1st Place: In this 1-s exposure image, a 1-kHz train of high-intensity ultrashort pulses is focused in the air by a 75-mm focal distance lens, while a piece of paper is quickly moved from the lens through the beamwaist. Ricardo E. Samad

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2nd Place: Intensity and phase images of various high order modes of an optical fiber measured with spatially and spectrally resolved mode imaging. Jeffrey W. Nicholson

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3rd Place: Light from a red, green and blue laser on a lens; each has a different angle of incidence. During a long exposure, a piece of quickly moving paper is used to capture all the beams. Mike Kudenov

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Honorable Mention: Images of rose imprinted by fs-laser self-assembled nanostructures in silica glass. Actual size is 1 x 1 mm. Martynas Beresna

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Honorable Mention: Refracted laser light taken on 4 x 5 transparency film using argon and helium-neon lasers. Janis D. Berry

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Young lady "painted" with a green laser pointer. David K. Lynch

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Rainbow caused by spray from ocean waves at Shore Acres Park, Ore., U.S.A Robert E. Schalck

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Aerial view of San Francisco's Golden Gate Bridge. Note the waves caused by the ships. Robert E. Schalck

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Sun rays caused by ocean fog, Shore Acres, Ore., U.S.A. Robert E. Schalck

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Multiphoton microscope shows second harmonic generation (green) and endogenous fluorescence (red) in bovine collagen matrix. Joanna F. Xylas

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Optical cross-section acquired with multiphoton microscope of endogenous fluorescence from skin tumor cells cultured in 3-D collagen matrix. Joanna F. Xylas

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Multiphoton microscope acquires optical cross-section of second harmonic generation from a cellular bovine collagen matrix. Joanna F. Xylas

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Triplets Rob, Greg and Dan Balonek graduated in 2009 with a B.S. in optics from The University of Rochester's Institute of Optics. Wayne H. Knox

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One alone. Anna Vozianova

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Fountain. Anna Vozianova

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Reflection of nature. Anna Vozianova

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Microscope image of "birefringent rose" printed with femtosecond laser in 1 x 1 mm square. Martynas Beresna

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Microscope image of "birefringent rose" printed with femtosecond laser in 1 x 1 mm square. Martynas Beresna

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Polarized light from the sky passing through a glass door, as seen in reflection off the floor. Paulina Kuo

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Birefringent pattern of plastic tray. Samuel F. Pellicori

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Cross-polarized image of insect wings illuminated by the polarized sky. Samuel F. Pellicori

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Reflection from molted skin of an alligator lizard. Samuel F. Pellicori

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Annotated images of interference fringes generated by rotational shear interferometer and captured by rotating a lens in front of a CCD. Ashwin A. Wagadarikar

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Images of interference fringes generated by a rotational shear interferometer captured by rotating a lens in front of a CCD (no annotations). Ashwin A. Wagadarikar

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An overhead projector's bulb captured by a Canon PowerShot SD800 IS. Jennifer C. Claudio

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This digital photo shows the light spread by a CD. Jennifer C. Claudio

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This digital photo with exposure adjustment shows a mirror reflecting the light spread by a CD. Jennifer C. Claudio

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Two lidars operating at the Center for Lasers and Applications at IPEN/CNEN-SP, S�o Paulo, Brazil. Exposure is 1.3 s, ISO 1250. Ricardo E. Samad

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Two lidars operating at the Center for Lasers and Applications at IPEN/CNEN-SP, S�o Paulo, Brazil. Exposure is 15 s, ISO 100. Ricardo E. Samad

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One of three variations on a bathroom light reflecting off a CD and mirror (cropped to meet size req). Jennifer C. Claudio

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Sunlight reflects off of clouds and smoke in Fairbanks, Alaska, U.S.A. Also seen are noctilucent or night shining clouds. Brentha Thurairajah

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Crepuscular rays through storm clouds. Brentha Thurairajah

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Sunlight reflects off of clouds behind the University of Alaska, Fairbanks, U.S.A. Brentha Thurairajah

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In a glacier tunnel close to Chamonix-France, Casio EX-Z40. Wolfgang W. Langbein

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Fountain at the Millenium Centre, Cardiff, United Kingdom, Casio EX-Z40. Wolfgang W. Langbein

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Inside an optical parametric oscillator with intracavity frequency doubling (APE PP2), Canon EOS 350D. Wolfgang W. Langbein

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Single crystal diamond nanowires that can guide single photons emitted from nitrogen vacancy color centers (4.3-�m high). Birgit Hausmann

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Single crystal diamond nanowires that can guide single photons emitted from nitrogen vacancy color centers (2.2-�m high). Birgit Hausmann

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Single crystal diamond nanowires that can guide single photons emitted from nitrogen vacancy color centers (2-�m high). Birgit Hausmann

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An early-afternoon rain storm leaves behind a rainbow that literally touches the clouds! Dean P. Brown

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A late-afternoon double rainbow stretches across the sky. Dean P. Brown

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Primary, secondary and supernumerary rainbows seen over Rochester, N.Y., U.S.A. one summer evening. Dean P. Brown

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Refracted laser light taken on 4 x 5 transparency film using a helium neon laser. Janis D. Berry

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Refracted laser light taken on a 4 x 5 transparency film using argon and helium neon lasers. Janis D. Berry

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Reversed (negative) B&W (4 x 5 film) image of refracted laser light. Janis D. Berry

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High-contrast reversed (negative) B&W (4 x 5 film) image of refracted laser light. Janis D. Berry

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Reversed (negative) B&W (4 x 5 film) image of refracted laser light. Janis D. Berry

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Intensity and phase images of an LP71 mode of an optical fiber measured with spatially and spectrally resolved mode imaging. Jeffrey W. Nicholson

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Various high-order modes of an optical fiber measured with spatially and spectrally resolved mode imaging. Jeffrey W. Nicholson

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The LP65 mode of an optical fiber measured with spatially and spectrally resolved mode imaging. Jeffrey W. Nicholson

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Sunset viewed through a side mirror. J.C. Claudio

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Diffraction colors from water droplets in the vapor above a steaming cup of tea. Klaus D. Hinsch

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"Sunshine" created by the reflected helium-neon laser beam and diffraction through the camera lens. Canon PowerShot S50. Galiya Sharafutdinova

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Reflected helium-neon laser beam imaged by the camera. Galiya Sharafutdinova

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Sunset at Terrrigal beach, Australia. Picture taken by Canon Digital IXUS 80 IS. Galiya Sharafutdinova

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Fire dance at the luau during the 2009 NLO topical meeting in Hawaii. Paulina S. Kuo

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Fire dance at the luau during the 2009 NLO topical meeting in Hawaii. Paulina S. Kuo

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Rare sun spinal formed by light scattering from ice crystals in atmosphere pre- sunrise. Larry A. Donoso

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Adaptive optics. Turbulent clouds (ocean wave form) above petrified sand dune (White pocket). Larry A. Donoso

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Natural light beam from underground canyon (slot canyon) with sun directly overhead. Larry A. Donoso

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Diffraction of light beam from sand in beam causing loss of image clarity. Larry A. Donoso

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The shadow of Mr. Moose and vegetation is reflected onto water. There is also a wave form in the water. Larry A. Donoso

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Power distribution of a donut-shaped laser beam with higher-order modes; 3D overlaid 2D image. Gary Wagner

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Two laser pointers (red and green) are incident on a crystal champagne flute. No moving parts, just reflection & refraction! Aongus McCarthy

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Mosaic of images of a CD case insert, placed in front of a flat-screen monitor and photographed using a polarizer. Aongus McCarthy

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Clamped photoelastic material, placed in front of a flat-screen monitor and photographed using a polarizer. Aongus McCarthy

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Brilliant reflection of the sun in a hanging water drop with "diffraction star" arising from small camera aperture. Joseph A. Shaw

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"Optical lollipop." Lunar corona in nearly subvisual wave cloud being probed by laser beam. Joseph A. Shaw

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Lunar corona in wave cloud being probed by laser beam. Joseph A. Shaw

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A lamp was fixed to the wheel axle and rotated at a distance of twice the radius (shown in lower right corner). When capturing this movement (exposure time, 15s), the white trace emerged: a cycloid. Dan Curticapean

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A lamp was fixed to the wheel axle and rotated at a distance of twice the radius. When capturing this movement (exposure time, 15s), the white trace emerged: a cycloid. Dan Curticapean

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The Magic of Polarization: With and without crossed polarizers. Dan Curticapean

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Liquid droplets on an integrated circuit illuminated with a circular light create various optical effects from magnification to interference. Osvaldo Buccafusca

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Deformed windows create interesting geometrical aberrations in downtown Denver. Osvaldo Buccafusca

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A glass sphere in front of a snowy landscape produces image inversion. Osvaldo Buccafusca

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The angular distance between your thumb and forefinger at the end of an outstretched arm is approximately 22 degrees�providing a convenient way to determine if a ring in the sky is a 22-degree halo. Halo from refraction in ice crystals in high clouds. Joseph A. Shaw

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Wavy reflections of a boat mast from rippled water. Joseph A. Shaw

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First mid-latitude aurora seen in over three years, as the longest solar minimum in recorded history begins to fade and the next solar maximum approaches. Joseph A. Shaw

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A classic rainbow, brightened in the region where the sunlight best illuminates the available raindrops. Joseph A. Shaw

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Low-lying rainbow fragment in dissipating summer thunderstorm, illustrating that the rainbow rises and sets with the sun (or other light source). Here the afternoon sun is still high, so the rainbow is low. Joseph A. Shaw

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Complete low-lying rainbow in afternoon thunderstorm, illustrating that the rainbow rises and sets with the sun. Here, the afternoon sun is high, so the rainbow is low. Joseph A. Shaw

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Cellular structures on a slide made from a human lung sputum sample, imaged with an Olympus epifluorescent microscope system using a 40x objective. Gordon Bennett for Biomoda Inc.

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