Masters of MicroscopyMasters of Microscopy

Christian Gautier’s passion for microscopy began not in a lab, but in the pages of a comic book. As an 11-year-old in France flipping through Le Journal de Mickey, he spotted an ad for a toy microscope. That Christmas, he was delighted to find it under the tree. What followed was better than any Christmas miracle; peering into onion cells and salt crystals revealed a new world of textures, colors, and forms in young Gautier’s eyes. As he grew older, armed with a copy of Eugène Séguy’s Initiation to Microscopy, he taught himself classic techniques such as Rheinberg illumination and darkfield microscopy, building the foundation for a lifelong passion.

While Gautier pursued a full-time career working as an inspector for the collection of employee and employer contributions used to finance the French healthcare system, his passion for microscopy never waned. In 1971, he immersed himself in the hobby with the purchase of advanced equipment, facilitated by an encounter with a microscope industry veteran in France that quickly transformed into a genuine friendship. That friendship opened many doors for Gautier including the opportunity to join the French Microscopy Club, a group that deepened both his technical skill and his dedication to photomicrography as an art form.

In 1981, Gautier discovered the Nikon Small World competition through an article in Sciences et Vie, and by 1982, he had entered his first image. One year later, his photograph of citric acid crystallization placed 18^th — a moment he recalls with endearing detail. “The scientific interest was secondary,” he said. “The aesthetics of the image made me think of a fish. With polarized light and a cellophane slide I made myself, it had a fantastical aspect.” This moment was the beginning of a decades-long pursuit of continuous improvement.

Gautier’s meticulous approach to lighting and framing has become a hallmark of his work. As of July 2025, he is the competition’s third most prolific winner, after Wim van Egmond and Charles Krebs. Over the years, 29 of Gautier’s images have been honored by Nikon Small World — a testament to his eye for composition and technique. He’s quick to credit the competition itself as a source of inspiration. “Every time I saw other participants’ photos, I’d say to myself: ‘My God, I would have loved to take this one!’”

Gautier's love for both scientific precision and visual beauty is manifested clearly throughout all his work. However, among his many entries, one image stands out as his personal favorite: a cross-section of a Cedrus atlantica (cedar) leaf captured in 2007. For this image, Gautier spent hours fine-tuning the polarized light and arranging handmade cellophane filters to achieve a striking color balance. He describes his technique as a combination of two essential criteria: framing and adopting the best lighting that will highlight the object and emphasize its meaning.

Beyond the microscope, Gautier feels equally at home with a guitar in hand, and whether peering into a lens or plucking the strings on his guitar, Gautier is constantly fine-tuning his skills. A rock ’n’ roll musician in his youth, he reignited the passion in retirement, taking up guitar lessons and building a home studio that would enable him to dive into digital audio production with the same attention to detail he brings to microscopy. He has even drawn upon his passion for computer science and knowledge of programming software to teach himself various digital audio and video techniques.

In Gautier’s eyes, competitions like Nikon Small World serve a higher purpose: “They’re an excellent vehicle for scientific outreach,” he said. “Introducing the world of the infinitely small to a wide audience is extremely positive, and the artistic dimension encourages vocations among the youngest.” He sees the contest as a unique balance of science and art, where factual accuracy meets emotional resonance, allowing amateur enthusiasts to shine, and access to a laboratory or robust research equipment isn’t required to succeed.

Looking back on more than 40 years of dedication to microscopy, Gautier remains as enthusiastic as ever. “This universe is as vast as astronomy,” he said. “Even with modest equipment, one can make magnificent observations, and for some, it may spark a calling to become a researcher.”

Though photomicrography was never his primary profession, Gautier's images have been widely published in textbooks, scientific journals and nature books, thanks to partnerships with agencies like BIOSPHOTO. He credits his visibility and reputation to the platform Nikon Small World gave him, not least the unforgettable moment in 1995 when he and his wife were invited to New York to receive the first-place prize for his image capturing a Larva of Pleuronectidae.

His advice to newcomers mirrors the nature of the craft: “Start small,” he said. “You don’t need sophisticated or expensive techniques to take beautiful photomicrographs. A basic understanding of optics and a willingness to experiment can go a long way.”

From a child enchanted by a holiday gift to a master of illumination and form, Christian Gautier's legacy lies not only in the images he’s captured, but in the wonder he continues to inspire.

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