Photomicrographs are photographs taken under a microscope, with challenges such as focus and lighting. Techniques include mounting a camera to the eyepiece or using a specialized microscope. Electron micrographs offer higher magnification and resolution. They are used in science textbooks, pathology, forensic science, and research publications.
A photomicrograph is a photograph of something under magnification, taken under a microscope. Since the dawn of photography, people have tried to produce photographic images of the things they see through microscopes, with varying degrees of success. There are a number of challenges that must be overcome when taking a photomicrograph to produce a good quality image.
One approach to taking a photomicrograph involves mounting a camera to the eyepiece of a microscope. The specimen is mounted in the microscope, the microscope is adjusted and focused, then the camera is focused and a photograph is taken. Another technique involves the use of a specialized microscope with a built-in camera that can be used to capture still images or video of objects on the microscope stage.
Getting a good photomicrograph requires a very fine degree of focus and a camera lens capable of focusing under the conditions encountered with a microscope. Light is also usually a critical issue, as sufficient light is needed for a clear image without washing the object on the microscope stage or damaging it with light. The process can get even more complicated when someone needs to take a photomicrograph of something like a sample that needs to be viewed under black light to highlight a spot or other feature.
In addition to taking pictures with an ordinary microscope, photographs can also be taken with an electron microscope. Electron micrographs can be extremely detailed and rich, displaying a high level of magnification and revealing structures that may not be readily visible on an ordinary microscope. The resolving powers of an electron microscope are much higher than an ordinary light microscope, and this can be clearly illustrated by looking at photomicrographs of the same object seen under the light microscope and then under the electron microscope.
Many people have seen the photomicrographs, even if they weren’t aware of it. Biology textbooks usually contain a number of examples, and an image search on any search engine for “photomicrography” can yield beautiful, haunting, and startling images. Under a microscope, an ordinary object like a pollen grain can become extraordinary.
In addition to being used to illustrate science textbooks and getting people interested in science, photomicrographs are also used in pathology, to create images of cells for additional reference, and in fields such as forensic science and general biology, among many others places. Photomicrographs commonly accompany scientific publications that can range from the discovery of a new virus to research into the inner workings of plant cells.
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