1st Place, 2026 Photomicrography Competition
Ole Bielfeldt
See all of the 2026 Small World Photomicrography winners.
Nikon Small World
Celebrating over 50 years of images captured by the light microscope.
Nikon Small World is regarded as the leading forum for showcasing the beauty and complexity of life as seen through the light microscope. The Photomicrography Competition is open to anyone with an interest in microscopy and photography. The video competition, entitled Small World In Motion encompasses any movie or digital time-lapse photography taken through the microscope.
The 2026 Competitions Are Now Closed
Stay tuned for updates regarding the judging and announcement of winners.
Photomicrography Competition
The Nikon Small World Competition first began in 1975 as a means to recognize and applaud the efforts of those involved with photography through the light microscope. Since then, Small World has become a leading showcase for photomicrographers from the widest array of scientific disciplines.
Video Competition
In 2011, Nikon announced that it would begin accepting movies taken through the microscope as a new category in the 37th annual Nikon Small World Photomicrography Competition. This new category, titled Small World in Motion, encompasses any movie or digital time-lapse photography taken through the microscope and adds a new, distinct discipline to the competition.
Small World News
52nd Annual Nikon Small World Competition Winner Turns an Inkjet Printer into an Unseen Landscape
Posted on October 20, 2026
Winning image from Ole Bielfeldt uses a microscope objective and deconstructed printer to capture ink droplets in motion
Small World Speaks
Hear the stories behind some of the winning images and the storied history of the Nikon Small World competitions.
Meet the Judges
Small World Exhibit Tour
California Science Center
May 1, 2023 – Jun 30, 2027New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science
Sep 18, 2026 – Dec 3, 2026
MicroscopyU
Nikon's MicroscopyU website features technical support and timely information about all aspects of optical microscopy, photomicrography, and digital imaging.
Nikon Instruments
Nikon Instruments is a leader in microscope-based optical and imaging technologies for the life sciences and part of the Nikon Healthcare Business Division.
