Photomicrographer James E. Hayden, RBP has been a consistent winner of the Small World competition for many years. Featured below is a photomicrograph of a tapeworm specimen taken with darkfield illumination.

Anoplocephala perfoliata (Tapeworm) Segments Original Magnification: 39x Specimen: Hematoxylin and Eosin Section Technique: Darkfield Illumination

Comments: As with all other forms of photography, the microscopist should not be satisfied with only one view of a subject. Even though the first attempt at photographing this tapeworm was successful at low magnification, further experimenting with magnification and composition can often result in adding to the story of the subject. 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.