Award-Winning Micrographist, Dr. Håkan Kvarnström

- Adelina 艾德琳

- August 21, 2019

中文版

Award-Winning Micrographist, Dr. Håkan Kvarnström

Inside of a drop of water is a mysterious world in miniature, alien to most people. It contains much of the information that might provide the answers to the origin of life and environmental sustainability. To start with, a drop of water contains thousands of microorganisms. What are they, what do they look like, and what roles do they play in the ecological system? Trying to answer these questions, scientists have delved into this puzzling and yet complex world for many decades. Based on their research, some of these organisms (e.g., cyanobacteria) came into existence approximately 3.5 billion years ago and are responsible for producing more than half of all the oxygen that all life forms rely on today. Depending on the source, these organisms vary from single-cell and colonial microorganisms, such as Dinobryon, which are natural water purifiers, to small animal species such as Hydra which has extremely long lifespans. They come in a wide variety of spectacular patterns and shapes that are truly beautiful to behold and naturally artistic. The total number of such organisms is vast.

"Bouquet de fleurs", Dinobryon by Dr. Håkan Kvarnström, Micrographist, Sweden

Swedish micrographist, Dr. Håkan Kvarnström, has turned his passion for microorganisms into a series of captivating images recording the intricate beauty of these tiny organisms found in a drop of water under his microscope. Over the years, his aesthetic approaches have won him many international awards including a recent photo titled ″Bouquet de fleurs″ won the 2018 UK Royal Society of Biology Photographer of the Year Shortlist. Utterly astounded by his images, I recently contacted Dr. Kvarnström for an interview. From the Q&A below, Dr. Kvarnström describes in detail the world that fascinates him and how he has forged a bridge between science and the arts for the public to appreciate.

Cosmarium in polarized light by Dr. Håkan Kvarnström, Micrographist, Sweden

Q: Please explain to us what a photomicrograph is, and what got you interested in this? What is your goal in the pursuit of photomicrography?

A: A photomicrograph (or micrograph) is a photograph of a small object taken through a microscope. I have always been interested in science and technology, including the instruments used to explore space and microscopic worlds. This is how I got into microscopes and the fascinating worlds they reveal. The microscopic world is like space, an endless world ready to be explored. Almost every time I look through a water sample with a microscope, I find something new and exciting to study. The exploration of these worlds and the excitement of discovering microscopic lifeforms is what drives me. The intricate beauty of nature′s design and the delicate structures of tiny life forms never ceases to amaze me. It makes me think about life on earth and how incredible pervasive microbes are. The total biomass of microscopic protist and bacteria outweigh animals and humans on earth by 35 times. Also, more than half of the world′s oxygen is produced via phytoplankton photosynthesis. Yet, they are invisible to the naked eye.

"Gloeotrichia - A cyanobacteria" by Dr. Håkan Kvarnström, Micrographist, Sweden

Q: Your images are really astounding and informative. Which subjects interest you the most and why?

A: My work is primarily focused on life living in the water. Life on earth once started in water environments, and the variety and diversity of microscopic life living under the surface are mind-boggling. A favorite subject is blue-green algae, aka cyanobacteria. Cyanobacteria have been around for over 3.5 billion years and still serve a significant role in ecology today. The cyanobacteria have been crucial in shaping the course of evolution and ecological change throughout the earth′s history. The oxygen-rich atmosphere that we depend on was generated by cyanobacteria billions of years ago. Cyanobacteria are still producing as much as 25-30% of the earth′s oxygen. Cyanobacteria were one of the first life forms that developed photosynthesis and learned how to make food using sunlight. The chloroplast with which plants make food for themselves is originating from a cyanobacterium living within the plant′s cells.

Q: How do you decide which sample to collect — from a research report, curiosity or something else?

A: My main driver is curiosity and the excitement of making the invisible visible and available for everyone to see and explore. It is like an obsession. Every drop of water may contain a surprise. Everywhere I look, I see potential samples to study. I might be a lake, a small water pond in a park, a rock covered with lichen, an insect or larva, flowers, and plants. I can browse through pond water drop by drop for hours searching for life forms to explore. I almost always find something interesting to explore, and that is what drives me. It is fascinating that so many microscopic species can be found just by sampling a local pond or lake. You do not have to travel to exotic places far away to explore the beauty of nature. It is right next to you.

"Micrasterias" by Dr. Håkan Kvarnström, Micrographist, Sweden

"Hydra" by Dr. Håkan Kvarnström, Micrographist, Sweden

Q: When you look at a sample under the microscope, what aspect of it are you most interested in: its behavior, physical characteristics, aesthetics, something else?

A: All of the above! Some subjects show spectacular swimming behavior like rotifers and dinoflagellates. They are gliding elegantly through the water sample with extreme precision. Euglena and Stentor are like micro shapeshifters that can change shape from a ball to a long string in a matter of seconds. At the same time, they are both beautiful with their bright green bodies. The micro world is very different in many ways. A small animal species, Hydra, is believed to have eternal life. Recent research suggests that hydras do not undergo aging, and, hence, are biologically immortal. They can, of course, still be eaten or killed by predators or other means. However, due to their ability to move between stages of life in response to stress and damage means that they could live forever. At least in theory. When a Hydra is cut in half, each half will regenerate and form a small Hydra; the ″head″ will regenerate a ″foot″ and the ″foot″ will regenerate a ″head″. If the Hydra is sliced into many segments, then the middle slices will form both a ″head″ and a ″foot″. I find this truly amazing. Perhaps a better understanding of these mechanisms among Hydra is the key to eternal life for humans?

The artistic side is equally interesting to explore. Nature′s design at the micro-level is full of art, from the endless variety of symmetric patterns of diatoms to the golden ratio of the spiral of seashells. Sometimes the beautiful appearance of a subject may be enough, but in most cases, when you study the subjects, you find that they tell incredible stories that complement the image. The late photojournalist Ernst Haas once said; ″Photography is a bridge between science and art. It brings to science what it needs most, the artistic sense, and to art the proof that nothing can be imagined which cannot be matched in the counterpoints of nature″. My photography aims to explore the intersection between art and science.

Micromollusk" by Dr. Håkan Kvarnström, Micrographist, Sweden

"Micromollusk hanging in a water drop" by Dr. Håkan Kvarnström, Micrographist, Sweden

Q: ″To see a World in a Grain of Sand″ as William Blake, an English poet once wrote. In your case, have you also seen a world in a specimen? If yes, please describe the world you have seen.

A: What I find so fascinating is that patterns in the design of nature repeats itself. You find patterns that are fractions of a millimeter in size and invisible to the naked eye, which you also can find in galaxies spanning thousands of light-years in size. Micro mollusks are small invertebrates that can be smaller than 1 mm in size. The shell of the mollusk typically have a beautiful spiral shape and often have bacteria and microalgae growing in the grooves of the spiral. When lit with blue and ultraviolet light, the bacteria and algae start to radiate in red and orange and resemble little shining micro stars in a micro galaxy. Independent of size, the world as we know it, have found the spiral to be a successful and recurring design.

Q: Please share with us some of your most unforgettable experiences in your pursuit of photomicrography.

A: I do not have a degree in biology, and I explore the microbial world with great admiration for its diversity and incomprehensive beauty. Over the years, I have learned to identify many of the species I see, but it is always a great experience every time I find something that I have never seen before. Sometimes I can spend hours trying to understand what I see in the microscope′s eyepieces.  Fortunately, there is excellent literature available to help identification.

Rotifer by Dr. Håkan Kvarnström, Micrographist, Sweden

Q: What do you do when you spot a mutation in a cell? Do you track the mutation?

A: I have never spotted a mutation as far as I know, and I think it would be difficult to draw a conclusion whether a cell was mutated or not using a light microscope only. I often find deformed cells, which is common when species, like microalgae, is living and reproducing under harsh conditions.  For example, when the temperature, level of nutrients, or other living conditions may be less than optimal for normal cell division.

Tail of Copepod carrying eggs by Dr. Håkan Kvarnström, Micrographist, Sweden

Q: Do you work with other scientists and share your images with them? If yes, which field of scientists are most interested in the images you produce?

A: Yes, I do. I have met many scientists through my Instagram account. Microbiologists, marine biologists, but also scientists and professors from other fields show an interest in my work. Micrographs are useful in many disciplines for several applications. In most scientific fields, the interest in micrographs is purely scientific. The aesthetics usually is of less importance. In research, they are often used to highlight certain features or characteristics of a specimen, for example, to prove or disprove research findings and theorems or in clinical work to diagnose a disease. The beauty of the image is secondary, and no attempts are made to enhance its visual appearance. They are still good or excellent micrographs because they serve their purpose. The goal of my photography is to show the beauty of the microscopic world. I see the microbes I find as my models, and I try to figure out how I can portray them in the best possible, and visually pleasing, way. I spend a lot of time cleaning specimens, isolating individual cells, positioning them in the right environment, and sometimes use stains to highlight certain features of a subject. Not so different from a photographer using makeup artists and models. As with most skills, the more you practice, the more you learn how to handle different microbes and how you best image them. In my opinion, a common mistake is to spend too little time on planning and preparing a photoshoot resulting in a snapshot of some random subject rather than a good micrograph.

Q: How small of an image is your equipment capable of taking a photo? Can you take photos of DNA strings?

A: I exclusively use light microscopes for my micrographs. Per definition, a light microscope′s resolution, or resolving power, is limited by the wavelength of visible light. Under perfect conditions, I can resolve details as small as around 200 nanometers (0.002 mm). This level of detail makes the shape of bacteria visible, but it is not possible to resolve any details. DNA strings are way too small for a light microscope. It can generally resolve the cell nucleus (where the DNA is), but not the strings itself.

"Copepod with epibiotic growth of a green algae" by Dr. Håkan Kvarnström, Micrographist, Sweden

Q: In your opinion, what are the major challenges these microbes are facing in our current environment?

A: Microbes will probably outlive all other life forms on earth. Many of them have developed amazing abilities to survive and reproduce, even under harsh conditions. Rotifers are the smallest animals on earth. Some as small as 40 micrometers in size. Rotifers have existed for at least 35 million years as they have been identified in fossilized amber. Under tough conditions (e.g., drought), rotifers can go into a desiccated state as a cyst or egg that can survive for decades without any signs of aging. The wind can carry the cysts and allow the rotifer to spread and escape harmful conditions. Once it finds water, the rotifers come back to life.

I think a more interesting question is what challenges other life forms, including humans, are facing if we see a decline in microscopic life (e.g., phytoplankton). For example, a temperature rise of the oceans of the world may have a massive impact on the microbes and plankton living underwater. According to recent research by NASA, the world′s oceans have seen significant declines in certain types of microscopic life at the base of the marine food chain. The study looked at long-term phytoplankton community trends based on a model-driven by satellite data. Diatoms, which are the most abundant type of phytoplankton algae, have declined more than 1 percent per year from 1998 to 2012 globally. When phytoplankton dies, it sinks to the ocean floor bringing the carbon it has absorbed from the atmosphere. A decline of the population may decrease the amount of carbon dioxide drawn out of the atmosphere and then transferred to the deep ocean for long-term storage. Whether this decline is caused by natural variation or climate change still remains unclear, but the research provide a first insight into trends in phytoplankton distribution and how changes in the conditions over the last 15 years may have affected them.

We are very grateful for Dr. Kvarnström taking the time to let us know about the world in a drop of water and the amazing images he has captured. We look forward to seeing more wonderful images captured by Dr. Kvarnström from here on. For more information, his short bio and a link to his Instagram, Flickr and website are listed below.

Self Portrait, Dr. Håkan Kvarnström, Micrographist, Sweden

SHORT BIO

I have always been curious about the invisible. As a scientist by heart and education, I am inspired by looking beyond what you can see with the naked eye, whether it is distant stars or microscopic life forms. My work focuses on unveiling the beautiful treasures of nature. A place where art and science meet. Photography brings an artistic sense to science and through my photographs, I aim to spark curiosity and create awareness of the ecological significance of microscopic life forms. My images are all about small life forms telling grand stories. In 2014, my interest in photography accelerated as I started taking pictures through microscopes. I was amazed by the diversity, complexity, and intricate beauty I found wherever I looked. The amazing thing is, it is so close to you and yet so hard to see and experience. I hope my photographs will inspire you with that same sense of spectacular beauty that surrounds us!

Instagram: www.instagram.com/micromundusphotography

Flickr: flickr.com/micromundus

Website:  https://hakankvarnstrom.com/

Hidden Worlds Among Us

A conversation with Håkan Kvarnström

AlgiKnit: We’re so curious to find out: who are you, where are you from, and what do you do?

Håkan Kvarnström: Born, raised, and living in Sweden, I have always had an interest in science and technology; more specifically: physics, biology, and math. I am fascinated by space and the universe, as well as the microbial worlds that are hidden to the naked eye. I bought my first microscope in my early teens and was immediately impressed by the beauty and complexity of the micro-world. It is a world hidden to most people. For many years, my interest and passions were elsewhere, but four years ago I decided to buy a new microscope to explore what the naked eye couldn’t see. I have learned a lot about microbiology and science during my efforts to capture and reveal microscopic life. Exploring hidden worlds is only a hobby of mine. My background is in computer science and information security, (in which I hold a PhD), and I currently do Risk Management at a large telecommunications company as a full-time job.

AlgiKnit: Your microscopy largely revolves around ecological life. Why is it so influential to you and what role have microorganisms and their ecology played in your life?

“Many of the subjects I photograph have a fantastic story to tell, for example how they live, their role in the eco-system on earth, how they mate and reproduce, and how they survive in tough conditions.”

Håkan Kvarnström: I think classic nature photography is missing out on capturing a huge part of nature. Nature photography today is mainly focused on plants and animals that we can see with the naked eye. Often, photographers are traveling across the world to remote destinations to get novel shots while seeking the extraordinary. What most people do not know is that there is stunning nature right in front of them. In every water puddle, in lakes and rivers close to you, lifeforms are there to explore; however, most are too small to be seen without a magnifying glass or a microscope. The marine environment is primarily occupied by microbes — mainly bacteria and protists, which account for 70% of total marine biomass. Yet, most underwater photographers focus on larger subjects to capture with their cameras. Bacterias, protists, and micro-algae are true wonders of nature because they show the intricate beauty of the environment. My passion and goal is to combine science and art through photomicrographs. Photomicrographs can have many different purposes. In research, they are often used to highlight certain features or characteristics of a specimen, for example, to prove or disprove research findings and theorems or in clinical work to diagnose a disease. The beauty of the image is secondary and no attempts are made to enhance its visual appearance. I want to produce quality pictures to allow others to see what is usually invisible. As a micro-photographer, I aim to capture the beauty of the micro-world and raise awareness through the universal power of the images I capture. Science provides the data necessary to explain issues and suggest solutions to the challenges in our world. Photography, though, symbolizes these issues aesthetically. Science is the brain, while photography is the heart. In my work, I try to combine both.

View fullsize

41903956241_c071890bc7_k.jpg

View fullsize

36788086023_b4b1e881b7_k.jpg

View fullsize

27035291607_e350dbbb29_q.jpg

View fullsize

29169776321_701cb97518_h.jpg

View fullsize

31681856968_2e1d8b9372_o.jpg

View fullsize

27035290967_038424169b_k.jpg

AlgiKnit: Considering microscopy is your hobby, you've managed to create a pretty comprehensive and prolific body of work. How do you balance your day job with your hobby of microscopy?

Håkan Kvarnström: I have a full time day job and need to use nights and weekends for microscopy. Time is precious and I have decided to work on my hobbies instead of watching TV or spending endless hours on social media reading funny posts — or more generally, consuming text and media instead of creating it — which is what too many people are doing today. I post many of my images on social media, mostly Instagram, but I always try to include an element of learning and education into my posts. Many of the subjects I photograph have a fantastic story to tell. For example, their role in the eco-system on earth, how they mate, reproduce, and survive tough conditions. I try to make my posts small bursts of learning, or micro-teachings in biology and science.

AlgiKnit: The visuals you produce are quite stunning. What is your creative process for capturing a still, microscopic moment? And, additionally, what is the technical process like? Can you take us behind the scenes creating a photomicrograph?

Håkan Kvarnström: The creative process is quite boring in a way. Boring is perhaps not the right word, but it is rather tedious. My process involves analyzing drop after drop of water samples to search for something interesting to photograph. Photographing through a microscope is a bit like nature photography as a whole — you know approximately where to look for interesting animals, but you’re never sure if you will encounter anything that particular day. If you are lucky, though, you better have your gear and camera ready to capture the perfect shot. On a normal evening, when I go through water samples collected in a pond or lake, I can capture over a thousand images from only around 100 drops of water. One of the reason why so many images are needed is that the focus depth of a microscope objective is really poor. At high magnifications, only a few thousandths of a millimeter are in focus at the same time. If I want to capture relatively thick specimens, e.g. 30 micrometers wide, it may require 10-50 images to get a set of images where the various parts of the subject is in focus in at least one of the images. To create a final image, a focus stacking software is used to compile a new image out of the individual images, all the while carefully selecting all pixels in focus. Any movement of the subject throughout the stack of images will ruin or severely damage the final image. In most cases, the stacking does result in minor artifacts that needs retouching. I use Adobe Lightroom and Photoshop to give the images their final touch. In many cases, Lightroom is enough to adjust white balance, exposure and sharpness, etc., but In some cases, Photoshop is used to repair artifacts in the image and clean up dust speckles.

AlgiKnit: Do you see yourself ever working with microscopy full-time? The separation of one's work and avocation is quite common, however, the thought of working regularly as a microbiologist must cross your mind. On another note, is there perhaps some, if any, intersectionality with your current work in Risk Management and microscopy?

Håkan Kvarnström: In the past few decades, it has become harder and harder to make a living out of photography. Mobile phones with high quality cameras allow almost anyone to be a photographer. I cannot see this trend stopping. It is really difficult and challenging to pursue a career in photography nowadays and I am afraid that it wouldn’t be easy to make living from it. That said, I don’t really envision myself as a microbiologist either. My interest in microscopy originally came from a science and engineering perspective. I am a scientist by heart, with solid education in both science and engineering. It started out as an interest in technically advanced instruments and microscopes. These instruments can be used to explore the hidden art of nature. Over time, my interest has shifted from focusing on the technology behind microscopes to the subject I find and study. Still, shifting career paths to become a microbiologist full-time is highly unlikely. Microscopy will continue to be my passion and hobby, and hopefully I can contribute to raise an interest in microbiology, which I think is an important area of study that needs many perspectives to understand how we can use microbes, plankton and algae to help solve some of the key challenges of the future such as creating sustainable ways of living, supplying food for a growing population, and addressing carbon emissions and global warming. At the same time, we also need to make sure we protect natural resources. Research show that as much 80% of all the oxygen on earth is generated by marine plants and phytoplankton. The phytoplankton in the world oceans are also a major sink for carbon dioxide. Presently, oceans represent the largest active carbon sink on Earth, absorbing more than a quarter of the total carbon dioxide that humans put into the air. Skills in microbiology and ecology will be essential for generations to come.

It is hard to find a connection between risk management, my current occupation, and microscopy. Perhaps, even, it is impossible. The lack of connection between my work and microscopy allow my brain to break its routine and focus on something completely different. Risk management, being theoretical and mostly a desktop exercise, is the opposite of microscopy, which is practical and involves field work. Perhaps something that they both have in common is an element of looking for the unknown. The big aspect of risk management is looking for and facing unknown risks. Risks that you fail to identify can hurt you, and they therefore can make you vulnerable. Risk managers spend a lot of effort looking into the unknown, and further, risks that may hit us, but cannot easily be found. Microscopy is similar in the sense, as you are trying to reveal the unknown. You make things visible that are usually invisible to the naked eye; seeking the unknown and hoping to find something interesting to explore. Robert Hook wrote in his seminal work “Micrographia” (1665): "By the help of Microscopes, there is nothing so small, as to escape our inquiry; hence there is a new visible World discovered to the understanding".

“It will continue to be my passion... to understand how we can use microbes, plankton and algae to help solve some of the key challenges of the future such as creating sustainable ways of living, supplying food for a growing population, [and] addressing carbon emissions and global warming.”

Håkan Kvarnström is a computer scientist who works with companies on information security and risk management. Microscopy, while only a hobby, is an enormous passion of his. Håkan currently resides in Sweden, and more of his work can be seen at instagram.com/micromundusphotography. For any direct inquiries on his work, those interested can reach Håkan at info@hakankvarnstrom.com.

Photo Credit: Håkan Kvarnström

Image of the Year 2018 Meet Håkan Kvarnström Can you tell us the story behind the picture? I was visiting a local fish farm in Stockholm and asked for a water sample. Usually these contain a lot of stuff I can look at under the microscope. I took a bag of water and brought it home, but I couldn't find anything interesting. However, when I poured all the water out, I found a small snail in the bottom of the bottle and I thought: maybe I'll have a look at that one. How did you create the image? When I put the snail under the microscope, I tried various techniques such as visible light and polarized light. When I put it under ultraviolet light using a fluorescence microscope, I discovered that it was autofluorescing in beautiful colors, so I took a few pictures of that. The snail was about 2 mm in size, which is quite small. I used the Olympus BX51 fluorescence microscope with a 10x objective and a Canon 6D camera. All the color you can see in the image is from autofluorescence, I haven't stained it in any way. It's just the way it appears under 400 nm light. The red you can see in the image is Olympus Image of the Year 2018 – Meet Håkan Kvarnström Håkan Kvarnström is the winner of the Olympus Image of the Year award 2018. We spoke to him about his striking fluorescent image of a sea snail. The image displays a faint blue glow from the shell combined with fine details of algae and bacteria – all visible by autofluorescence from a single wavelength. from algae. By looking at the shapes of some of the algae you might be able to recognize certain species. Autofluorescence from cyanobacteria is usually orange, so it’s likely that the snail has cyanobacteria growing on its surface. Why did you choose this picture as your entry for the award? One reason I chose this image is because of its spiral shape; I’ve always found the spiral patterns of nature fascinating. It’s a good example of the golden ratio, which appears everywhere in nature – from stars and galaxies down to the smallest of creatures. Because of this it’s sometimes difficult to know whether you are looking at a stellar phenomenon or at a microscopic structure. Where did you learn to use a microscope? I don't work with microscopes in my day job as I have a computer engineering background, but I’ve always been interested in sciences – biology, physics and mathematics. I'm always building stuff – electronics, computers and so on. I bought my first microscope when I was a teenager. To me, microscopes were a great technical toy to explore things and see things that I hadn’t seen before. My first microscope was simple, but I still found it very interesting to study hairs and insects, such as flies and ants. Why did you decide to use microscopes as tools for art? Photomicrographs serve many different purposes. In research, they are often used to highlight certain features of a specimen, for example, to prove or disprove research findings and theorems or in clinical work to diagnose a disease. The beauty of the image is secondary, and no attempts are made to enhance its visual appearance. Instead, I want to use these instruments only to make the best quality pictures – to get the maximum out of the technology to make images look as good as possible. A couple of years ago, I bought a new microscope but I soon realized that it couldn't do what I wanted, so I bought a more advanced one. Now I have a BX51, which is a pretty neat device. It has allowed me to really use microscopes to create beautiful art. Olympus Image of the Year 2018 – Meet Håkan Kvarnström www.olympus.eu/imageoftheyear Postbox 10 49 08, 20034 Hamburg, Germany Amsinckstraße 63, 20097 Hamburg, Germany Phone: +49 40 23773-0, Fax: +49 40 233765 www.olympus-europa.com In the last few years I have been expanding my home lab with new equipment and with all the capabilities of the BX51 – differential interference contrast, polarized, phase contrast, fluorescence – I now have a range of techniques I can play with to create different visual effects. What do you find most fascinating about microscopy? I’ve always been driven by the ability to look beyond what you can see with your eyes. The same goes for astronomy, I’m fascinated by looking at distant stars and distant galaxies that are invisible to the naked eye. I never get tired of looking drop after drop at a water sample, and trying to find something new. Almost every time, I find something I have never seen before. The amazing thing is, it’s so close to you. People are traveling around the world to get fantastic shots of Antarctica or Mount Everest, but you can also create fabulous pictures by simply looking at things that are close to you. Could you tell us what you’re working on next? I have several exciting projects in the pipeline. One that I am currently working on is my “duplo illuminata” series of images. It is inspired by photographer Stephen Wilkes’ “Day to Night” images where both night and day are captured in a single image. I decided to capture microscopic beauty using dual illumination and combine them into a single image. Some images in this series are made of up to 100 images stacked, stitched and then combined in photoshop to achieve a blended image combining the two illumination techniques. The challenge with this technique is to work fast enough behind the camera because any movement of the subjects will ruin the final image.v