I have been photographing fluorescence for over five years now. Mainly underwater but lately I have been testing the technique on land. I often find insects, spiders, and plants that fluoresce using a specialized Light&Motion Sola Nightsea light. Some of the micro-spiders fluoresce brightly under blue light, the challenge is to get an acceptable photograph.
Below are some comparison photographs of spiders. The first photograph was taken under blue light and the second under white light using on-camera flash. All the spiders were photographed in their natural habitat on the beautiful Island of Okinawa.
My Mission: To Document and Preserve the Wildlife of the Ryukyu Islands
This site is also designed to help people identify the beautiful animals of Okinawa, basically to serve as an online nature reference guide. If you would like to make a contribution to support my mission, please click on the donation link paypal.me/maketheswitch4nature
Your donations will help conservation initiatives as well as bring solutions to the worldwide pollution issues on our beautiful shorelines. Thank you for your support, Shawn M Miller.
The Cherry blossoms are generally in full bloom mid-January through February. Mt Yaedake and Nakijin castle are the most popular viewing locations for the Cherry blossoms. Some of the most beautiful trees can also be found in residential areas and public parks.
Every year I try to create an original photograph of the Cherry Blossoms. Something that has not been done before. Below are some of my favorite photographs using specialized blue lights during the night.
I did some light painting comparisons using UV 385nm instead of 450nm. I used my sons Nike shoe as a background. The shoelaces fluoresced bright orange and the heal fluorescence bright green. I wanted to create something unique.
It can be challenging to photograph the animals that feed on the blossoms. I have photographed fruit bats, birds and insect feeding on the sweet-smelling blossoms.
The tree with grow fresh green leaves and produce sweet-smelling cherries. The animals feed on the fruit and help out with seed dispersal.
Cherry tree fruit
The Okinawa rail is a flightless bird endemic to northern Okinawa. It is currently listed as an endangered species. This was my first time documenting this behavior.
My Mission: To Document and Preserve the Wildlife of the Ryukyu Islands
This site is also designed to help people identify the beautiful animals of Okinawa, basically to serve as an online nature reference guide. If you would like to make a contribution to support my mission, please click on the donation link paypal.me/maketheswitch4nature
Your donations will help conservation initiatives as well as bring solutions to the worldwide pollution issues on our beautiful shorelines. Thank you for your support, Shawn M Miller.
” Fluorescence is the absorption of electromagnetic radiation (light) at one wavelength and its re-emission at another, longer wavelength ” Dr Charles Mazel. I attached a link to his website at the bottom of the page for more info.
In order to photograph fluorescence you will need a excitation source (blue light), barrier filter and a camera.
Shawn Miller fluorescence setup
Underwater equipment used – Night dive at Kadena north, Okinawa.
Canon 70d * Canon 100macro lens
Ikelite underwater housing
2 x Light&Motion Sola Nightsea blue lights
1 Light & Motion Sola 1200 red * 1 Sola 3800
Light&Motion barrier filter and mask
Some of my favorite photographs from our night dive with the crew
All photographers experience a time when their work becomes redundant and lose vision. The Light & Motion Sola Nightsea has opened up a new style of photography for me. Recently I have been blending the Light&Motion Nightsea blue light with ambient light underwater and getting beautiful vibrant results.
Some of my Fluorescence enhancement coral images were featured in The Blue Planet 11 publication. It’s always nice to see years of hard work finally pay off.
Underwater fluorescence – Shawn Miller featured Blue planet 11
Here are some basic lighting examples using different techniques.
Here are some of my favorite images using this fluorescence enhancement technique. All Images I used Light&Motion Sola lights to achieve these beautiful vibrant results.
The Light & Motion Sola NightSea blue light will enhance your night diving experience like nothing before. It Is an underwater blue light that allows you to see fluorescence. The NightSea blue LEDs cause proteins and minerals to fluoresce brightly underwater. If you want to photograph fluorescence you will need a yellow barrier filter over your camera lens. The barrier filter will block the reflected excitation of light and transmit the fluorescence to deliver a psychedelic experience.
Underwater fluorescence by Shawn Miller
Below is a photograph of my underwater rig. This is the setup I use to capture the underwater fluorescence in Okinawa. I am currently using one Light & Motion Sola Nightsea and one GoBe nightsea blue light.
Below is a photograph of the Light & Motion Sola NightSea Underwater blue light photographed in the studio. I wanted to capture the blue light rays coming out of the light. No previous photos displayed this and I had to do it.
Some cases the fluorescence is so strong it can be photographed during the day without any specialized lights or filters. This red heart coral was photographed at a depth of Seventy-five feet.
I decided to experiment using the nightsea and custom filters over my strobes to give it an original look. I call this technique fluoro blending.(Nightdive)