About

In this blog I post triptych images of flowers photographed in visible light, ultraviolet light, and infrared light. More specifically, the visible light images record light with a wavelength approximately between 390 and 700 nm, the ultraviolet images record light with a wavelength approximately between 380 and 390 nm, and the infrared images record light with a wavelength approximately between 720 and 1000 nm.

Outside of the visible spectrum, flowers can look quite different. Some flowers have hidden nectar guides that are only visible in ultraviolet light. These markings aid bees and other insects, which can see ultraviolet light, to locate the area of the flower where the nectar and pollen are located. This is beneficial to the flower, since it relies on the insects for pollination.

In infrared, flowers typically look very plain and boring, with the colours and patterns of visible light missing. Leaves and foliage tend to be highly reflective of infrared light, and often appear as bright as the flower.

The infrared and ultraviolet images presented in this blog are false colour images. Since we can't see IR and UV light, the colours in these images have to be mapped to colours that we can see. There is no 'correct' way to do this, and I vary the colour mappings for each image based on what I find most aesthetically pleasing. For infrared images, I typically apply a split toning effect, giving one colour to the highlights, and another to the shadows. You can read more about how I take the photos, process them, and the equipment used here: Vis UV IR Flower Photography Guide.

This blog (vis-uv-ir-flower-photos.blogspot.com) is a participant in the Amazon EU Associates Programme, an affiliate advertising programme designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.co.uk. Some of the images of photography gear are sourced from Amazon, and affiliate links are used when a link goes to Amazon. If you click through on a link to product on Amazon, I will earn a commission from Amazon on any purchase you make.

The flower photos used on this blog are all licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution Share alike licence. If you use an image, please credit it to either Dave Kennard / davidkennardphotography.com or Vis UV IR Flower photos. Please include the link back (either to my photography website or this blog) as part of the credit line when using an image.