Hidden microscopic wonders become art in the Nikon Small World contest

Photographer Yousef Al Habshi explains that his work capturing small insects often gives the impression of photographing the beauty of jewelry rather than a scientific process. This approach earned Al Habshi first place in the Nikon Small World Photomicrography Competition, announced on October 11th. This contest rewarded three winning images and 92 additional entries in an annual competition combining science and art.

The winning image of Al Habshi captures the surrounding eyes and scales of an Asian palm weevil. The image was created using a stack of over 128 micrographs and reflected light. The image captures both the eye of the insect and the iridescent green scales. Al Habshi works with Claude Desplan, a professor of biology and neuroscience at the University of New York at Abu Dhabi, using the images to help better understand the weevil and control the infestation.

"Because of the variety of colors and lines that appear in the eyes of insects, I have the impression of photographing a jewelry collection," said Al Habshi. "Not everyone likes small species, especially insects. Thanks to the microphotography, we can find a brand new and beautiful world that has never been seen before. It's like discovering what lies beneath the surface of the ocean. "

The 44th annual competition also awarded second place to Rogelio Moreno for the image of a Fern sorus. The image is a 10-fold magnification of a spore-producing structure that has been captured by brightening the sound with ultraviolet light and using the stacking of images for a clear catch .

Another bug shot took the third place, the work of Saulius Gugis. The image shows a spittlebug making a bubble, which insects use to hide. The picture was taken with a magnification of 5x.

"The Nikon Small World contest is in its 44th year and we are still amazed by the winning images," said Eric Flem, Communications Manager at Nikon Instruments. "Imaging and microscope technologies continue to evolve and evolve to enable artists and scientists to capture scientific moments with remarkable clarity. Our first place this year is a great example. "

The contest has also recently awarded the winners of a microscopic video contest.

In total, Nikon Small World has recognized 95 images on 2,500 entries. The images entered in the competition came from 89 different countries.