Using a microscope, Polaroid 55 film which he then turns into a platinum print, Jan Schlegel's series "Life on Earth" focuses exclusively on phytoplancton, the very foundation and basis of life. It is the lowest level of the food chain and it is thanks to these microscopic plants that we are able to breath and live. Through photosynthesis, 80 percent of the oxygen is produced by plankton. Due to the pollution of our oceans, micro plastic, the increase of carbon dioxide in our atmosphere and the effects of global warming, oceans have already lost 40 percent of plankton and it is expected that every year we will lose an additional 1 percent. The Atlantic Ocean is the most affected and marine researcher consider the Atlantic Ocean already as dead.

With this series Schlegel wants to show the beauty and uniqueness of Plankton. By giving them visibility, they are not an abstract concept foreign to us. There are many different kind, some bigger and some smaller but they all have one thing in common: we depend on them. All life on earth depends on them.
Phytoplankton, which are minuscule plant-like microorganisms, inhabit various aquatic environments such as oceans, lakes, and rivers. The global oceans alone host an astonishing number of phytoplankton, exceeding the quantity of stars in the sky by a substantial margin. These phytoplankton exhibit remarkable diversity, with an estimated count of around 100 thousand distinct species. This encompasses a range of organisms, including certain bacteria like cyanobacteria, often referred to as "blue-green algae," as well as diatoms that encase themselves within glassy structures, and coccolithophores fortified with calcium carbonate armor.

These microorganisms play a significant role in the Earth's carbon cycle by absorbing carbon dioxide (CO2) from the atmosphere. This pivotal process aids in maintaining a balance in atmospheric CO2 levels and thus has a substantial impact on Earth's climate regulation.