Gazania rigens: human vision vs simulated bee vison

This now is about a Gazania rigens flower that today started to blossom again. Took some shots today, in normal human vision, in UV using the Baader-U filter as well as in simulated bee vision using my XBV2 and XBV3 filters respectively.

[click on image to see a larger one]

Visual shot:


Simulated bee vison using XBV3 filter:


Simulated bee vison using XBV2 filter:


UV using Baader-U filter:


So and here you have the full comparison as a quadriptych VIS-UV-BV2-BV3:




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

Sanvitalia procumbens: Simulated bee vison filter - improved version 3

So this is about tuning my proprietary Bee Vision Filter (that simulates the UV-Blue-Green vision of a bee in just one shot). Here again it is used on a Sanvitalia procumbens flower. As the greens were a bit underrepresented (take the green bud left for example) in my current XBV2 filter, I optimize my filter stack to get "better" greens in my new XBV3 filter.

[click on image to see a larger one]

Simulated bee vison using XBV2 filter:


Simulated bee vison using XBV3 filter:


For comparison, the normal vison:


So in my opinion, the new version XBV3 represents the leaf color better, yet still brings out the UV marks as white petal tips nicely.


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

Sanvitalia procumbens: Simulated bee vison vs Baader-U vs Jupiter-U filter for reflected UV ultraviolet photography

I got recently reminded to use my proprietary Bee Vision Filter XBV2 (that simulates the UV-Blue-Green vision of a bee in just one shot) more often, so here it is used on Sanvitalia procumbens (Creeping Zinnia) flowers plus I added the Baader-U2 and Jupiter-U2 filtered pure UV shots for comparison:

[click on image to see a larger one]

Sanvitalia, visual shot:


Simulated bee vison using XBV2 filter:


UV using Baader-U filter:


UV using Jupiter-U filter:


So and here you have the full comparison as a tryptich VIS-UV-BV:




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

"Kingdom of Plants" Sir David Attenborough on "Solving the Secrets" in Insect UV Vision (3)

I had reported earlier about that here, but now Kew Gardens has a preview video online on youtube about the forthcoming SKY 3D series "Kingdom of Plants" with Sir David Attenborough on Kew Gardens in 3D stereo as well as an overview on their site including an interview with Sir David.

((quote Sir David from an interview)) Attenborough: Kingdom of Plants 3D. "We wanted to use 3D in time-lapse, so that the plants move," he says. "They look sensational. They always do -- but in 3D, they look absolutely mind-blowing." ((unquote))

The following is a clip from Episode II "Solving the Secrets", that will air Saturday June 2, 2012 at 6pm GMT (7pm CET) on SKY 3D and on SKY ATLANTIC in HD and which I have provided the VIS + UV + UV induced visible fluorescence photography for. Watch from 13.00 onwards about it.


Reference: Kingdom of Plants on imdb

The DVD/BlueRay will be available from July 16, 2012 onwards and may already be preordered at amazon here as DVD and here as Blue Ray (HD) version

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] Old Achromatic Quartz Fluorite Lens for Ultraviolet Photography (II)

I had mentione before, that I had taken apart some older equipment, as it had some quartz fluorite optics in it. Here now more pictures using it, all closeup shots were done at approx. f11.

[click on image to see a larger one]

Gazania, visual shot:


UV using Baader-U filter:


UV using Jupiter-U filter:


Sanvitalia, visual shot:


UV using Baader-U filter:


UV using Jupiter-U filter:


Not that bad, especially since it has a very small focus shift of only about 1/2mm when shooting macro. I am no having a professional mount made for it.

That Gazania flower I had shot earlier here, which may serve as a comparison.

More about that used quartz fluorite lens 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] Gazania splendens: Baader-U vs Jupiter-U filter for reflected UV ultraviolet photography

Again more about that new Jupiter-U filter of mine. This time it is about a yellow Gazania splendens flower, that I bought at a nursery (Huben, Ladenburg, Germany)

[click on image to see a larger one]

All triptychs are presented VIS left, Baader-U middle, Jupiter-U right:



The petal tips of this flower reflect strongly around 365nm (yellow), but also the inside has some surprises, a ring of UV bright white dots (also visible for us humans) set against a very dark petal ground. There are a few more UV colors visible that indicate soem reflection around 385nm (purple) that the longer wave Baader-U filter as well as a to a lesser amount also the Jupiter-U is able to reveal.

Here more details of that flower (VIS, Baader-U, Jupiter-U in that sequence):







A very pretty species and surely attractive to its pollinating bees!


Might it be that the unusual high UV reflection of its leafs aims at protecting it from too much UV radiation?

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] Sedum flower: Baader-U vs Jupiter-U filter for reflected UV ultraviolet photography

Again more about that new Jupiter-U filter of mine. This time it is about a yellow Sedum spathulifolium flower, that I bought at a nursery (Huben, Ladenburg, Germany)

[click on image to see a larger one]

All triptychs are presented VIS left, Baader-U middle, Jupiter-U right:



Although this one has an overall 365nm main reflection, inside that flower is some long wave (around 385nm I'd say) UV reflection visible, that only the longer wave Baader-U filter is able to reveal.

Here details of that flower...

using the Baader-U filter:


and the Jupiter-U:


Overall this interesting plant looks like this (VIS, Baader-U, Jupiter-U)







Might it be that the unusual high UV reflection of its leafs aims at protecting it from too much UV radiation? Here how that looks like in closeup (VIS / UV):



Mother nature has quite good ideas!


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