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Nikon Small World Photomicrography Competition 2011
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Nikon announced the winners of the 2011 Small World Photomicrography Competition, with this year's top honors going to Dr. Igor Siwanowicz for a micrograph that demonstrates the beauty in "ugly"
When a small bug landed on Dr. Igor Siwanowicz's hand and began "fiercely digging its mandibles" into his skin, he didn't swat it away. Instead, he removed a tiny test tube from his pocket - which he carries for occasions such as these - and captured it as a potential subject for his photomicrography passion.
Little did he know at the time, but this chance meeting with what is actually the Common Green Lacewing would lead to Dr. Siwanowicz, of Madison, Wisconsin being named the winner of the 2011 Nikon Small World competition. Nikon Small World recognizes excellence in photomicrography, honoring images that successfully showcase the delicate balance between difficult scientific technique and exquisite artistic quality.
"My art causes a dissonance for its viewer - a conflict between the culturally imprinted perception of an insect as something repulsive and ugly with a newly-acquired admiration of the beauty of its form," said Dr. Siwanowicz, who completed his doctoral studies in protein crystallography but now works in invertebrate photography for research. "My hope is that in some way, my photomicrographs prompt people to realize the presence of cultural programming, question it, and eventually throw it off as an illusion. I am so pleased to be recognized by Nikon Small World for this philosophy, but also the technical expertise it required to capture this photo."
Dr. Siwanowicz only had one take to capture his specimen because of specific needs for its dissection. Using a confocal microscope, he carefully fixed and dyed the sample to take the image - difficult as the head of the bug measured just 1.3 mm in length.
The top five images this year are:
1. Dr. Igor Siwanowicz, Max Planck Institute of Neurobiology; Portrait of a Chrysopa sp. (green lacewing) larva
2. Dr. Donna Stolz, University of Pittsburgh; Blade of Grass
3. Frank Fox, Fachhochschule Trier; Melosira Moniliformis, living specimen
4. Dr.
Imaging & Microscopy Issue 4 as free epaper or pdf download
Robin Young, The University of British Columbia; Instrinsic flouresence in Lepidozia reptans (liverwort)
5. Alfred Pasieka, Hilden Germany; Microchip surface, 3D Construction
Top images from the 2011 Nikon Small World Competition will be exhibited in a full-colour calendar and through a national museum tour.
Full gallery of winning images at:
http://www.nikonsmallworld.com/
Keywords: Nikon Nikon Small World Competition Small World Photomicrography Competition 2011
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