Nikon Small World contest winner: ink droplets
The gist
German photographer Ole Bielfeldt won Nikon's 52nd Small World contest with ink droplets inside a printer, beating 1,802 entries from 69 countries.
The contest bars AI images, and its video winner was just disqualified for AI use.
How it unfolded
- Oct 21, 2026Nikon Instruments Inc. announced the winners of its 52nd annual Nikon Small World photomicrography competition; Ole Bielfeldt took first place for an image of ink droplets inside an inkjet printer.
- Oct 21, 2026Bielfeldt beat out 1,802 other entries from 69 different countries. John-Oliver Dum took second for a jumping spider with pollen, and Kaelin Wulf and Rachel Flannery took third for neurons in an expanded mouse brain.
- Oct 22, 2026Reports described Bielfeldt as a 25-year-old German experimental photographer who does not use AI in his images.