Moving ink droplets win first prize in Nikon Small World competition

“Ole Bielfeldt’s winning image embodies what makes Nikon Small World so powerful: the intersection of microscopic imaging, ingenuity and artistry,” said Eric Flem, spokesperson for Nikon Instruments. “By using a microscope lens in a different way, he transformed a familiar object into something completely new and unprecedented. It reminds us that the microscope is not only a scientific tool but also a creative tool, capable of expanding the way we see and imagine the world around us.”

Founded in 1974, the Nikon Small World competition celebrates its 52nd anniversary this year. In 2011, the company added the Small World in Motion competition (see the 2026 winner here). Both aim to “highlight the beauty and complexity of things seen through an optical microscope”: one through still photographs, the other through photovideography, taking advantage of all the technological advances that now allow users to make films or time-lapse images under a microscope.

Here are the top 10 winners from this year’s competition: The full list, with honorable mentions, can be found here. Nikon is also producing a full-color 2027 calendar featuring the 2026 winners.