For 35 years, Nikon has held a photomicography competition and the winners from 2009 were announced in October 2009. There were 3000 global entries this year and they were judged "on several criteria including originality, informational content, technical proficiency and visual impact."
Pictures were taken with a light microscope and they are spectacular! As you can see; the imagery is colourful, striking and show us the beauty that escapes the naked eye.
The Top 10 winners in the 2009 Nikon photomicography competition are:
1:Arabidopsis thaliana (thale cress) anther
2:Sonchus asper (spiny sowthistle) flower stem section
3:Wrinkled photoresist
4:Anglerfish ovary
5:Oral surface of a young seastar
6:Discus fish scales
7:Hair-like trichomes on Thunbergia alata (Black-eyed Susan vine)
8:Cotton fibers stained with berberine sulphate and color depth shaded
9:Olivine inclusions in gabbro (magmatic rock)
10:Algae and diatoms
Photomicography
Photographs that Zoom in on the Unseen
Trend Themes
1. Microscopic Imaging - The increasing potential and ease of delivering high-quality microscopic imaging technology creates great disruptive innovation opportunities in life sciences and material sciences.
2. Scientific Art - The combination of art and science in microscopic imaging opens up new creative markets and potential revenue streams in the photography and art industries.
3. Innovative Medical Diagnostics - The ability to produce high-quality microscopic imaging data of living organisms can lead to improved and precise medical diagnostics and provide breakthrough innovations in the healthcare industry.
Industry Implications
1. Life Sciences - The integration of high-quality microscopic imaging can revolutionize studies in biological sciences and provide new opportunities for the biotechnology industry.
2. Materials Science - The potential for improved microscopic imaging technology to create more precise data can lead to innovations in material design and nanotechnology in the materials science industry.
3. Photography - The combination of art and science in microscopic imaging creates a new genre of photography that can disrupt the art and commercial photography industries.