I always wonder how snowflakes get their amazingly complex form. I sometimes ask myself, do they really look like these “mind-boggling array of shapes”? According to a video I’ve watched about snowflakes, no two are alike. These beautiful and unique little crystals “start as grains of dust floating in clouds. Water vapor in the clouds sticks to the grains and freezes, forming ice – the simplest hydrogen-bonded crystal. From there, each snowflake takes a different path, morphing into a unique shape as it travels to the ground.”
And because snowflakes are barely visible to the naked eye, we are often unable to fully appreciate its beauty. But here’s a series of pictures captured by Russian photographer Alexey Kljatov who has devised a clever way to bring the wonder of macrophotography into the tiny world of snowflakes.
With the help of a homemade camera rig, which he made himself, Alexey captured the breathtaking intricacies of snow.
And creates photos that might otherwise require lenses or other equipment worth hundreds or thousands of dollars.
He has taken these incredibly detailed images using only a Canon Powershot A650 taped with a reversed 44M-5 Helios lens from an old Russian Zenit camera.
He pictures most of the snowflakes that fall on his balcony – comprising a sheet of glass balancing on the legs of an upturned stool.
He usually points an LED flashlight from the bottom side of the glass to provide lighting.
But some of the darker photos were taken in natural light using dark, woolen fabrics for backgrounds.
Here’s a schematic diagram of his homemade camera for those who want to try this technique.
And here are the rest of what his DIY camera has captured:
If you want to see more of Alexey Kljatov’s photography, check out his blog here.
Share this to others and let your eyes feast on the intricate piece of artwork hidden in each tiny snowflakes!