect. Shots were done using the Baader-U filter and sunlight as light source and "contra lucem".

[click on image to see a larger one]







So, I'm sure this is not to everyones taste, but on my way to explore other possibilities then just "scientific" shots, it is a welcome new style.

Part II is 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

Gazania: Quartz Singlet Lens for Soft Focus Reflected UV Ultraviolet Photography II

Today a set of shots with a different Gazania rigens flower that I have shot previously with a quartz-fluorite lens now using a custom made up UV lens from a simple quartz singlet that I used before, stopped down mildly to various degrees, so as to control a wanted soft focus effect. Shots were done using the Baader-U filter and sunlight as light source on my balcony with some glass mirror effect.

[click on image to see a larger one]







So, I'm sure this is not to everyones taste, but on my way to explore other possibilities then just "scientific" shots, it is a welcome new style.

Part I is HERE and part III is 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

Thistle: Quartz Singlet Lens for Soft Focus Reflected UV Ultraviolet Photography

Today a set of shots of a Thistle flower from Herrmashof Park, Weinheim, Germany using a custom made up UV lens from a simple quartz singlet that I used before, stopped down mildly to various degrees to control a wanted soft focus effect. Shots in UV were done using the Baader-U filter and sunlight was used as light source.

[click on image to see a larger one]







So, I'm sure this is not to everyones taste, but on my way to explore other possibilities then just "scientific" shots, it is a welcome new style.


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 triloba: Quartz Singlet Lens for Soft Focus Reflected UV Ultraviolet Photography

Today a set of shots with a Rudbeckia triloba flower using a custom made up UV lens from a simple quartz singlet that I used before, stopped down mildly to various degrees to control a wanted soft focus effect. Shots in UV were done using the Baader-U filter and sunlight was used as light source.

[click on image to see a larger one]







So, I'm sure this is not to everyones taste, but on my way to explore other possibilities then just "scientific" shots, it is a welcome new style.


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

Gazania rigens: Quartz Singlet Lens for Soft Focus Reflected UV Ultraviolet Photography

Today a set of shots with a Gazania rigens flower that I have shot previously with a quartz-fluorite lens now using a custom made up UV lens from a simple quartz singlet that I used before, stopped down mildly to various degrees, so as to control a wanted soft focus effect. Shots were done using the Baader-U filter and sunlight as light source.

[click on image to see a larger one]







So, I'm sure this is not to everyones taste, but on my way to explore other possibilities then just "scientific" shots, it is a welcome new style.

Part II is HERE and part III is 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

[UV] Do flowers have an ultraviolet aura?

Today something artistic, hence the rhetoric title question. So for your hopefully viewing pleasure without any technical or scientific ado, here my images...

[click on image to see a larger one]

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

[UV] Clivia miniata flower through a quartz soft focus lens

Here again a shot of a Clivia miniata flower as shown in a previous entry here. But this time it is not about technical aspects, but how special such a soft focus shot in reflected ultraviolet light looks like.

[click on image to see a larger one]

Here a true soft focus lens was used, which gets easily visible for the trained eye. Unfortunately an art style which has gotten somewhat lost. But a few still hold on to that slow form of photography to bring out the "light from within"...

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