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Question

Making UV pics brighter in UV light

Forum|Forum|2 years ago
March 9, 2024
4 replies
1441 views

Hi Friends,

I didn't have a better idea where to post this question.

I am trying to find a way to predict how much glow a picture will be under UV light.

From what I understood, only Yellow, pink, green and blue are good to print and glow under a UV light.

I'm also sure that not all shades of these colors above are good for this purpose, only some.

So...

I am trying to find a way to :

1. predict using photoshop how much glow a photo is producing under a UV light

2. Change a bit the shades or colors if neceery, to make it glow even more.

Do you have an idea how to do it? Or where to post this question?

Thank you very very much

macOS

L

Lumigraphics

Legend

Fluorescent inks have optical brighteners added, so they react under specific wavelengths of light. These brighteners can be found in some clothing dyes and laundry detergents as well. There is no sure way to predict how they work, and even different brands of lights can give a different effect.

Semaphoric

Community Expert

How will you be printing this? Maybe you could use fluorescent inks.

D Fosse

Community Expert

@didiermazier

But it's inherently unpredictable unless you know which dyes/pigments have been used and the chemical composition, and you know how those compounds behave under UV light.

didiermazier

Community Expert

so the only remaining solution seems to buy a checker…

https://www.quicktest.co.uk/blogs/testing-ultra-violet-magnets/all-about-ultra-violet-testers

didiermazier

Community Expert

You could try to find and load a LUT file (i.e. https://creativemarket.com/SparkleStock/7074310-25-Ultraviolet-Lightroom-Presets-LUT) and apply Image>settings > color matching on a smart object

search google with "UV light LUT"

D Fosse

Community Expert

These LUTs/presets seem to be for making a normal photograph look like it was shot in UV light.

A photograph taken in actual UV light doesn't require much additional processing, except for providing enough exposure to the shot. What you're capturing is normal visible light, so you don't need a UV modified camera either.

Usually, UV fluorescence will be mostly on the blue end of the visible spectrum - in other words, the blue-sensitive sensor pixels get the most exposure. To balance this, you can use a strong yellow filter and increase the exposure. I use one of those standard yellow filters that were used in black and white photography to darken blue skies and increase general contrast, can't recall off the top of my head what it's called.

didiermazier

Community Expert

So maybe it would be possible to create a specific LUT to check what the image would show under UV light…

I will ask to some VFX artist, they are used to these checking tricks things.

D Fosse

Community Expert

The name for this is UV fluorescence.

It means that some pigments/dyes will emit visible light when hit by ultraviolet (invisible) lighting.

This is specific to each fluorescent substance (molecule) and there are no common rules governing the effect. In other words, it's unpredictable. Fluorescence is quite weak and requires long shutter speeds (and a dark room with UV light sources).

I do this at work (photographer at art museum), so I have some experience with it. We use infrared and ultraviolet photography in several standardized procedures, and UV fluorescence is one of them.

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