b'Photography Competition Winners BIOFILMS IN REAL LIFE2 NDPLACECallum Highmore, University of SouthamptonTINY KINGDOM I sculpted a landscape out of food (various) and incubated it for a few weeks, adding extra food and spraying with sugary water at different times, to get a range of microbes growing. Image brightness and 1 STPLACE contrast adjusted slightly.Mark Burton, University of SouthamptonMIRROR, MIRROR This is a close-up image of the biofilm that covers the scales of a Mirror Carp caught by myself, from a private estate lake in Southampton. The mirror carp have beautiful scale patterns that are distinct to each fish. The mucus biofilm that covers the scales can clearly be seen with the reflection of the sky above glistening in the sun, almost acting as a mirror, hence the title Mirror, Mirror. When catching these beautiful fish, the biofilm is preserved by unhooking on padded wet mats and all fish are returned safely to the lakes after photography, as the mucus biofilms are colonised by beneficial bacterial forming a hydrogel interface and favourable3 RDPLACEmicroenvironment which support the barrier to the fishJennifer Dewing, University of Southamptonfrom the outside environment.PAINT ME A SLIM ESCAPE This photograph was taken at a small, quiet lake in chandlers for, Hampshire. At the shallow end of the lake this bright orange slime collects along the edges of the water as a result of bacteria that oxidises the iron released from the ground water. The reflection in the water of the blue sky above balances the bright oranges and yellows of the slime.34'