2019 Photomicrography Competition

Artboard 1

4th Place

2019 Photomicrography Competition

Male mosquito

Jan Rosenboom

Affiliation
University of Rostock
Rostock, Mecklenburg Vorpommern, Germany
Technique
Focus Stacking
Magnification
6.3x (Objective Lens Magnification)

In Their Own Words

A Q&A with Nikon Small World winner Jan Rosenboom.

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

My image shows a male mosquito. I chose to submit it because I really liked its composition. The huge antennae make a great contrast to the mosquito's green eyes. Only male mosquitos have such big antennae as a form of attraction to the other sex. I also liked the contrast between the beauty of the mosquito and how we just kill them without caring how they look like.

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

A particular challenge was the movement of the huge antennae the mosquito has. If there is any movement, the different layers in the focus stacking process will not align. Therefore, I even had to pay attention to my breathing to not get the antennae moving.

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

Five years, since I was 16. I got into photomicrography accidentally when I got an old Zeiss microscope (1960) and started experimenting with what you could do with it using modern technology. Over the years, I perfected my methods and improvised a lot of special low-budget equipment in order to be able to compete with microscopes costing thousands and thousands of dollars. I am now 22 and it still fascinates me how it is possible to produce beautiful images with quite basic equipment when you are experienced enough.

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

I tend to focus on insects. It amazes me how seemingly mundane species such as a common housefly or a mosquito look like beautiful creatures from space when you just look at them with enough detail.

Why did you enter the Nikon Small World Photomicrography competition?

I decided to enter the competition because I wanted to show how you can compete with scientific institutions using very expensive microscopes with DIY techniques and enough experience and creativity.

3rd Place

2019 Photomicrography Competition

Alligator embryo developing nerves and skeleton

Daniel Smith Paredes Dr. Bhart-Anjan S. Bhullar

Affiliation
Yale University
Department of Geology and Geophysics
New Haven, Connecticut, USA
Technique
Immunofluorescence
Magnification
10x (Objective Lens Magnification)

In Their Own Words

A Q&A with Nikon Small World winner Daniel Smith Paredes.

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

It’s an embryo of an American alligator, at around 20 days of development, stained to label the developing nerves (white) and skeleton (yellow). I thought it looked cool, and it showed how intricate the nerves can be even early in development, and how they relate spatially to the skeleton.

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

The most difficult task was to be able to image something this size. It’s actually composed of many thousand individual pictures merged together.

What is your primary line of work?

Evolutionary developmental biology, comparative anatomy and embryology. Studying the way vertebrates have evolved by comparing their embryonic development and how it is similar and how is different between different groups of animals.

How long have you been taking photographs through a microscope?

Three-four years. I was inspired by the ability to look into the anatomical structures in developing embryos.

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

My interest is directed mostly towards embryonic anatomy and development.

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

I was encouraged by a friend who told me I should give it a try, since my samples look good and also because they represent some groups of animals mostly understudied or photographed in micro scale.

5th Place

2019 Photomicrography Competition

Snowflake

Caleb Foster

Affiliation
Caleb Foster Photography
Jericho, Vermont, USA
Technique

Transmitted Light

Magnification
4x (Objective Lens Magnification)

In Their Own Words

A Q&A with Nikon Small World winner Caleb Foster.

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

A snowflake from a Vermont winter storm. Snowflakes are incredibly beautiful, but also delicate and susceptible to small changes in temperature and pressure. I see this as a great analogy to our climate and world. Our ecosystems are completely intertwined; however, many people don’t take the time to see the impact their actions have on their surroundings. Just as I have to be careful in how I handle a snowflake so that it doesn’t melt during the process, we need to give careful thought to how our actions support stewardship of our shared world. I wanted to submit a snowflake image that was visually different from all others I have seen. I have spent many years working on lighting techniques that can light ice crystals in novel ways, obtaining unique images that have not been produced before.

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

The biggest challenge was having my DIY microscope and camera outdoors in the snow. I photograph snowflakes on my back porch during a storm and have to combat wind, freezing temperatures and other factors. Handling snowflakes is a skill and has taken me numerous winters to master. Each flake is initially caught and “screened” on black velvet. The best ones are then transferred to black or clear glass slides via a small paintbrush or scalpel. The slides are placed under my photomicroscope and the photo is taken with a DSLR camera. A particularly challenging technique for this photo was the lighting. This image required numerous light sources (both above and below the stage), several mirrors and the use of a special curved mirror to separate white light into a rainbow to provide the unique color accents on the crystal.

What is your primary line of work?

My primary career has been in the field of life sciences research, using microscopy and other techniques to image and analyze cells, with the goal of discovering novel cures for various diseases. I have also had a photography business for 15 years and have built a substantial homemade photomicrography setup in my free time, merging my love of both photography and microscopy.

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

More than 15 years. I love to see, explore details in our world that are invisible to most people.

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

I’m passionate about snowflakes because each one is so timelessly beautiful but has such a brief lifespan. Trillions upon trillions of them are mass-produced in a winter storm but each one has complete uniqueness in its design. The challenge of photographing these delicate masterpieces gives me great satisfaction when I capture them.