The Barnard Photomicrographic Art Award Gallery (Still Images, Technical) 2022

A new category this year.  Our judge would have liked some more information with some of the submissions, but was impressed overall by the images.  He has commented on all of the entries which we hope will guide members when considering their entries next year.

Barnard Awards for technical merit.

1.  Ann Algar – Water boatman
2.  Jonathan Crowther – Pleurosigma angulatum
3.  Tony Pattinson – Osmundia regalis TS rhizome
4.  Gordon Brown – Knotty shining claw

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The Judge commented on the images as follows:

Ant (D. Linstead)

This ant image is striking and bold and really well executed and the DIC adds an interesting colour palette to the composition.  The fine detail of the hairs on its dorsal side and the articulation of the segments would make this an excellent image or teaching insect anatomy.   It would be interesting to know what the dark patch near the tip of the abdomen corresponds to as it does form a counterpoint to the compound eye at the anterior of the insect.  The picture is too highly cropped so the hairs on the thorax look as though they are leaving the frame and it is a shame that the antennae and legs are not included in the final image.

Compton Bay fragments (P. Hamer)

These two images of the Compton Bay fragment show really interesting crystalline morphology and the use of stacking enables much more of the material to be in focus than through simple microscopy.  The addition of a scale bar is really important but should be in both images, if they are going to be used, and placed so that they do not impinge on the subject.

Amoeba proteus (M. Gibson)

A lovely image of the protist Amoeba proteus showing the robust pseudopodia and much of the internal organelle system found within this particular cell.  The ghosting round the edge caused by phase contrast adds to the image by highlighting the periphery of the cell.  The image is cropped too close to the dorsal pseudopodia, but otherwise this would be a good photograph to be used to illustrate the key features of this particular group of organisms.

Acroperus harpae (D. Linstead)

The image of this daphnia is really striking and the use of DIC has really accentuated the structures found all over this animal and highlighting its internal anatomy.  The peak of this particular species looks amazing there are a number of interesting details picked out on the strand of algae that it appears to be resting on.  It’s a real shame that there is an out of focus object intruding onto the head of the animal, but the image is very striking.

Pleurosigma angulatum (J. Crowther)

This image that has been collected by the use of 313 nanometre light really pushes at the limits of light microscopy showing, as it does, the incredibly fine detail found on the surface of diatom frustrules which must be presenting at less than one micrometre in diameter.  This is obviously the work of someone who knows how to work with light and the glass of microscopes with great detail.

Water boatman (A. Algar)

This micrograph of a juvenile water boatman it is absolutely exquisite combining pin-sharp resolution with a colour palette that demonstrates a flair for composition as well as microscopy.  The placing of the specimen, the incredible detail of the internal anatomy and the gaudy, but subtle pastel colouration make this my favourite image.

Mammalian spleen (L. Franchi)

These spleen images are sharp and full of features with clear anatomical detail present.  There is, unfortunately, not enough information to categorise why this is an exceptional image or how it was produced.

Osmunda regalis (T. Pattinson)

Sections through plants always show staggering detail as the reinforced cell walls produce such amazing geometric designs and this image as so much going for it in terms of things to look at with respect to shape, texture and colour.  From the scale bar, the slide must be absolutely enormous and so must the cells let compose the tracheid system.  Stunning image taking of the prepared slide showing incredible detail of the internal anatomy of this section through a sycamore.  A very clean image and with lots of intricate structures within the plant.

Knotty shining claw (G. Brown))

Images of pseudoscorpions are always exciting and this one is beautifully composed using a lighting system that highlights the fine details on the surface of the body.  Though some parts are a little bit out of focus, the sharpness of the hairs along the periphery of the body draws the viewer’s attention to the arachnid as a whole and gives a view of these little creatures that is rarely seen.

Meridion circulare (J. Poole)

Epithemia turgida (J. Poole)

These exquisite images show extremely fine detail of microorganisms, but are under-interpreted so I am unable to give much comment about what I’m looking at.