Ultraviolet photography

Images taken with ultraviolet radiation serve a number of scientific, medical or artistic purposes.

Ultraviolet photography of archaeological sites may reveal artifacts or traffic patterns not otherwise visible.

Reflected ultraviolet photography finds practical use in medicine, dermatology, botany, criminology and theatrical applications.

It also helps to partly (90%) remove the gold coating of some flash tubes which otherwise suppresses UV.

Most modern UV sources are based on a mercury arc sealed in a glass tube.

By coating the tube internally with a suitable phosphor, it becomes an effective long wave UV source.

Grouping several UV-LEDs can produce a strong enough source for reflected UV photography although the emission waveband is typically somewhat narrower than sunlight or electronic flash.

Special UV lamps known as "black light" fluorescence tubes or bulbs also can be used for long wave ultraviolet photography.

The Fujifilm FinePix IS Pro digital SLR camera is purpose-designed for ultraviolet (and infrared) photography, with a frequency response rated from 1000 to 380 nm, although it also responds to somewhat longer and shorter wavelengths.

UV induced visible fluorescence photography must take place in a darkened room, preferably with a black background.

As before, a barrier filter must also be placed in front of the camera lens to exclude undesired wavelengths.

Human skin with a sunscreen drawing: in light and ultraviolet radiation.
Earth in far ultraviolet radiation; image taken by Apollo 16 commander John W. Young . The auroral belts 13 degrees either side of the magnetic equator can be seen crossing each other on the middle of the right side of the Earth.
A false color photograph with ultraviolet radiation (335-365nm) mapped to the blue channel, green light (500-600nm) to the green channel and infrared radiation (720-850nm) to the red channel.
An ultraviolet image of the globular cluster NGC 1851 in the southern constellation Columba .
A portrait taken using only UV radiation between the wavelengths of 335 and 365 nanometres.
Fluorescent materials exposed to UV radiation. No filter is used to absorb violet light. Photo taken with daylight film.