Nikon Instruments Inc. has opened entries for the 53rd annual Nikon Small World Photomicrography and Video Competition. The 2027 edition is now accepting submissions.
The competition is open to anyone aged 18 or older with access to a light microscope. It welcomes still images and videos that reveal the structure, color and complexity of subjects too small to be seen with the naked eye. Subject matter is unrestricted, and any light microscopy technique is accepted.
The best works will be awarded with cash prizes, including $3,000 for the first-place winner in each of the two competitions. The Photomicrography Competition recognizes a top 20 and also awards honorable mentions, while Small World in Motion recognizes a top five. Honorable mentions in both contests receive $200 each.
Nikon Small World and Small World in Motion are separate contests with separate judging and prize pools. The first is devoted to still photomicrographs; the second, launched in 2011, accepts movies and digital time-lapse sequences made through the microscope.
Entrants may submit up to three still images and three videos. Because the contests are judged independently, it is possible to win in both. Submissions must be created by the entrant using a light microscope and a microscope objective; electron microscopy, macro photography and AI-generated work are not eligible.
In the Photomicrography Competition, the $3,000 first prize is followed by $2,000 for second place and $1,000 for third. Awards continue through 20th place, with $800 for fourth, $600 for fifth, $500 for sixth, $400 each for seventh to tenth, and $300 each for eleventh to twentieth. Honorable mentions receive $200 each, and Images of Distinction receive a $35 gift card.
Small World in Motion awards $3,000, $2,000 and $1,000 to its top three, followed by $800 for fourth and $600 for fifth. Honorable mentions receive $200 each.
An independent panel of judges reviews the entries on creativity and originality, informational content, technical proficiency, and artistic and visual impact. The judges are not given the brand of microscope or camera used, and Nikon equipment is not required.
The top 20 photomicrographs are exhibited at museums and science centers across the United States and Canada, and many winning images are featured on the covers of scientific and industrial journals.
Please visit the official website for further information.
No Entry Fee!
It's free to enter.