All Images in the gallery were captured on Kodak Ektachrome 64T film (EPY transparency film) using a Nikon FX-A Photomicroscope. Color in all images was introduced with specimen stains and optical techniques - no digital post-production was used to enhance the images.

Anoplocephala perfoliata (Tapeworm) in Equine Cecum - the longitudinal section through a tapeworm was easily seen with a quick glance at the hematoxylin and eosin slide and the unusual specimen immediately leant itself to further exploration. When viewed with darkfield, the colors that resulted added the final touch to an arresting image. This photomicrograph won 7th place in the 1998 Small World competition.

Anoplocephala perfoliata (Tapeworm) Segments - This view of the tapeworm provides the scientist with a better view of the rudimentary segments, but the abstract visual pattern lends itself to other levels of artistic interpretation as well.

Danio rerio (Zebrafish) Head - As with the low magnification image of a tapeworm this cross section through the head of a zebrafish was easily seen with a cursory glance at the histology section. This photomicrograph won 20th place in the 1999 Small World competition.

Danio rerio (Zebrafish) Gills - Additional exploration of sections from the zebrafish turned up additional, interesting patterns at higher magnifications. As the serial sections approached the gill area, it only took changing the composition slightly to discover even more patterns.

Danio rerio (Zebrafish) Gill Branches - Enlarged further from the previous photomicrograph, this image of tangentially sectioned gill branches in the zebrafish reminds the viewer of a row of termites, or other insect, converging on an object.

Danio rerio (Zebrafish) Gill Branches - In yet another section (at a higher magnification) of the zebrafish seen in the previous images, the gill branches now remind the viewer of tree branches. The function of the structures becomes even more apparent by seeing the red and green blood as it goes in and out of the fish's breathing apparatus.

Canine Skin with Compound Hair Follicles - Skin sections are a favorite subject to explore because there are a lot of diverse structures that react very differently to the refractive changes of light when viewed in darkfield. This photomicrograph won 7th place in the 1991 Small World competition.

Decalcified Bone Section - The colors of stained sections as seen in darkfield are created by a combination of factors. Ultimately, changes in the refractive index of the various structures affect the wavelength as they pass through the specimen, creating a different color spectrum from the brightfield view. This photomicrograph was awarded an Honorable Mention in the 1997 Small World competition.

Mouse Tongue Papillae - This specimen of mouse tongue was essentially monochromatic when viewed in brightfield. All features have a different shade of blue and differentiation of the softer tissue and rougher areas in the papillae is not overly apparent.

Minnow Skin with Encysted Fluke Larvae - This section of fish skin reveals well-delineated cysts that, upon closer examination, contain fluke larvae (a parasite) and the diagnosis of Black Spot Disease is confirmed.

Canine Adnexal Nevus - This darkfield image shows a section through a nevus (mole) from dog skin tissue. This photomicrograph was awarded an Honorable Mention in the 1992 Small World competition.

Infiltrating Melanoma in Canine Dermis - Another dog skin image that was created with Rheinberg illumination - a technique very similar to darkfield except that, instead of blocking all transmitted light with an opaque field stop, a colored stop (in this case blue) allows some light to pass.

Male Ostertagia ostertagi (Roundworm) - A very striking image that was created with multiple exposure darkfield illumination with the assistance of a crossed red/blue filter. When placed over the field diaphragm during darkfield, the white light that illuminates the specimen is replaced with the colored light.

Root Hairs on Cultured Arabidopsis Seedling - A main rootlet going in one direction with the root hairs projecting out about 90 degrees from the rootlet made this specimen ideal for observation in darkfield illumination with colored annular filters.

Down Feather - Having a main feather shaft that projects in one direction with the barbules pointed outward, the image of this specimen was created with darkfield overlaid with a red and blue colored filter.

Porcupine Quill Tip - Keratinized structures like hair (or a porcupine quill) exhibit a property called anisotropism, in that the structure has more than one refractive index. When viewed between crossed polarized filters, these structures create a beautiful spectrum of interference colors.

Skin - Although this section of skin was unremarkable in both brightfield and darkfield, it comes alive with color under episcopic illumination with a UV fluorescence cube in place.

Dematiaceous Mold on Cultured Root Tip - In terms of this image, "digital manipulation" means holding your finger between the field diaphragm and the condenser at just the right point to provide a shadowing effect to the specimen.

Seminiferous Tubules in Transgenic Rat - Because of the relative thickness exhibited by this translucent specimen, light from a darkfield technique gives the best illumination to show the seminiferous tubules. This photomicrograph won 15th place in the 1996 Small World competition.

Mouse Seminiferous Tubule at the Rete Testis - Darkfield illumination combined with a little shadowing makes this specimen of seminiferous tubule entering the rete testis appear similar to a tornado.

Mouse Testis - In this example of "bare bulb illumination" a microscope bulb from an older model was clamped to a ring stand next to the microscope and the point light provided by the bulb gave excellent shadowing to the raised mounds of tubules.

Arabidopsis Seedling Pushing Through Soil - The seedling, growing in agar, was taken out and laid down on a microscope slide with the wet agar still providing moisture through the root, then photographed with a form of modified Rheinberg illumination.