Annual Grand Prize Micrograph Competition

Every year since 2006, in the run up to Christmas, we have held a grand prize micrograph and movie competition for our users.

Every year except 2020 that is, when COVID-19 prevented us running our advanced light microscopy course and greatly restricted the amount of imaging undertaken by our users.

To make up for this, we produced a 2021 A4 calendar and A3 year planner featuring the winners of the last 12 years. Download them from the links below.

Why "Grand Prize"?

We call it "Grand Prize" because the prizes are grand, thanks to kind sponsorship from various microscope manufacturers. They have included digital cameras, binoculars and gift vouchers for the best micrograph and movie, with runner up prizes of bottles of wine or chocolates.

The Rules

are simple......

1. Entries are judged simply on artistic and aesthetic merit, not on scientific content (though technical skill and craft are acknowledged).
2. You must have taken the original photograph.
3. The original photograph must have been taken down a microscope (though not necessarily one of ours - and we can be flexible in our interpretation of "microscope").
4. The original images can be manipulated to your heart's content.
5. Beyond that, pretty much anything goes.
6. BIU staff judge the competition and so are not allowed to enter; it would be embarrassing if we won, and more embarrassing if we didn't!

We individually select a shortlist and the 12 favourites overall are then re-judged.

View the 12 finalists from each year