For the 44th year, Nikon celebrates the invisible world with its Small World Photomicrography Competition. As imaging and microscope technologies evolve, scientists, professional photographers, and hobbyists continue to push the boundaries of micrography. For the 2018 competition, nearly 2,500 scientists and artists from 89 countries submitted their work.

After being evaluated on originality, informational content, technical proficiency, and visual impact, Yousef Al Habshi from Abu Dhabi was declared the winner. His incredible image of an Asian Red Palm weevil's eye is a close up look at the insect's striking anatomy. This tiny beetle, which is found in the Philippines, typically measures less than 11 mm (0.43 in). Iridescent green disks, which look like sequins, are laid out in a perfectly overlapping pattern across the black body. Al Habshi's final image comes from stacking over 128 micrographs as not to overexpose the skin and scales while still showing off the black body.

“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.”

The entire top twenty makes use of a wide variety of techniques to bring their photomicrographs to life. Familiar names like Justin Zoll and Can Tunçer are included in the list for their images of crystallized amino acids and peacock feathers, respectively. Whether exploring a human teardrop or seeing how a tiny plant-sucking insect protects itself in a foam bubble, the winning images open up a new window to our world.

The winners of the Nikon Small World Photomicrography Competition will have their work shown during a traveling exhibition around the United States and Canada. They will also be included in a full-color calendar.

For the past forty-four years, Nikon Small World has celebrated the best photomicrography across the globe.

Over 2,500 scientists and artists from 89 countries entered the 2018 photo competition.

“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.”

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My Modern Met granted permission to use photos by Nikon Small World.