Campanella umbellaria

Charles Krebs · Post by **Charles Krebs** » Tue Apr 01, 2008 8:36 pm

These are great fun to photograph with electronic flash. While viewing the subject through the microscope the cilia move so rapidly that they are no more than an indistinct blur. Only in viewing the images later can the dramatic motion be discerned as the in-focus sections are "frozen" by the brief flash exposure. The 60X is my new toy and it reveals some interesting details.

Both images: Olympus S Plan Apo 60/1.40. DIC with electronic flash. Canon 350D.

Bernd · Post by **Bernd** » Wed Apr 02, 2008 11:05 am

Dear Charles:

Phantastic pictures, as usual! Do you have idea about the nature of the circular spots which can be seen on (and in?) the macronucleus? How do you manage to photograph the peristome more or less right from above?

Bernd

Charles Krebs · Post by **Charles Krebs** » Thu Apr 03, 2008 10:51 am

Bernd,

No idea about the structures seen in the macronucleus. I was hoping someone here could provide some info.

How do you manage to photograph the peristome more or less right from above?

When I know I will be after cilia motion images, I always prepare the wet mount with "too much" water. This helps keep the cilia motion looking pretty "natural", but it means that there will be many subjects that are too "deep" under the cover slip to photograph, and for those close to the cover-slip DOF will be a problem. However, it also means that there is sufficient room for a subject to occasionally position itself so that I can get such a "head-on" shot.