Picture of the Week—Diatoms or Modern Art?
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Michael Stringer of Westcliff-on-Sea, England won the 2008 Nikon Small world Photomicrography Competition earlier this year with this image of marine diatoms (a type of algae) from the genus Pleurosigma.
This image was one of a series Mr. Stringer created to illustrate a talk to a camera club on “Photography through the microscope.” His objective was to display diatoms in a modern way using super contrast and careful application of color. Rather than showing all the details, or warts and wrinkles as Mr. Stringer likes to call them, he dressed up the diatoms by manipulating the image and creating this beautiful photomicrograph.
The deadline for entries for the 2009 contest is April 30, 2009. Stay tuned for the announcement of the winners of the 7th Annual Smithsonian Photo Contest in March and the kick-off of the 2009 contest!
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