Photo’s under UV/”Blacklight”

[John Williams]

OK so this is definatly not fishing or outdoor photography related but I figure this group can help. Outside my flyfishing addiction and budding interest in photography I have participated in a haunted attraction for the last 10 years and am now the lead makeup person. We do a lot of UV and blacklight reactive makeup and I want to record images of the makeup schemes under blacklght to show full effect.
I’ve tried to do this for the last 2 years and always end up with the faces being blown out or not showing that tell tale blacklight “glow”. Flash is not an option as it obliterates the effect of the UV lighting and I don’t have access to studio type situations.

Any suggestions?

Other info:
Cannon XTi
Canon 28-105 EF
Canon 18-55 EFS

John

[Zach Matthews]

I’ve played with blacklights in fly photography.

[Corey Kruitbosch]

They do make UV headlamps (I have one) for searching for spiders and scorpions, which actually fluoresce under them.  You might, as photographer, wear one or two and just hammer your subjects with blacklight as you shoot.

Would love to see how your photos turn out .. Great idea about the headlamp Zach. Sorry for the hijack, but that sounds really cool! I need to get one for trips to the desert with my boy … He’ll love scorpion hunts @ night!

[Neal Osborn]

John,

UV or blacklight can be tricky lighting.  The key is to employ exposure bracketing, typically at least 5 brackets with 2 underexposed and 2 overexposed.  Then merge to HDR for a final image.  It requires a bit of Photoshop trickery to mask in the black light effect – generally you want only a hint of the effect.  I have found that it works best with dark images and very dark background.

Here are two examples of fly art using a black light effect.

[John Williams]

Quote:

Zach,
I find the problem is not so much in the amount of light I’m getting to hit my subjects as we have two very high intensity theatrical UV lamps blasting them. Were things seem to go astray for me is the camera either meters the very bright “lit up’ portions and then loses the rest of the detail or if I try to dial things down and get the detail I lose the effect of the “UV glow”.
Interestingly when I’m shooting pics of the varied rooms/sets in mixed lighting I am able to get what to me and the owner are very good shots (thing that funky flat kind of light from the opening of The Exorcist). Really creepy looking which fits the Haunted House feel.

Neal,
I’ve never played with bracketing or HDR and my Photoshop is pretty limited (Elements 6).

[Author]

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