Friday, July 15, 2016

Mexican Zinnia - Zinnia haagenea in reflected ultraviolet photography and simulated butterfly and bee vision XXVI

Today first shots of a very decorative summer flower in 2016, Mexican Zinnia - Zinnia haagenea in reflected ultraviolet photography using my "work horse" UV filter, the Baader-U filter as well as in simulated butterfly and bee vision using my proprietary XBV filters. Lens was my UV-Nikkor 105mm quartz flourite lens. Light source was sunlight. All shots were done at f8.

[click on image to see a larger one]

Human vision:
 

Ultraviolet (UV):
 

Simulated butterfly vision:
 

Simulated bee vision:
 

Quadriptych (left to right, top to bottom): Human vision, UV, simulated butterfly vision, simulated bee vision:
 

Mexican Zinnia flowers have a very specific UV pattern. Their petals are very UV dark in the middle and bottom, their petal tips, however, are very UV bright (around 365nm outer tip), and all this gets nicely visible, also in simulated bee and butterfly vision.

I have previously written about those Zinnias HERE

Stay tuned, more will follow on that fascinating subject...