Award Winning Ant Photo by Dr. Eugenijus Kavaliauskas Gives Us The Creeps

This horrifying award winning ant photo is eerily mesmerizing

Just in time for Halloween, the 2022 Nikon Small World Photomicrography Competition award winning ant photo has taken over the internet. Dr. Eugenijus Kavaliauskas took the shot on his Canon EOS R camera using a 65mm macro lens.

The Lithuanian photographer stated that being close to a forest made it much simpler for him to find and shoot the ant whose face was eventually displayed at the 2022 Nikon Small World Photomicrography Competition. The photo of the ant was magnified five times under a microscope, and differs significantly from the image of ants that most people have in their minds.

With its sharp, vivid characteristics, including blood red eyes and delicate golden fangs, we find it both pleasing and displeasing to look away from such a horror. The image truly draws us back in as it’s naturally fascinating to see such a common creature so close up, at a distance impossible with the naked eye.

“There are no horrors in nature,” said Dr. Eugenijus Kavaliauskas about his award winning ant photo. “I’m always looking for details, shadows, and unseen corners. The main goal of photography is to be a discoverer. I am fascinated by the Creator’s masterpieces and the opportunity to see God’s designs.”

Although Kavaliauskas didn’t receive the $3,000 first place prize at the 2022 Nikon Small World Photomicrography Competition, he has been awarded in the past for his photos of birds. First place ended up going to the portrait of the Madagascar giant day gecko shot by Grigorii Timin and Michel Milinkovitch of the University of Geneva. Kavaliauskas did receive a $35 Nikon prize for his award winning ant photo.

In an effort to showcase the capabilities of its technology and honor macro photography, Nikon has hosted its competition for 48 years. The company received almost 1,300 submissions alone for Small World this year.

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