A micrograph or photomicrograph is a photograph or digital image taken through a

microscope A microscope () is a laboratory instrument used to examine objects that are too small to be seen by the naked eye. Microscopy is the science of investigating small objects and structures using a microscope. Microscopic means being invisi ...

or similar device to show a magnified image of an object. This is opposed to a

macrograph A macrograph or photomacrograph is an image taken at a scale that is visible to the naked eye, as opposed to a micrographic image. It is sometimes defined more precisely as an image at a scale of less than ten times magnification. Materials scienc ...

or photomacrograph, an image which is also taken on a microscope but is only slightly magnified, usually less than 10 times. Micrography is the practice or art of using microscopes to make photographs. A micrograph contains extensive details of microstructure. A wealth of information can be obtained from a simple micrograph like behavior of the material under different conditions, the phases found in the system, failure analysis, grain size estimation, elemental analysis and so on. Micrographs are widely used in all fields of microscopy.

Types

Photomicrograph

A light micrograph or photomicrograph is a micrograph prepared using an

optical microscope The optical microscope, also referred to as a light microscope, is a type of microscope that commonly uses visible light and a system of lenses to generate magnified images of small objects. Optical microscopes are the oldest design of microsc ...

, a process referred to as ''photomicroscopy''. At a basic level, photomicroscopy may be performed simply by connecting a

camera A camera is an optical instrument that can capture an image. Most cameras can capture 2D images, with some more advanced models being able to capture 3D images. At a basic level, most cameras consist of sealed boxes (the camera body), with a ...

to a microscope, thereby enabling the user to take photographs at reasonably high magnification. Scientific use began in England in 1850 by Prof Richard Hill Norris FRSE for his studies of blood cells.

Roman Vishniac Roman Vishniac (; russian: link=no, Рома́н Соломо́нович Вишня́к; August 19, 1897 – January 22, 1990) was a Russian-American photographer, best known for capturing on film the culture of Jews in Central and Eastern Euro ...

was a pioneer in the field of photomicroscopy, specializing in the photography of living creatures in full motion. He also made major developments in light-interruption photography and color photomicroscopy. Photomicrographs may also be obtained using a USB microscope attached directly to a home computer or laptop.

Electron micrograph

An electron micrograph is a micrograph prepared using an

electron microscope An electron microscope is a microscope that uses a beam of accelerated electrons as a source of illumination. As the wavelength of an electron can be up to 100,000 times shorter than that of visible light photons, electron microscopes have a hi ...

Magnification and micron bars

Micrographs usually have micron bars, or magnification ratios, or both. Magnification is a ratio between the size of an object on a picture and its real size. Unfortunately, magnification can be a misleading parameter as it depends on the final size of a printed picture and therefore varies with picture size. A ''scale bar'', or ''micron bar'', is a line of known length displayed on a picture. The bar can be used for measurements on a picture. When the picture is resized the bar is also resized making it possible to recalculate the magnification. Ideally, all pictures destined for publication/presentation should be supplied with a scale bar; the magnification ratio is optional. All but one (limestone) of the micrographs presented on this page do not have a micron bar; supplied magnification ratios are likely incorrect, as they were not calculated for pictures at the present size.

Micrography as art

The microscope has been mainly used for scientific discovery. It has also been linked to the arts since its invention in the 17th century. Early adopters of the microscope, such as Robert Hooke and Antonie van Leeuwenhoek, were excellent illustrators.

Cornelius Varley Cornelius Varley, FRSA (21 November 1781 – 2 October 1873) was a British water-colour painter and optical instrument-maker. He invented the graphic telescope and the graphic microscope. Biography Varley was born at Hackney, then a village ...

's graphic microscope made sketching from a microscope easier with a camera-lucida-like mechanism. After the invention of

photography Photography is the art, application, and practice of creating durable images by recording light, either electronically by means of an image sensor, or chemically by means of a light-sensitive material such as photographic film. It is employe ...

in the 1820s the microscope was later combined with the camera to take pictures instead of relying on an artistic rendering. Since the early 1970s individuals have been using the microscope as an artistic instrument. Websites and traveling art exhibits such as the

Nikon Small World Nikon Small World (Nikon's Small World) is a photographic contest run by Nikon Instruments and a forum for showcasing the beauty and complexity of life as seen through the light microscope. It serves as a window into a world that can only be ...

and Olympus Bioscapes have featured a range of images for the sole purpose of artistic enjoyment. Some collaborative groups, such as the

Paper Project The Paper Project is a fusion project that blends art, science, and technology into engaging 2D and 3D experiences. About the project The Paper Project is a multidimensional art and science project exploring the microscopic structure of paper u ...

have also incorporated microscopic imagery into

tactile art Tactile may refer to: * Tactile, related to the sense of touch * Haptics (disambiguation) * Tactile (device), a text-to-braille translation device See also * Tangibility, in law * Somatosensory system, where sensations are processed * CD96 CD ...

pieces as well as 3D immersive rooms and dance performances. In 2015, photographer and gemologist Danny J. Sanchez photographed mineral and gemstone interiors in works referred to as "otherworldly."

Photomicrography in smartphones

Bellina and Missoni first published a paper in 2009 describing the method of photomicrography in a smartphone with free-hand technique. An operator just need to focus her/his smartphone camera on the eyepiece of a microscope and capture the photo. However, later, various commercial and home-made adapters were introduced to ease focusing. A home-made adapter was also made using scrap materials and a Coca-cola aluminum can.

Gallery

Image:Colpoda400xm2.jpg, Measurements of a large ''

Colpodium ''Colpodium'' is a genus of plants in the grass family, native primarily to Asia but with a few species on certain mountains in Africa. ; SpeciesMill, R. R. 1985. ''Eremopoa, Nephelochloa, Catabrosella, Colpodium, Hyalopoa, Catabrosa, Paracolpo ...

'' at 400x. Image:Amoeba400XM.jpg, Measurements of a large

amoeba An amoeba (; less commonly spelled ameba or amœba; plural ''am(o)ebas'' or ''am(o)ebae'' ), often called an amoeboid, is a type of cell or unicellular organism with the ability to alter its shape, primarily by extending and retracting pseudop ...

at 400x. File:Wilson A. Bentley snowflake, 1890.jpg, Snowflake micrograph by

Wilson Bentley Wilson Alwyn Bentley (February 9, 1865 – December 23, 1931), also known as Snowflake Bentley, was an American meteorologist and photographer, who was the first known person to take detailed photographs of snowflakes and record their featu ...

, 1890. File:Misc pollen.jpg, An image of pollen taken from a scanning electron microscope.

References

External links

Shots with a Microscope
– a basic, comprehensive guide to photomicrography
Scientific photomicrographs
– free scientific quality photomicrographs by Doc. RNDr. Josef Reischig, CSc.
Seeing Beyond the Human Eye
Video produced by

Off Book (web series) ''Off Book'' is a web series on digital culture and art created for PBS by Kornhaber Brown, a Webby award-winning production studio that creates web series, videos, and motion graphics. The series has been viewed more than six million times, an ...

Solomon C. Fuller bio

Photomicrography by Danny J. Sanchez

Dennis Kunkel Microscopy

Andrew Paul Leonard, APL Microscopic

Cell Centered Database - Montage

Nikon Small World

Olympus Bioscapes

{{Authority control Photographic techniques Microscopy