Andrea B. Posted June 26, 2021 Share Posted June 26, 2021 Blum, A.G. (2021) Penstemon barbatus (Cav.) Roth (Plantaginaceae) Scarlet Bugler. Flowers photographed in ultraviolet and visible light. https://www.ultravioletphotography.com/content/index.php/topic/4696-penstemon-barbatus-scarlet-bugler/ La Secuela, El Dorado at Santa Fe, Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA 25 June 2021 Wildflower Synonyms: Penstemon barbatus var. coccineus Other Common Names: Beardlip Penstemon (Note: Not all varieties of P. barbatus have a bearded lip.) Jarritos (Spanish) Pichelitos (Spanish) Primary Pigment: Pelargonidin, a sub-category of Anthocyanins in the Flavonoids family. Comment: Several Penstemon barbatus grow around our house. One has popped up in the middle of a gravel path. The usual two upper Penstemon lobes are joined in P. barbatus to form a kind of hood over the lower lip. Although the lower lip of the narrow, red, tubular Penstemon barbatus appears to have white stripes, it is actually darker red stripes which continue on into the tube presumably to guide its pollinator. This striping also shows in the reflected UV photo. References: 1. SEINet Arizona-New Mexico Chapter (acc 26 June 2021) Penstemon barbatus. This is a southwestern biodiversity organization making use of the Symbiota portal software. 2. Heflin, Jean (1997) Penstemons: The Beautiful Beardtongues of New Mexico. Penstemon barbatus, page 9. Jackrabbit Press, Albuquerque,New Mexico. Equipment [Nikon D610-broadband + Novoflex 35mm f/3.5 Noflexar] Visible Light [f/16 for 1/4" @ ISO-100 with Onboard Flash and Baader UVIR-Block Filter] Ultraviolet Light [f/11 for 20" @ ISO-400 with SB-140 UV-Flash and BaaderU UV-Pass Filter] 2 flashes were made during the 20 second interval. UV+Blue+Green [f/11 for 30" @ ISO-800 in Sunlight with U330(2.0mm) + S8612(2.0mm)] Infrared Light [f/16 for 1/5" @ ISO-100 in Ambient Skylight with B+W 092 IR-Pass Filter] Visible Light [f/16 for 1/1.6" @ ISO-100 in Ambient Skylight with Baader UVIR-Block Filter] Ultraviolet Light [f/11 for 30" @ ISO-400 with SB-140 UV-Flash and BaaderU UV-Pass Filter] 3 flashes were made during the 30 second interval. UV+Blue+Green [f/11 for 89"/bulb @ ISO-800 in Sunlight with U330(2.0mm) + S8612(2.0mm)] Visible Light [f/16 for 1/2" @ ISO-100 with Onboard Flash and Baader UVIR-Block Filter] Ultraviolet Light [f/11 for 20" @ ISO-400 with SB-140 UV-Flash and BaaderU UV-Pass Filter] 2 flashes were made during the 20 second interval. UV+Blue+Green [f/11 for 30" @ ISO-800 Sunlight with U330(2.0mm) + S8612(2.0mm)] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy Perrin Posted June 26, 2021 Share Posted June 26, 2021 Very interesting flower, I almost thought it was carnivorous at first. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrea B. Posted June 27, 2021 Author Share Posted June 27, 2021 These red, long tubed flowers tend to be pollinated by hummingbirds. I've seen some small bees around mine also. And I think that probably some of the long-tongued moths (Hawkmoth for example) also might visit them. There is an interesting nectar theft perpetrated by some bees who make a hole in the base of a red tubular flower to steal the nectar. Insects can be clever! I've seen these growing locally for a couple of years now and only just realized about the striped lower lip. I think the folded anthers look like fortune cookies! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colinbm Posted June 28, 2021 Share Posted June 28, 2021 Wow, what a huge collection of different lighting techniques you have used on this flower, thanks for sharing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrea B. Posted June 29, 2021 Author Share Posted June 29, 2021 I've found these big old SB-14/mod and SB-140 flashes are easier for me to use by hand. The flash is not attached to the camera at all. During the long exposure I move around the flower and fire flashes on both sides and/or from the top at appropriate angles. An SB flash together with its battery pack is unwieldy and heavy, but I've had a lot of practice so do fairly well with it now. I've found that 2 to 4 flash firings are needed if I am shooting indoors. As time consuming and clunky as this method is, I do better with it than with UV-Led torch illumination. It seems I don't torch-paint well at all. The indoors skylight illumination from above provides a nice soft visible light without harsh shadows. Sometimes I add a reduced fill flash to it so exposures don't get too long. Except when trying to make a UV+Blue+Green photo. Those come out all wrong if visible or UV flashes are used. This house is the first time I've ever had skylights. They are way cool and I love them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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