Nikon Small World 2025 Winners Reveal the Microscopic Worlds Hidden in Plain Sight

Oct 15, 2025

Dunja Đuđić

Each year, the Nikon Small World competition invites us to witness the unseen – the beautifully complex world that lies beyond the naked eye. After the Nikon Small World in Motion, now’s the time to reveal the photography winners of the 2025 contest. And the winner is… Zhang You of Kunming, China. His extraordinary image shows a rice weevil (Sitophilus oryzae) perched on a single grain of rice in a “bug portrait” I’m sure you haven’t seen before.

First Place: a Familiar Pest in a New Light

Zhang You has captured a well-known agricultural pest and transformed it into a creature of elegance, with its wings fully spread in an exquisite moment of frozen motion. He captured over 100 stacked images using a 5x microscope objective lens on a medium-format camera, revealing intricate details that are invisible to the naked eye.

Zhang’s work is not only technically brilliant but deeply intentional. A lifelong student of insect behavior and ecological photography, he shared that he discovered the critter naturally preserved on a windowsill. And he found the subject a rare and inspiring find. “It pays to dive deep into entomology,” he said. “A standout work blends artistry with scientific rigor.”

This is also Zhang’s first time entering the contest, and he didn’t stop at first place. He also secured 15th place with a separate image of a Geometer moth laying eggs.

Other Winners Celebrate the Beauty of the Unseen

From algae to heart cells, the 2025 contest winners offer a kaleidoscope of subjects, all captured through exceptional imaging techniques. Here are some standout entries:

2nd Place: Dr. Jan Rosenboom (Germany) – Volvox algae spheres glowing in a drop of water
3rd Place: John-Oliver Dum (Germany) – Pollen suspended in a garden spider’s web
4th Place: Dr. James Hayes (USA) – Heart muscle cells mid-division, visualized with confocal microscopy
5th Place: Dr. Igor Siwanowicz (USA) – Fern spores in brilliant hues, captured at HHMI’s Janelia Research Campus

Entries span from single-cell organisms to insect anatomy and cell cultures. The tools of photomicrography vary just as widely. They include image stacking, confocal microscopy, polarized light, and fluorescence, which are just a few techniques scientists and photographers used to bring these tiny subjects into view.

A Global Celebration of Science and Art

The 2025 competition received 1,925 entries from 77 countries, with 71 images recognized. An expert panel of judges, including science communicators and researchers from institutions like Scientific American, HHMI, and the California Science Center, evaluated the submissions based on originality, technical skill, and visual impact.

Senior Manager at Nikon Instruments, Eric Flem, said: “What makes this year even more extraordinary is that it was Zhang You’s very first time entering the competition… His achievement highlights the spirit of Nikon Small World: inspiring wonder, making scientific understanding accessible to all, and celebrating the artistry of the microscopic realm.”

Nikon Small World 2025: 51 Years and Counting

From its modest beginnings in 1974, Nikon Small World has grown into the world’s most prestigious photomicrography competition. And personally, one of my favorite ones – there’s so much hidden in such tiny scenes! This year’s winning images will be featured in a full-color 2025 calendar and showcased in online galleries and global exhibitions.

We bring you the top 20 winners here, and make sure to visit the contest website to see more images. If you’re feeling inspired, entries for the 2026 Nikon Small World and Small World in Motion competitions are already open, so you could also submit your own work.

More from Nikon Small World and Nikon Small World in Motion

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Dunja Đuđić

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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