Small is beautiful
9 Dec 2008 by Evoluted New Media
The 2008 Nikon Small World photomicrography competition has highlighted just how stunning the microscopic world can be
The 2008 Nikon Small World photomicrography competition has highlighted just how stunning the microscopic world can be
WITH the appearance of gracefully swooping beams of light or a colorful array of feathers, a dazzling photo of Pleurosigma (marine diatoms) has won the 2008 Nikon Small World photomicrography competition. Michael Stringer of Westcliff-on-Sea, Essex, United Kingdom took home the top honor with this image, which was magnified 200 times and taken using darkfield and polarized light.
The competition recognised Mr Stringer’s image, along with the other 2008 winners, for showing both scientific and artistic qualities. Nearly 2,000 entries were received this year, the most ever for the competition, from scientists and artists across the world. The winning images were selected by a distinguished panel of judges.
“My objective was to display diatoms in today’s modern style, through the careful application of colors,” said Stringer. “I couldn’t be more pleased that the Small World judges recognised the artistic vision in this image. I dedicate this award to the diatom and especially to my dear friend, Klaus Kemp, who in my opinion creates the most exquisite slides of these tiny bits of silica.”
Founded in 1974, Nikon Small World celebrates the beauty and complexity of objects seen through the light microscope. The 2008 winning photographers were awarded at the Astor Center in New York City. Nikon also unveiled the complete gallery of winning photomicrographs, currently on tour around science and art museums across the nation. Images are also available in the Small World calendar, which can be purchased at www.nikonsmallworld.com, and in an online gallery featured at the same location.
“The photo that Michael Stringer produced is remarkable, as were all the contributions to Small World 2008,” said Lee Shuett, executive vice president, Nikon Instruments. “To see the world’s tiniest objects captured in such a majestic way puts our very existence into perspective.”
This year’s judges represented top industry experts and included Ivan Oranksy, Managing Editor, online, Scientific American; Alice Park, Department Head, Science, Time Magazine; David L. Spector, Director of Research and Head of the Gene Regulation Program, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory; Ron Strum, Senior Petrographer, CTLGroup; and Michael Davidson, Director of the Optical and Magneto-Optical Imaging Center at the National High Magnetic Field Laboratory at Florida State University.
Though Stringer is not a microscopist by trade, he has been interested in diatoms for over 60 years. When he retired from his work as an ophthalmic nurse practitioner, he decided to emulate English botanist and diatomist Dr. C. L. Odam and collect diatoms from tributaries. Stringer now works on Two Tree Island amassing information and collecting diatoms. This image was one of a series Stringer created to illustrate a talk to a camera club on “Photography through the microscope.” His objective was to display diatoms in a modern way using super contrast and careful application of color. Rather than showing all the details, or warts and wrinkles as Stringer likes to call them, he dressed up the diatoms by manipulating the image and creating this beautiful photomicrograph. | 1st Place
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Marshall’s image was taken as part of the study of an atypical carbon nanotube growth run. Carbon nanotubes are the latest material of interest and show great promise for the next generation of devices in the field of optical, medical and electronic research. He chose to submit this image to convey the hidden microscopic beauty of science and technology. The image was created using a Nikon CoolPix E995 and a Nikon SMZ-10 Stereo Microscope. Marshall used this image as the cover of a Christmas card to his students | 2nd Place
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Tousson has been involved in photomicrography for 25 years. As a cell biologist, Tousson works to understand the complex processes that allow cells to metabolise and perpetuate. Tousson chose to submit this image showing the plant’s tissue organisation because the red cell walls and green and yellow starch granules were striking. This image was acquired using laser confocal microscopy with 3D projection as part of a test of a confocal imaging system for optical sectioning and 3D rendering. | 3rd Place |
Springer captured this image as part of his postdoctoral research at Stanford University. In this project, microscopy was essential to observe whether development proceeded or stopped in the absence of myosin function at different developmental stages. Mysoin, the protein that allows muscle to contract, was known to be essential for the beginning of development in certain amoebas, but its importance in subsequent stages was unknown. This work demonstrated that after development has begun, the function of cellular myosin is no longer required for any of the cell movements that occur until the very last stage, during which myosin function is once again essential. To capture this image, Springer induced the amoeba cells to undergo multicellular development on agar plates that were then held obliquely in a clamp under a stereo dissection microscope. The illumination is from transmitted light, which contributes to the translucent glow in the developing slugs and the surface. | 4th Place
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This image, from an area that is no larger than a period at the end of a sentence, shows what eye-popping colors and structures are in sheets of paper. Kazilek, who has degrees in both science and art, captured this image as part of an ongoing project that studies historic and contemporary handmade papers. Kazilek used scanning-laser confocal imaging to capture this image. This technique provides intense color and great detail not possible with other microscopic systems. Past microscopes could image the color or the detail of the paper, but no microscope before confocal systems could do both. | 5th Place
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