2019 Photomicrography Competition

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14th Place

2019 Photomicrography Competition

Female Oxyopes dumonti (lynx) spider

Antoine Franck

Affiliation
CIRAD - Agricultural Research for Development
Saint Pierre, Réunion, France
Technique
Focus Stacking
Magnification
1x (Objective Lens Magnification)

In Their Own Words

A Q&A with Nikon Small World winner Antoine Franck.

What is the subject matter of your winning image and why did you choose this image?

This is a close up of the face mask of the lynx spider, which is typical of this species. This picture reminds me of traditional Kabuki Japanese mask, which is graphically astonishing.

What are the special techniques and/or challenges faced in creating this photomicrograph?

This picture was used for the creation of a guide about auxiliary fauna in crop cultures. To make the picture useful for the edited guide, it was necessary to compose the frame with a particular point of view, showing many different and specific body parts of this spider.

What is your primary line of work?

I am an entomologist and photographer. My mission is to produce photographic databases on pests and auxiliary arthropods in the Indian Ocean.

How long have you been taking photographs through a microscope? What first sparked your interest in photomicrography?

I have been doing macrophotography for more than 30 years and I have been passionate about photomicrography for about eight years, thanks to the acquisition of the NIKON AZ100 in my department. Photomicrography allows the public to see organisms that are often very small but have a significant influence on the ecosystems of our planet.

Do you tend to focus your microscopy toward a specific subject matter or theme? If so, why?

My main theme is photography of terrestrial arthropods. I also photograph mushroom seeds and spores to illustrate publications and books for CIRAD researchers.

Why did you enter the Nikon Small World Photomicrography competition? What do you think of the competition?

This is, to my knowledge, the only competition to show the infinitely small to a wide scale, using both scientific and graphical composition.

13th Place

2019 Photomicrography Competition

Cuprite (mineral composed of copper oxide)

Dr. Emilio Carabajal Márquez

Location
Madrid, Spain
Technique
Focus Stacking
Magnification
20x (Objective Lens Magnification)

In Their Own Words

A Q&A with Nikon Small World winner Dr. Emilio Carabajal Márquez.

What is the subject matter of your winning image and why did you choose this image?

Cuprite (mineral composed of copper oxide). In this case, it is formed by the passage of molten lavas through a copper streak. These beautiful crystals are formed in the vacuoles formed by the vapors. I think this image is interesting because cuprite crystals resemble complex buildings of undoubted beauty.

What are the special techniques and/or challenges faced in creating this photomicrograph?

These cuprite crystals are extremely small, which is a challenge, and their faces are like mirrors with strong reflections that must be controlled to avoid spoiling the photograph.

How long have you been taking photographs through a microscope? What first sparked your interest in photomicrography?

30 years. I have been studying cave fauna for more than 25 years and for my research purposes I needed to photograph different parts of the arthropods object of my studies.

Do you tend to focus your microscopy toward a specific subject matter or theme? If so, why?

Currently, my main interest is in micromineral photography since its extreme beauty and its extraordinary shapes and variety of colors captivated me from the beginning.

Why did you enter the Nikon Small World Photomicrography competition? What do you think of the competition?

I consider it the most important microphotography contest in the world. I think any photographer specialized in this area would be proud to participate in it.

15th Place

2019 Photomicrography Competition

Pregnant Daphnia magna (small planktonic crustacean)

Marek Miś

Affiliation
Marek Mis Photography
Suwalki, Podlaskie, Poland
Technique
Modified Darkfield, Polarized Light, Image Stacking
Magnification
4x (Objective Lens Magnification)

In Their Own Words

A Q&A with Nikon Small World winner Marek Miś.

What is the subject matter of your winning image and why did you choose this image?

The image presents a pregnant cladoceran Daphnia magna with a lot of embryos inside. I submitted it because of its beauty (details, colors) and the fact that it shows a mother with the next generation. It symbolizes the continuity of generations. The offspring are almost ready to leave their mother and begin their own life. The image also shows very good details of the cladoceran’s body with its muscles, antennae and other internal organs.

What are the special techniques and/or challenges faced in creating this photomicrograph?

The color effect derives from two special illumination techniques: darkfield and polarized light. Additionally, darkfield was slightly modified to obtain such an interesting final result. The main challenge was to immobilize the subject. I used a high temperature for a very short time to take several images which were stacked with Helicon Focus.

How long have you been taking photographs through a microscope? What first sparked your interest in photomicrography?

I have been taking photographs through the microscope regularly for 10 years. But I took my first micrographs (black & white ones) in 1980. I want to show other people the beauty of the microworld. It also gives me artistic satisfaction because I try to portray the subjects as some kind of art.

Do you tend to focus your microscopy toward a specific subject matter or theme? If so, why?

No, I do not have focus on one specific theme or subject. I love the huge variety of the microworld and I photograph many subjects, ranging from air bubbles to various microorganisms, small animals body parts, and crystals of different substances.