In the spring of 1965, Life Magazine published a 16-page story about human reproduction—macro photographs of how fertilization happens in the uterus, how a zygote is formed and how the foetus is fully developed inside the womb of a mother. Thus was born a different but spectacular form of photography —embryo photography!Swedish photographer Lennart Nilsson spent 12 years taking very, very close pictures of the foetus developing in the womb. And we are talking about the age where cameras weren’t quite developed! With those conventional cameras with macro lenses, an endoscope, a scanning electron microscope and a magnification of hundreds of thousands, Lennart was able to produce these breathtaking pictures. His first photo of the human foetus was taken in 1965.This is nothing like you’ve ever seen before.1) This is what a fallopian tube looks like. The place where the sperm cell and the egg will come in contact!© Imgur2) And here is the sperm cell which has entered the fallopian tube.© Imgur3) Will they successfully meet?© Imgur4) And it’s a date! But the sperm cell faces some competition with the other cells.© Imgur5) The winning sperm!© Imgur6) The winning moment, the time when the egg cell and the sperm cell merged together.© Imgur7) After 8 days. The zygote has attached itself to the wall of the uterus.© Imgur8) You can see the brain has started to develop.© Imgur9) A month-old embryo. The heart has formed which starts beating on the 18th day. No skeleton yet, however.© Imgur10) This is how a 4-week-old foetus looks like.© Imgur11) After 5 weeks. You can now distinguish the face with holes for eyes, nostrils and a mouth.© Imgur12) After 40 days. Placenta is clearly visible, which is the organ that connects the embryo to the uterine wall. It allows nutrient uptake, waste elimination and gas exchange via the woman’s blood supply.© Imgur13) 8-week-old embryo. The foetus is well protected in the foetal sac.© Imgur14) After 16 weeks.© Imgur15) Foetus using its hands to explore its own body and surroundings.© Imgur16) The skeleton, mainly consisting of flexible cartilage and a network of blood vessels, is visible through the skin.© Imgur17) After 18 weeks. It can now perceive sounds from the outside world.© Imgur18) After 19 weeks!© Imgur19) The 20-week-old foetus has now approximately grown up to 20 cm. Woolly hair, known as lanugo, covers the entire head.© Imgur20) After 24 weeks© Imgur21) After 26 weeks© Imgur22) After 6 complete months, the foetus turns upside down because it’s easier to get out this way.© Imgur23) After 36 weeks, the child will see the world in a month!© Imgur