Meet the 2026 winner of Nikon’s Small World photomicrography contest

German photographer Ole Bielfeldt won Nikon’s 2026 Small World photomicrography competition with an image showing ink droplets being deposited on paper by an inkjet printer. His photograph turns a familiar process into a vivid microscopic scene, illustrating how scientific imaging can also reveal artistic possibilities.

Bielfeldt, 25, was one of 1,803 entrants from 69 countries. He began experimenting with photomicrography during the COVID-19 lockdown, adapting an old microscope to his father’s camera. To capture the fast-moving droplets, he modified a printer so the paper moved beneath a stationary printhead, then used a flash in a dark room to freeze the action; he did not need expensive equipment or AI.