Publisher: Terra, EAN: 9789089899293
Price € 49,99 excluding cost of shipment
Product details: Hardback, 192 pages, 308x250mm, Publication date 7th December 2022

You can order a signed copy of the book here: info@janvanijken.com

Planktonium is a short film and photo project by Jan van IJken about the unseen world of living microscopic plankton. It is a voyage into a secret universe, inhabited by alien-like creatures. These stunningly beautiful, very diverse and numerous organisms are unknown to most of us because they are invisible to the naked eye. However, they are wandering beneath the surface of all waters around us and they are of vital importance for all life on earth.

Jan van IJken photographed the plankton through his microscopes, revealing the beauty and delicate structures of the minute organisms in the finest detail.

Phytoplankton (small plant-like cells) are producing half of all oxygen on earth by photosynthesis, like plants and trees do on land. Zooplankton (animal-like critters) are eating the phytoplankton, and are on the menu of larger animals in the water. So plankton is forming the base of the food chain of aquatic life. Plankton are also playing an important part in the global carbon cycle. The plankton are threatened by climate change, global warming and acidification of the oceans.

Produced with generous financial support of Gemeente Leiden and Stichting Oog op de Natuur.

Preview of some sample photos from the book:

2022 Wildscreen Panda Awards, category Photo Story, Nomination (6 photos)
2022 Nature Photographer of the year, Highly Commended (1 photo)
2022 Close Up photographer of the year, Finalist (1 photo)
2021 Nikon Small World Photomicrography competition, 9th Place (1 photo)
2019 Nikon Small World Photomicrography competition, Honorable Mention (1 photo)