Ink droplets win Nikon Small World competition
An image of ink droplets inside a printer has won first prize at the Nikon Small World photomicrography competition, which focuses on images taken through a microscope, reports BritPanorama.
Ole Bielfeldt, a student and experimental photographer from Germany, captured the winning image using an imaging rig he built himself, according to a statement from the organizers. Based in Cologne, Bielfeldt described his inspiration: the intrigue surrounding how inkjet printers transfer images onto paper with precision.
“I think it was super interesting because I didn’t know how it really worked,” Bielfeldt stated. “It’s like it was magic, and I didn’t understand it, but now I do.” His work secured the top position in the 52nd edition of the competition. Eric Flem of Nikon Instruments remarked that Bielfeldt’s image “embodies what makes Nikon Small World so powerful: the intersection of microscope imaging, ingenuity and artistry.”
“By using a microscope objective in a different way, he transformed a familiar object into something altogether new and previously unseen,” Flem added. “It is a reminder that the microscope is not only a scientific tool but also a creative one, capable of expanding how we see and imagine the world around us.”
John-Oliver Dum received second place for his image of a jumping spider with pollen, while Kaelin Wulf and Rachel Flannery were awarded third place for their photograph of neurons within an expanded mouse brain.
Nikon also manages the annual Small World in Motion video competition, which faced scrutiny this year when mid-October announcements revealed that a winner had been disqualified after it was determined that their use of generative AI violated competition rules.
