In a press release from EPSRC, David Nadlinger explained the origin of the photo :

"The idea of ​​being able to see a single atom with the naked eye seemed to me to be a marvelously direct and visceral bridge between the tiny quantum world and our macroscopic reality. A quick calculation showed me that the numbers were on my side, and when I moved into the lab with the camera and tripod on a quiet Sunday afternoon, I was rewarded with this special photo of a small and pale blue dot. "