(all images via Alexey Kljatov’s Flickrstream and used with permission of the artist)
We all grew up hearing that each snowflake is unique, but Moscow-based Alexey Kljatov’s macrophotography of snowflakes makes your realize the mind-blowing complexity of these crystalline marvels.
Kljatov has outlined his technique on his personal blog, where he explains the technical issues he faces as he shoots on the balcony of his home. “Not every snowfall brings good-looking crystals, and many shots will be discarded later because of bad focusing or uninteresting subjects,” he told Hyperallergic.
“When I started to shoot snowflakes five years ago, I couldn’t imagine how different and unusual they looked. With the naked eye we usually see only big crystals, 5 mm and bigger, and most of them just one type, stellar dendrites. But [the] most unusual and interesting crystals [are the] medium and small ones, 1–4 mm, and even smaller,” he said.
The results, as you can see, are a winter wonderland of wow.
There are more images from Kljatov’s snowflake photography on his Flickrstream.
Aliens.
Absolutely lovely…and awesome, in the traditional and current sense of the word!