Photographer Page

Peter Woitschikowski

To capture the microcrystals, Woitschikowski mounts his camera to a microscope and snaps the shutter with a click of the computer mouse.

Polarized light gives microcrystals of liquid acetaminophen a three-dimensional effect.

Factors including temperature and crystallization time can affect the images, such as this one of phthalic acid.

A sweep of acetaminophen, often sold as Tylenol, is set off by the dark blue of a polarized filter.

Another photo of urea looks quite different. The crystals absorb and reflect polarized light in myriad ways.

Carbamide, also known as urea, makes a neon tableau reminiscent of raindrops on a mountain range.

“This metallic golden appearance I have found extremely rare,” Woitschikowski says.

When dissolved in water and then dried, ascorbic acid can form pendant shapes.

Woitschikowski works only when he’s relaxed. “When you’re stressed,” he says, “you cannot see pictures,” such as this one of ascorbic acid, or vitamin C.

Melted and then cooled, sulfur forms a canyon of microcrystals. Peter Woitschikowski can spend weeks searching his slides for the perfect image.