Meet the 2026 winner of Nikon's Small World photomicrography contest
Ole Bielfeldt of Germany captured a microscopic view of an inkjet printer depositing ink onto paper.
In the 2026 Nikon Small World photomicrography contest, a 25-year-old German photographer named Ole Bielfeldt emerged victorious. His winning image showcased droplets of ink being deposited on paper by an inkjet printer, capturing the attention of the judges among 1,802 other entries from 69 countries. Bielfeldt's fascination with photomicrography began during the COVID-19 lockdown when he discovered an old microscope in his parents' attic.
He taught himself the craft through trial and error, building custom tools as necessary. The photographer documents his process on his brand, macrofying, sharing behind-the-scenes videos of his work. His winning entry was inspired by curiosity about inkjet printers, but the rapid movement of ink drops presented a challenge. Bielfeldt solved this by deconstructing the printer and using a stationary printhead in a dark room, freezing the ink drops in mid-air with a flash. Bielfeldt remains committed to traditional techniques and does not utilize AI in his photography.
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