THE hidden secrets of the tiny creatures that are crucial for sustaining human life have been making waves on the internet.
A Dutch photographer and filmmaker’s short film allows a look into the normally-hidden world of organically-important microscopic plankton.
2
2
Jan van Ijken’s Planktonium shows microscopic plankton like they’ve never been seen before.
The film in its entirety focuses on presenting the living processes of plankton through the lens of a microscope.
Instead of a voiceover, sounds composed by Jana Winderen, a Norwegian artist, are used to help present the story, according to Digital Photography Review.
Her soundscape, according to van Ijken, was put together by “recording audio environments and creatures which are hard for humans to access, both physically and aurally – deep underwater, inside ice or in frequency ranges inaudible to the human ear,” the outlet wrote.
It is the ideal audio component for such an unreachable world.
Much like their cartoon representative Plankton, the neglected villain in Spongebob Squarepants, phytoplankton are often overlooked.
However, their role in supporting the life of humans and other organisms in our ecosystem could not be more crucial, as they are responsible for creating half of Earth’s oxygen through photosynthetic processes, as well as playing a key role in our planet’s carbon cycle.
Meanwhile, zooplankton are a vital link in the ocean’s food chain.
Most read in Tech
Planktonium is a close-up look at how the influence of plankton goes beyond their invisible size.
A photobook under the same name has been orchestrated and published by director van Ijken, featuring breathtaking high-res photographs.
Signed copies of this once-in-a-lifetime book are available here.
The artist writes in his director statement: “What I find most interesting is that the plankton is very abundant in all waters around us. However, hardly anyone is aware of the presence of the countless creatures, their stunning beauty and the crucial role they play in the ecosystem.
“They are only becoming visible through the microscope. Some organisms have been on Earth for many millions of years, sometimes in unchanged form.
“Since I discovered plankton, I’ve become addicted to it. Every time I go out with my plankton net, I am curious about what I will find and I am always amazed by my finds.
“Every sea, ditch and lake have its own biotope and there are also major differences per season.”
Hardly new to microscopic visual art, van Ijken has earned previous acknowledgment for the Nikon Small World contest centered around microphotography, DP Review reported.
He received ninth place for capturing a water flea bearing embryos and tiny organisms called peritrichs, the outlet said.
Just a short clip of van Ijken’s microscope masterpiece is seen on this page, but the full high-definition version of the film can be purchased or rented here.
