Nikon Instruments Inc. today announced the winners of the
forty-fourth annual Nikon Small World Photomicrography Competition.
First place was awarded to Emirati photographer Yousef Al Habshi,
who sees the eyes as the windows to stunning insect artwork and
research. The 2018 winning image captures part of the compound eyes
and surrounding greenish scales of an Asian Red Palm weevil. This
type of Metapocyrtus subquadrulifer beetle is typically less than
11 mm (0.43 in) in size and is found in the Philippines.
Al Habshi captured the image using a reflected
light technique and stacking of hundreds of images. The winning
image is a compilation of more than 128 micrographs. According to
Al Habshi, “the main challenge was to show the black body against
the black background without overexposing the skin and scales.” He
was able to strike the perfect balance by controlling the
background distance from the subject and using deft lighting and
sample positioning.
“Because of the variety of coloring and the lines that display
in the eyes of insects, I feel like I’m photographing a collection
of jewelry,” said Al Habshi. “Not all people appreciate small
species, particularly insects. Through photomicrography we can find
a whole new, beautiful world which hasn’t been seen before. It’s
like discovering what lies under the Ocean’s surface.”
While beautiful to photograph, weevils present infestation
problems world-wide and often destroy crops. Al Habshi’s
photography has helped advance the work of his partner, Professor
Claude Desplan, of New York University Abu Dhabi. His lab and Al
Habshi’s photos have contributed a better understanding of the Red
Palm Weevil and how to better control the population.
“The Nikon Small World competition is now in its 44th year, and
every year we continue to be astounded by the winning images,” said
Eric Flem, Communications Manager, Nikon Instruments. “Imaging and
microscope technologies continue to develop and evolve to allow
artists and scientists to capture scientific moments with
remarkable clarity. Our first place this year illustrates that fact
beautifully.”
Second place was awarded to Rogelio Moreno for his colorful
photo of a Fern sorus, a clustered structure that produces and
contains spores. The image was produced using image stacking and
autoflorecence, which requires hitting the sorus with ultraviolet
light. Each color represents a different maturity stage of each
sporangium inside the sorus.
Saulius Gugis captured third place for his adorable spittlebug
photo, captured using focus-stacking. This spittlebug can be seen
in the process of making his “bubble house.” Spittlebugs produce
the foam substance to hide from predators, insulate themselves from
temperature fluctuations and to stay moist.
In addition to the top three winners, Nikon Small World
recognized an additional 92 photos out over almost 2,500 entries
from scientists and artists in 89 countries.
The 2018 judging panel included:
- Dr. Joseph Fetcho: Professor, Associate Chair
of the Department of Neurobiology and Behavior at Cornell
University.
- Dr. Tristan Ursell: Assistant Professor in the
Department of Physics and at the Institute of Molecular Biology at
the University of Oregon.
- Adam Dunnakey: Broadcast journalist at CNN
International.
- Jacob Templin: Senior video producer at
Quartz.
- Eric Clark (Moderator): Research Coordinator
and Applications Developer at the National High Magnetic Field
Laboratory at Florida State University.
For additional information, please visit
www.nikonsmallworld.com, or follow the conversation on Facebook,
Twitter @NikonSmallWorld and Instagram @NikonInstruments.
2018 NIKON SMALL WORLD WINNERSThe following are
the Top 20 and Honorable Mentions for Nikon Small World 2018. The
full gallery of winning images, along with Images of Distinction,
can be viewed at www.nikonsmallworld.com
1st PlaceYousef Al HabshiAbu
Dhabi, United Arab EmiratesEye of a Metapocyrtus subquadrulifer
beetleReflected Light20x (objective lens magnification)
2nd Place Rogelio
MorenoPanama, PanamaFern sorus (structures producing and
containing spores)Autofluorescence10x (objective lens
magnification)
3rd PlaceSaulius
GugisNaperville, Illinois, USASpittlebug nymph in its
bubble houseFocus Stacking5x (objective lens magnification)
4th PlaceCan Tunçerİzmir,
TurkeyPeacock feather sectionFocus Stacking5x (objective lens
magnification)
5th PlaceDr. Tessa
MontagueHarvard University, Department of Molecular and
Cellular BiologyCambridge, Massachusetts, USAParasteatoda
tepidariorum (spider embryo) stained for embryo surface (pink),
nuclei (blue) and microtubules (green)Confocal20x (objective lens
magnification)
6th Place Hanen KhabouVision
Institute, Department of TherapeuticsParis, France Primate foveola
(central region of the retina)Fluorescence40x (objective lens
magnification)
7th PlaceNorm BarkerJohns
Hopkins School of Medicine, Department of Pathology & Art as
Applied to MedicineBaltimore, Maryland, USAHuman tear dropDarkfield
5x (objective lens magnification)
8th Place Pia Scanlon Government of Western
Australia, Department of Primary Industries and Regional
Development South Perth, Western Australia, Australia Portrait of
Sternochetus mangiferae (mango seed weevil) Stereomicroscopy, Image
Stacking 1x (objective lens magnification)
9th PlaceDr. Haris
AntonopoulosAthens, GreeceSecurity hologramDarkfield
Epi-illumination10x (objective lens magnification)
10th PlaceDr. Csaba Pintér
University of Pannonia, Georgikon Faculty, Department of Plant
Protection Keszthely, Hungary Stalks with pollen grainsFocus
Stacking3x (objective lens magnification)
11th Place Nilay Taneja & Dr. Dylan
Burnette Vanderbilt University, Department of Cell and
Developmental BiologyNashville, Tennessee, USAHuman fibroblast
undergoing cell division, showing actin (gray), myosin II (green)
and DNA (magenta)Structured Illumination Microscopy60x (objective
lens magnification)
12th PlaceLuciano Andres
RichinoPunto NEF PhotographyRamos Mejia, Buenos Aires
Province, ArgentinaUrania ripheus (butterfly) wing scalesImage
Stacking20x (objective lens magnification)
13th PlaceCharles KrebsCharles
Krebs PhotographyIssaquah, Washington, USABalanus glandula (acorn
barnacle)Autofluorescence5x (objective lens magnification)
14th PlaceAndrew Moore & Dr. Erika
HolzbaurUniversity of Pennsylvania, Department of
PhysiologyPhiladelphia, Pennsylvania, USAAfrican green monkey cell
(COS-7) stained for actin and microtubulesStimulated Emission
Depletion (STED) Microscopy100x (objective lens magnification)
15th PlaceAntoine Franck CIRAD
- Agricultural Research for DevelopmentSaint Pierre, Réunion,
Reunion IslandVarroa destructor (mite) on the back of Apis
mellifera (honeybee)Focus Stacking1x (objective lens
magnification)
16th PlaceDr. Amanda D. Phillips
YzaguirreSalk Institute for Biological StudiesLa Jolla,
California, USAMouse oviduct vasculatureConfocal10x (objective lens
magnification)
17th PlaceCaleb DawsonThe
Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Department of
Stem Cells and CancerMelbourne, AustraliaBreast tissue in
lactation: Milk filled spheres (red) surrounded by tiny muscle
cells that squeeze out milk (yellow) and immune cells that monitor
for infection (blue)3D Confocal Microscopy63x (objective lens
magnification)
18th PlaceJustin ZollJustin
Zoll PhotographyIthaca, New York, USAAmino acid crystals
(L-glutamine and beta-alanine)Polarized Light, Image Tiling4x
(objective lens magnification)
19th PlacePierre AnquetLa
Tour-du-Crieu, Ariège, FranceVespa velutina (Asian hornet) with
venom on its stingerReflected Light, Focus Stacking6.3x (objective
lens magnification)
20th PlaceDr. Nicolás Cuenca &
Isabel Ortuño-LizaránUniversity of Alicante, Department of
Physiology, Genetics and MicrobiologySan Vicente del Raspeig,
Alicante, SpainHuman retinaImmunocytochemistry and Confocal
Microscopy40x (objective lens magnification)
Honorable Mentions
Anne AlgarHounslow, United KingdomDaphnia
(water flea) with eggsDarkfield with Polarizing Filters and
Waveplate, and Image Stacking4x (objective lens magnification)
Dr. Michael BoyleSmithsonian Institution,
Smithsonian Marine StationFort Pierce, Florida, USAPolytrochus
larva of a pelagic gymnosome pteropod with externalized cup-shaped
mouthparts used for feeding (actin in red; nuclei in grayscale; and
serotonin-positive elements in green)Confocal10x (objective lens
magnification)
Dr. Emilio Carabajal MárquezMadrid,
SpainEmmonsite (iron tellurite mineral)Focus Stacking20x (objective
lens magnification)
Tracy DebenportSomerville, Massachusetts,
USAPenicillium vulpinum (mold)Stereomicroscopy2x (objective lens
magnification)
Sergii DymchenkoSDym PhotographyBellevue,
Washington, USAShell of a Litchi chinensis (lychee)Reflected Light,
Transmitted Light, Focus Stacking2x (objective lens
magnification)
Charles KrebsCharles Krebs PhotographyIssaquah,
Washington, USACharaxes sp. (emperor butterfly) wingReflected
Light, Image Stacking10x (objective lens magnification)
Anatoly MikhaltsovChildren’s Ecological and
Biological CenterOmsk, Russian FederationPinus heldreichii (Bosnian
pine tree) cross sectionBrightfield, Image Tiling and Stacking25x
(objective lens magnification)
Jacek MyslowskiWloclawek,
PolandMossesAutofluorescence6.3x (objective lens magnification)
Walter PiorkowskiSouth Beloit, Illinois,
USABubbles and single cloth fiber (red) on a rock surfaceReflected
Light, Image Stacking10x (objective lens magnification)
Teresa ZgodaCampbell Hall, New York,
USAChameleon embryo Stereomicroscopy, Autofluorescence5x (objective
lens magnification)
About Nikon Small World Photomicrography
CompetitionThe Nikon Small World Photomicrography
Competition is open to anyone with an interest in photography or
video. Participants may upload digital images and videos directly
at www.nikonsmallworld.com. For additional information, contact
Nikon Small World, Nikon Instruments Inc., 1300 Walt Whitman Road,
Melville, NY 11747, USA or phone (631) 547-8569. Entry forms for
Nikon’s 2019 Small World and Small World in Motion Competitions are
available at www.nikonsmallworld.com.
About Nikon Instruments Inc.Nikon Instruments
Inc. is a world leader in the development and manufacture of
optical and digital imaging technology for biomedical applications.
Nikon provides complete optical systems that offer optimal
versatility, performance and productivity. Cutting-edge instruments
include microscopes, digital imaging products and software. Nikon
Instruments is one of the microscopy and digital imaging arms of
Nikon Inc., the world leader in digital imaging, precision optics
and photo imaging technology. For more information, visit
www.nikoninstruments.com. Product-related inquiries may be directed
to Nikon Instruments at 800-52-NIKON.
Media ContactKristina
Corso212-931-6189kcorso@hotpaperlantern.com
A photo accompanying this announcement is available at
http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/e39a20a1-9a02-42f2-8d61-8b7026a27684