This regal-looking spider is smaller than a fingernail, but thanks to clever use of focus stacking, we can see it in incredible detail
John-Oliver Dum’s prize-winning image transforms a tiny garden hunter into an imposing portrait.
German photographer John-Oliver Dum has captured an astonishingly detailed image of a tiny jumping spider, which has earned it second place in this year's Nikon Small World 2026 Photomicrography Competition. The miniature critter, named Salticus scenicus, typically measures between 5mm to 9mm in length, making it smaller than a fingernail. In the prize-winning photograph, the spider is magnified twenty times, revealing pollen grains as tiny jewels scattered across its body.
To achieve this level of detail, Dum employed a technique called focus stacking. This method, which he is well-versed in, involves taking dozens of individual images at slightly different focus distances and then combining them to create a single, ultra-sharp image. The resulting photograph, although it appears as one image, is actually a composite of many frames.
Dum's work is characterized by his ability to showcase the intricate beauty of the microscopic world. With a Sony Alpha 1 camera, a macro rail for precise focus adjustments, and microscope optics from top manufacturers, he has gained recognition for his remarkable images displayed at venues such as the Tokyo Photographic Art Museum and ARTIS-Micropia in Amsterdam.
Despite the spider being smaller than a fingernail, Dum's photograph reveals the individual scales on its face, the fine hairs on its legs, and the texture of every pollen grain with astonishing clarity. This unique perspective offers a glimpse into an entirely new world, unseen by the naked eye, which makes the photograph truly special.
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