Batonnet formation often initiates in low density cholesteric mesophases. The image presented above is a magnetically-aligned cholesteric phase with a DNA concentration of approximately 200 milligrams per milliliter. The magnification is approximately 300x, and the image was recorded on Fujichrome 64T transparency film using a Nikon Optiphot-Pol microscope with crossed polarized illumination. Exposures were recorded about 3 f-steps under the recommended value given by an in-camera photomultiplier and were push-processed approximately 1.5 f-steps in the first E-6 developer.