An exposure apparatus for exposing a photosensitive element to actinic radiation, comprising: a lamp assembly comprising at least two lamps each having a tubular length and a backside, the at least two lamps are adjacent to each other to irradiate the photosensitive element with the actinic radiation at a target temperature and at a target irradiance; an air distribution assembly comprising an air chamber disposed adjacent to the backside of the at least two lamps and having one or more openings that are aligned to the tubular length of the backside for each of the at least two lamps, wherein the chamber is pressurized by at least one blower that provides uniform distribution of a volumetric rate of the air exiting each opening and impinging the backside of each of the lamps; a controller connected to the at least one blower to adjust the volumetric rate of the air impinging the at least two lamps, and to a sensor that is selected from either or both; two blowers wherein one of the blowers continually operates to maintain the air chamber pressurized, and the other blower operates to adjust the volumetric rate of air according to signals from the controller; a sensor for measuring a temperature of at least one of the lamps, wherein the controller signals the blower to adjust the volumetric rate of the air based on comparison of the measured temperature of the lamp to the target temperature of the lamp; or, a sensor for measuring irradiance emitting from at least one of the lamps wherein the controller signals the blower to adjust the volumetric rate of the air based on comparison of the measured irradiance of the lamp to the target irradiance of the lamp. a lamp assembly comprising at least two lamps each having a tubular length and a backside, the at least two lamps are adjacent to each other to irradiate the photosensitive element with the actinic radiation at a target temperature and at a target irradiance; an air distribution assembly comprising an air chamber disposed adjacent to the backside of the at least two lamps and having one or more openings that are aligned to the tubular length of the backside for each of the at least two lamps, wherein the chamber is pressurized by at least one blower that provides uniform distribution of a volumetric rate of the air exiting each opening and impinging the backside of each of the lamps; a controller connected to the at least one blower to adjust the volumetric rate of the air impinging the at least two lamps, and to a sensor that is selected from either or both; two blowers wherein one of the blowers continually operates to maintain the air chamber pressurized, and the other blower operates to adjust the volumetric rate of air according to signals from the controller; a sensor for measuring a temperature of at least one of the lamps, wherein the controller signals the blower to adjust the volumetric rate of the air based on comparison of the measured temperature of the lamp to the target temperature of the lamp; or, a sensor for measuring irradiance emitting from at least one of the lamps wherein the controller signals the blower to adjust the volumetric rate of the air based on comparison of the measured irradiance of the lamp to the target irradiance of the lamp. <EOS>