Exploring the microscopic world: Nikon Small World announces 51st annual photomicrography winners

The winners of the 51st annual Nikon Small World Photomicrography Competition have been announced, celebrating over five decades of excellence in microscopy and digital imaging.

First place was awarded to China’s Zhang You for his striking image of a rice weevil (Sitophilus oryzae) mounted on a grain of rice. The photograph captures the insect with its wings fully extended, revealing the structure and behavior of a common agricultural pest in unprecedented detail.

Zhang, a member of the Entomological Society of China and the Entomological Society of Yunnan Province, described his approach, "It pays to dive deep into entomology: understanding insects’ behaviors and mastering lighting. A standout work blends artistry with scientific rigor, capturing the very essence, energy, and spirit of these creatures."

The image was created using a medium-format camera paired with a 5x microscope objective, combining over 100 images for focus stacking. Zhang spent two weeks carefully cleaning, lighting, and post-processing the specimen to achieve the final result.

Reflecting on the subject, Zhang added, "I had observed rice weevils in grains before, but never one with its wings spread. This one was naturally preserved on a windowsill, perhaps in a final attempt to escape. Its tiny size makes manually preparing spread-wing specimens extremely difficult, so encountering it was both serendipitous and inspiring."

Second place went to Dr. Jan Rosenboom of Rostock, Germany, for his image of Volvox spheres in a drop of water, captured using reflected light and a 5x objective lens. Third place was awarded to John-Oliver Dum of Medienbunker Produktion, Germany, for his image of pollen in a garden spider web, using a 20x objective lens with image stacking. In total, 71 photographs were recognized from thousands of entries submitted by scientists and artists from around the world.

"This year was even more extraordinary as it was Zhang You’s very first time entering the competition, and he not only captured first place, but also placed another image in the top 20," said Eric Flem, Senior Manager, Communications and CRM at Nikon Instruments. "His achievement highlights the spirit of Nikon Small World: inspiring wonder, making scientific understanding accessible to all, and celebrating the artistry of the microscopic realm."

Competitions like Nikon Small World and Small World in Motion enable audiences to experience the richness of the microscopic world. Realms that are often overlooked yet critical to life on a larger scale. By revealing these hidden structures and organisms, they not only celebrate scientific precision but also encourage a deeper appreciation for the artistry and complexity of nature itself.

The full list of winners can be found on the official competition website.