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# The Geometric Perfection of Snowflakes
- URL: https://hyperallergic.com/the-geometric-perfection-of-snowflakes/
- Published: 2013-12-27T22:18:40.000Z
- Updated: 2025-11-24T16:44:46.000Z
- Description: 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.
- Author: Hrag Vartanian
- Tags: Art, Photo Essays, #wp, #wp-post, #image-position-hidden, #Import 2025-11-24 06:59 (2012, 2013, part 2)

![11432343223_1e9eed8a8b_z](https://storage.ghost.io/c/51/f8/51f871d8-b6be-4a73-b958-0ca4fff0110a/content/images/hyperallergic-newspack-s3-amazonaws-com/uploads/2013/12/11432343223_1e9eed8a8b_z.jpg)

(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](http://chaoticmind75.blogspot.ru/2013/08/my-technique-for-snowflakes-shooting.html?ref=hyperallergic.com) 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.

![11432202444_ef5a017780_z](https://storage.ghost.io/c/51/f8/51f871d8-b6be-4a73-b958-0ca4fff0110a/content/images/hyperallergic-newspack-s3-amazonaws-com/uploads/2013/12/11432202444_ef5a017780_z.jpg)

![11499520066_7e6a201b03_z](https://storage.ghost.io/c/51/f8/51f871d8-b6be-4a73-b958-0ca4fff0110a/content/images/hyperallergic-newspack-s3-amazonaws-com/uploads/2013/12/11499520066_7e6a201b03_z.jpg)

![11432182385_0e709813e1_z](https://storage.ghost.io/c/51/f8/51f871d8-b6be-4a73-b958-0ca4fff0110a/content/images/hyperallergic-newspack-s3-amazonaws-com/uploads/2013/12/11432182385_0e709813e1_z.jpg)

![10738494123_f8016decb5_z](https://storage.ghost.io/c/51/f8/51f871d8-b6be-4a73-b958-0ca4fff0110a/content/images/hyperallergic-newspack-s3-amazonaws-com/uploads/2013/12/10738494123_f8016decb5_z.jpg)

![10823897423_4b384df173_z](https://storage.ghost.io/c/51/f8/51f871d8-b6be-4a73-b958-0ca4fff0110a/content/images/hyperallergic-newspack-s3-amazonaws-com/uploads/2013/12/10823897423_4b384df173_z.jpg)

![10064932643_9e7338f15d_z](https://storage.ghost.io/c/51/f8/51f871d8-b6be-4a73-b958-0ca4fff0110a/content/images/hyperallergic-newspack-s3-amazonaws-com/uploads/2013/12/10064932643_9e7338f15d_z.jpg)

![8629790711_eef26cd72b_z](https://storage.ghost.io/c/51/f8/51f871d8-b6be-4a73-b958-0ca4fff0110a/content/images/hyperallergic-newspack-s3-amazonaws-com/uploads/2013/12/8629790711_eef26cd72b_z.jpg)

![9852597126_97a078c7f2_z](https://storage.ghost.io/c/51/f8/51f871d8-b6be-4a73-b958-0ca4fff0110a/content/images/hyperallergic-newspack-s3-amazonaws-com/uploads/2013/12/9852597126_97a078c7f2_z.jpg)

There are more images from Kljatov’s [snowflake photography](http://www.flickr.com/photos/chaoticmind75/9852597126/in/set-72157626146319517/?ref=hyperallergic.com) on his Flickrstream.