The invention relates to an illumination device for flashlight photography comprising at least one reflector chamber which, in use, can be arranged in the direction of an object being photographed, having at least one reflector and at least one flash element arranged in the reflector chamber as first light source, as well as at least one UV filter element which, in use, covers the reflector chamber on a radially extending outer face in the direction of the object being photographed, the filter element having at least one ventilation opening. By means of the arrangement, an illumination device suitable for all fields of application is to be provided, a particular objective being to generate flash series of any desired length and at the same time to provide optimum UV protection on the illumination device. Uses of such an illumination device are also defined.