Much of my professional work revolves around distilling a biological phenomenon to the bare minimum needed to construct a rigorous theory. While doing this, it is essential to have humility toward the seemingly boundless complexity of the natural world. Using a microscope is a way for me to marvel at this expanse, similar to the feeling I get while hiking through the woods. Sometimes, I love looking at microbes or even my own cells, but other times, I enjoy just looking at parts of the Earth that other people might easily dismiss— a bit of soil or a melting patch of snow. I often experiment with filtering light through the samples in different ways to reveal structures that would otherwise be missed in the wrong context. For me, microscopy is a mediative act, a chance to focus on some small part of the world and wonder how I could have taken it for granted. You can see examples of some of my shots below.