Microscopic Colors
The Micropolitan Museum exhibits an unworldly spectrum visible only through the lens of a microscope. Painter Wim van Egmond photographs spectacular microscopic masterpieces with ethereal color palettes. To capture these hidden treasures, he uses a Zeiss Standard light microscope and an old Zeiss Photo-microscope. Several methods of illumination are employed: bright-field, dark-field, phase contrast, differential interference contrast, and Rheinberg illumination.
Van Egmond's Insectarium offers such specimens as the iridescent butterfly wing, whose tiny scales possess a microscopic texture that refracts light. Here we find lavender blue and green.
The delicate wing of the mosquito, on the other hand, is covered with ting feather-like structures. Deep greens, golds, and aquas are apparent.
The Botanic Garden presents the vibrant red of grains of Lily pollen.
The stem of the Mare's Tail, an aquatic flowering plant, offers dazzling purples and violets.
The pine needle is ablaze with dark blue, light blue, bright red, and orange.
[Read the entire article in my guest blog at ColourLovers.com.]
