Flower Micrographs: RF & RM Images

Have you ever wondered how photographers capture the minute details of nature – such as the fiddleheads of a fern or the bacteria on a leaf? Over the years professionals have used a number of techniques.

The term photo-macrograph was first introduced in 1899 by W. H. Walmsley for images with less than 10 diameters of magnification to distinguish them from true photo-micrographs.

One of the earliest macro-photographers was Percy Smith, born in 1880. He was a British nature documentary filmmaker, famous for close-up films and photographs. One of his best-known pieces is called “The Birth of a Flower” a 2:13 minute film featuring a blooming flower.

Gallery of Plant and Flower SEMS Stock Photography

Photographers have also used the scanning electron microscope (or SEM). Invented in 1937 by Manfred von Ardenne, the SEM uses electrons to record the surface topography of objects.

Diatoms Eating a Maple Leaf Tote Bag

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SEMs (scanning electron micrographs) as a rule are produced in black and white. But photographers often colorize them by hand using a technology called cathodoluminescence, which analyzes the light spectrum emitted by images and creates a semi-accurate color representation.

Macro photography and SEMs are essential visual resources for the scientific community, helping with our understand of everything from plant species to diseases. To see more plant macro shots and SEMs visit our gallery and for macro prints and products head to the storefront above.