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Macrophotography Preserves the Beauty of Gemstones and Spider Fur

Imaging specialists have created a new technology that takes macrophotography to the next level.
"Platycryptus undatus jumping spider coventry ct" by Macroscopic Solutions. Images courtesy the artists

Up close, a jumping spider appears like a nightmarish monster, the surface of an opal stone transforms into a sparkling tapestry, and a pinch of salt and pepper become a heap of boulders. For Macroscopic Solutions, a company that specializes in capturing macro photography of miniature specimens, the microscopic threads of nature’s handiwork provide entire worlds worth exploring.

“The intricacies that are too small for us to perceive often go unnoticed,” Macroscopic Solutions co-founder Daniel Saftner told The Creators Project. That’s why, he adds, their company goal is to capture, preserve and expose those details as visually enticing images with scientific value. To do this, they’ve developed a bespoke imaging system called the Macropod, a device that takes sharp, fully focused photographs of microscopic scientific objects at 18 to 26 megapixel resolution. With it, they can zoom into the eye of a bumblebee, the claw of a hummingbird, or even a single seed on a dandelion.

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"Pediobius sp. (Chalcidoidea- Eulophidae)"

 by Macroscopic Solutions

The device is special because it overcomes depth of field limitations that hinder other optics technologies that are used in macrophotography. “It allows the user to select and make multiple exposures in precise increments along the Z-axis (depth) such that each exposure’s area of sharp focus overlaps with the previous and next exposure,” explains Saftner. These source images are then stitched together using an image-stacking program which aligns each exposure pixel by pixel. It's an old imaging technique known as focus-stacking, but the difference is that the Macropod automates the process, allowing photographers of all experience to capture stunning images like they would regular photographs.

The team at Macroscopic Solutions is now working on a software program that will translate the resolution, color and 3D data from the Macropod for virtual reality and 3D printing applications. At the same time, the team is continuously enhancing the magnification abilities of the system (so far, they’ve reached levels of 100x). “Our inspirations stem from our experiences as students and researchers, and from the curiosities that so often arise as a result of examining such enigmatic concepts as space and time,” says Saftner. “As scientists, we develop questions and work tirelessly to find the answers.”

Below, enjoy the gorgeous magnified worlds of Macroscopic Solutions.

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"Blue Iris, Human Eye, 25 Years old, Male"

 by Macroscopic Solutions

"Knot in Human Hair Blonde" by Macroscopic Solutions

"Lady Bug"

 by Macroscopic Solutions

"Salt and Pepper" by Macroscopic Solutions

"Fancy White Diamond, standing in clay. Milky White 1.08 ct 3x 1,16 light edit"

 by Macroscopic Solutions

"Scales, Unidentified Brown Moth, Tolland, CT" by Macroscopic Solutions

"Ball Point of a Bic Pen"

 by Macroscopic Solutions

"Australian Opal"

 by Macroscopic Solutions

"Used Tea Bag"

 by Macroscopic Solutions

"Dandelion"

 by Macroscopic Solutions

"Monoleuca semifacia, Arizona, USA"

 by Macroscopic Solutions

Explore more of Macroscopic Solutions' photography on their Flickr and find updates on RedditFacebookTwitter.

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