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.
A young German photographer, Ole Bielfeldt, has been crowned the winner of the 2026 Nikon Small World photomicrography contest. His winning image showcases droplets of ink being deposited onto paper by an inkjet printer. This achievement marks Bielfeldt as the top contender among 1,802 other entries from across 69 countries.
Bielfeldt's interest in photomicrography was sparked during the COVID-19 lockdown when he stumbled upon an old microscope in his parents' attic. Determined to learn the craft, he constructed a custom adaptor using a tube and some wood to connect the microscope to his father's camera. Through trial and error, he mastered the technique and began documenting his process on his photography and videography brand, macrofying.
The inspiration behind Bielfeldt's winning entry stemmed from his fascination with the inner workings of inkjet printers. However, capturing the rapid movement of ink drops as they were deposited onto paper proved to be a significant challenge, as the process occurs too quickly for a standard camera shutter speed. To overcome this obstacle, Bielfeldt devised a clever solution: he deconstructed the printer so that the paper moved under a stationary printhead.
He then captured the image in a dark room, utilizing a flash as a makeshift shutter to freeze the ink drops mid-air.
Interestingly, Bielfeldt does not employ AI in his images, opting instead for traditional methods that have been refined through his self-taught expertise.
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