Nikon Small World 2026 Winner Captures Ink Droplets Mid-Flight

Oct 21, 2026

Dunja Đuđić Kalinin

Every year, the Nikon Small World competition reminds us that the world we know is hiding an entirely different one just beneath the surface. The 2026 winners have been announced, and first place went to an image that makes something as mundane as printing a document feel like watching a magic trick get explained.

The Story Behind Winning Photo

Ole Bielfeldt, a student and experimental photographer based in Cologne, Germany, took the top prize in this year’s contest. His image shows ink droplets suspended in midair inside an inkjet printer mid-print. He captured the image using a self-constructed rig built around a microscope objective, and the result is something most people have never seen and probably never thought to wonder about. It’s the precise, chaotic, tiny moment when ink leaves the printhead and travels through the air before hitting the page.

Ole runs macrofying, his photography and videography brand, where he combines microscopy with custom-built equipment to show familiar objects in deeply unfamiliar ways. This image started with a straightforward question – how does a printer actually place ink on paper so precisely? At normal scale, the whole thing happens too fast and too quietly to register. Under a microscope, it turns out to be full of motion, machinery, and small imperfections that nobody sees.

“I think it was super interesting because I didn’t know how it really worked,” Ole said. “It’s like it was magic, and I didn’t understand it, but now I do.”

Getting the shot required him to rethink both the printer and the imaging setup from scratch. The printhead moves too fast to keep a small area in focus, and the droplets are far too quick for a standard shutter speed. His solution was to reverse-engineer the printer so the paper moved beneath a stationary printhead instead of the other way around. Then, working in a darkened room, he used a flash to freeze the droplets in midair – the flash becoming the effective shutter. No expensive equipment required.

“After trying and failing many times to capture the droplets in motion, I thought I would need some expensive equipment,” Ole said. “But it turned out I already had everything I needed.”

That instinct for improvisation goes back to the COVID-19 lockdowns, when Ole found an old microscope in his parents’ attic and cobbled together a camera adapter from a tube and some wood. He’s been building on that foundation ever since, learning through trial and error, online research, and a steady stream of behind-the-scenes videos documenting his process. He’s also been deliberate about keeping AI-generated imagery out of the picture, preferring the challenge of focus stacking, Photoshop, and classic retouching – techniques applied to subjects that actually exist in the real world.

Eric Flem, senior manager of communications and CRM at Nikon Instruments, commented:

“Ole Bielfeldt’s winning image embodies what makes Nikon Small World so powerful: the intersection of microscope imaging, ingenuity, and artistry. By using a microscope objective in a different way, he transformed a familiar object into something altogether new and previously unseen. It is a reminder that the microscope is not only a scientific tool but also a creative one, capable of expanding how we see and imagine the world around us.”

More from the Nikon Small World 2026

Second place went to John-Oliver Dum for his image of a jumping spider (Salticus scenicus) dusted with pollen – a delicate subject and an otherworldly image.

Third place was awarded to Kaelin Wulf and Rachel Flannery for their image of neurons in an expanded mouse brain. As it always is with the Nikon Small World photos, this is the kind of image that sits somewhere between science and abstract art.

Now in its 52nd year, Nikon Small World has been running since 1974 and remains the most respected forum for photomicrography anywhere. This year’s competition drew 1,803 entries from 69 countries, with 86 images recognized in total. Entries are judged on originality, informational content, technical proficiency, and visual impact.

We bring you the remaining 17 photos of the contest’s top 20 below. The full gallery of this year’s winners is worth a long look, and you can check it out on the contest website. Enjoy!

More from Nikon Small World and Nikon Small World in Motion

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Dunja Đuđić Kalinin

Dunja Djudjic is a multi-talented artist based in Novi Sad, Serbia. With 15 years of experience as a photographer, she specializes in capturing the beauty of nature, travel, concerts, and fine art. In addition to her photography, Dunja also expresses her creativity through writing, embroidery, and jewelry making.

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