Photomicrography

 What is photomicrography?

Photomicrography is the art of photography through the microscope. It is important in chemistry, biology, geology and medicine.

Most photomicrography is done by using a compound microscope with a camera arranged opposite the eyepiece so that the image can be focused on a film or plate. For detailed photographs, an electron microscope is used.

The advantage of photography in science is that we are able to record visible images in black and white or in color. These images make quite permanent records which can be examined and studied at leisure when the original subjects may no longer be available. Photomicrography extends the range of our vision, allowing photographs to be of things the eye cannot see because they are too faint or too small.

Carbon are lamps and incandescent tungsten filament lamps are normally used for illumination but, for special purposes, flash bulbs, electronic discharge lamps and sodium lamps are used.

Contrast is obtained by staining with dyes and using filters that transmit light which complements the staining dye.

Ultraviolet light is used for maximum detail but infra-red, which has a longer wavelength, maybe used for materials which are opaque to ultra-violet.

Colour photography is important in some branches of science (e.g. metallography) but great care has to be taken with length of exposure  and filters.