Thrift / seapink (armera maritima) in UV light and fluorescence

I have recently tried to photograph Thrift / Seapink in Ultra Violet light and showing the fluorescence in visible light. Two things became obvious: The amazing colours of the fluorescence, and the amount of dust specs fluorescing – mostly in the background. Here are some of the results (some of which I am showing with before/after sliders):

This image shows the amazing fluorescing colours at the base of the plant
This image shows the full extent of the plant including the flower heads

Below is a before/after shot showing the amount of dust (mostly in the background) and the cleaned-up version of the image:

Before showing the dust
After removing most of the dust specs

Next I compare the colourful fluorescing image compared to a monochrome UV image – the UV is hard to photograph and I am still developing my techniques:

Colour fluorescence version
Black and white UV image

You may observe slight differences in the alignment as 2 different cameras and lenses where used.

For completeness I show the plant in normal visible light:

The plant in normal visible light

And finally I show a view of the setup used – nothing fancy here!

A view of the setup

An interesting exercise…

Author: Paul L.G. Morris

I am an amateur photographer whose photography is mostly of gardens, nature and the rural environment. My specialities are close-ups, panoramic views, or a combination of both that I call 'Nearscapes'. I work mostly for my own interest having closed my business PM Studios Ltd.