Skip to main content

Incredible images reveal the eye of a weevil and other microscopic wonders

Photographer Yousef Al Habshi says his work capturing small insects often feels more like photographing the beauty of jewelry than a scientific process. That approach has earned Al Habshi first place in the Nikon Small World Photomicrography Competition, as announced on October 11. The contest recognized three winning images and an additional 92 entries in an annual contest mixing science and art.

Recommended Videos

Al Habshi’s winning image captures the eyes and surrounding scales of an Asian Red Palm weevil. The image was created using a stack of over 128 micrographs and reflected light. The image captures both the insect’s eye and iridescent green scales. Al Habshi works with Claude Desplan, a professor of biology and neural science at New York University Abu Dhabi, using the images to help expand the understanding of the weevil and controlling infestation.

Please enable Javascript to view this content

“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,” Al Habshi said. “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 44th annual contest also awarded second place to Rogelio Moreno for an image of a Fern sorus. The image is a 10x magnification of a spore-producing structure that was captured by lighting the sorus with ultraviolet light and using image stacking for a sharp capture.

Another bug shot took third place, the work of Saulius Gugis. The image shows a spittlebug making a bubble house, which the insects use to hide in. The image was shot with a 5x magnification.

“The Nikon Small World competition is now in its 44th year, and every year we continue to be astounded by the winning images,” said Nikon Instruments communications manager Eric Flem. “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 illustrated that fact beautifully.”

The contest also recently awarded winners in a related microscopic video competition.

In total, Nikon Small World recognized 95 images out of 2,500 entries. Images entered in the contest came from 89 different countries.

Hillary K. Grigonis
Hillary never planned on becoming a photographer—and then she was handed a camera at her first writing job and she's been…
Capture all the action with the GoPro HERO12 Black — $150 off today at Amazon
The GoPro Hero 12 Black Creator Edition set up on a small tripod on the beach.

In the moment, when you're blasting over that jump on your dirt bike, catching that killer wave, or jumping off of whatever insane cliff you've found, you don't necessarily think about capturing it all. But one of the best ways to make that happen is to strap on an action cam, like a GoPro. You can capture all of the action, and it's relatively low-lift. You wear whatever unique mount is best for the situation and the camera does all the work. There's just one issue, action cameras can be expensive especially if you're on a budget. However, today, Amazon has the GoPro HERO12 Black for $150 off. That brings it down from its normal price of $400 to $250. You can use that extra money to grab an accessory and you're good to go. GoPro HERO12 Black captures it all in 5.3K or 4K so you can rewatch the glory over and over.

 
Why buy the GoPro HERO12 Black? To capture the action, that's why
An action camera like a GoPro makes it possible to capture the action, in full detail, no matter what you're doing. You don't even have to be doing crazy stunts either. A common misconception is that they're only useful for outdoor activities, but no they work for filming just about anything. Even if you're having a barbecue, or a birthday party, or want to see what your roaming cat sees throughout the day -- a GoPro is what you need.

Read more
NASA astronaut Don Pettit talks photography from the space station
NASA astronaut Don Pettit discussing his photography from aboard the ISS.

NASA ASTRONAUT DISCUSSES PHOTOGRAPHY IN SPACE WITH NASASPACEFLIGHT.COM

NASA astronaut Don Pettit arrived at the International Space Station (ISS) in September on his fourth orbital mission in 22 years. Besides working on various science projects on the space-based facility, Pettit is also known for his keen interest in photography, and he regularly shares his impressive efforts -- including rivers, clouds, star trails, and high-speed spacecraft -- on X and Instagram.

Read more
Target has great deals on the Fujifilm Instax cameras today
The Fujifilm Instax Mini 12 on a white background.

If regular camera deals look a little overwhelming or too expensive, you should check out what Target has to offer. Right now, there are some great deals on Fujifilm Instax cameras, which are perfect for those times you want to take some quick snaps and not worry about fancy settings. The deals include the Fujifilm Instax Mini 12 and the Fujifilm Instax Wide 400 Instant Camera. Let’s take a look at both cameras and see which will suit you best. Each camera is a great gift for someone this holiday season, but it’s also a fun way of snapping anything you want during the festive period.
Fujifilm Instax Wide 400 Instant Camera -- $140 $150 7% off

For that instant retro look, check out the Fujifilm Instax Wide 400 Instant Camera. It takes 3 x 5 instant photos, so it’s good for shooting wide shots. Sure, it won't compete with the best DSLR cameras, but it's a fun way of taking some quick snaps. It has a rugged yet beautiful design, so it can handle a few more bumps than most cameras. It offers easy-to-use analog-style controls with a choice of three focus modes; these include normal, landscape, and macro when using the relevant and included close-up lens. It provides automatic exposure, flash control, and a self-timer with an LED countdown, so all the essentials are here. The Fujifilm Instax Wide 400 Instant Camera also has two viewfinder framing guides to assist in composing your image, and you can add a tripod mount if you want.

Read more