Snowflake-a-Day #82
I know symmetrical snowflakes usually get the most fanfare, but I thought this one could be an exception to that. The windswept branches are far different that pristinely balanced center - view large!
The center of this snowflake is very eye-catching, with lace-like features and a split crystal design. The central snowflake shape is solid ice, and the outlines around it is where bubbles began to form in the ice. This bubble / cavity grew to encompass the entire perimeter of the crystal, effectively cutting it into two new planes. This is relatively common, but always beautiful to see.
As the snowflake grew out further, branches and side-branches formed, but then fused back together to form a larger hexagonal shape. The assortment of lines we see beyond the hexagon were once part of many separate branches, but in stable low-humidity environments the overall hexagonal shape can be reborn. Things change quite drastically as the branches sprout a second time, however.
The top branch is a good representation of the overall design: uneven growth, favouring the right side far more heavily than the left side. This could be caused by two things: the snowflake flying in such a way that pushed the right side into the wind, or some extra crystal attached to the left side blocking new water vapour from attaching to the snowflake. Maybe it’s a combination of both! There is strong evidence of foreign attachment at the tip of the bottom branch – the central branch should be longer than the two side-branches. Regardless of how it happened, this snowflake is very unbalanced.
As are most snowflakes. Perfect symmetry in snowflakes is not normal. There is too much chaos and randomness to allow this to be more common. You’ll see symmetrical snowflakes in my series (and in snowflake photos from other photographers) far more prominently than they actually exist in nature. Everyone chooses to share the more aesthetically pleasing crystals, which happen to be the more symmetrical ones. I discard thousands of imperfect snowflakes in search of balance and symmetry, but sometimes I get lucky with snowflakes like this.
To understand how snowflakes grow into such beautifully unusual shapes, and for the complete guide to snowflake photography covered in the same book, pick up a copy of Sky Crystals: skycrystals.ca/book/ - you’ll find it fascinating!
For something to put on your wall that embodies the overwhelming beauty of winter, check out “The Snowflake” print: skycrystals.ca/poster/ - this image contains over 400 separate snowflakes all placed in relative size to one another. No small feat, this took over 2500 hours across five years to produce. I hope you’re curious enough to take a look! :)
Snowflake-a-Day #82
I know symmetrical snowflakes usually get the most fanfare, but I thought this one could be an exception to that. The windswept branches are far different that pristinely balanced center - view large!
The center of this snowflake is very eye-catching, with lace-like features and a split crystal design. The central snowflake shape is solid ice, and the outlines around it is where bubbles began to form in the ice. This bubble / cavity grew to encompass the entire perimeter of the crystal, effectively cutting it into two new planes. This is relatively common, but always beautiful to see.
As the snowflake grew out further, branches and side-branches formed, but then fused back together to form a larger hexagonal shape. The assortment of lines we see beyond the hexagon were once part of many separate branches, but in stable low-humidity environments the overall hexagonal shape can be reborn. Things change quite drastically as the branches sprout a second time, however.
The top branch is a good representation of the overall design: uneven growth, favouring the right side far more heavily than the left side. This could be caused by two things: the snowflake flying in such a way that pushed the right side into the wind, or some extra crystal attached to the left side blocking new water vapour from attaching to the snowflake. Maybe it’s a combination of both! There is strong evidence of foreign attachment at the tip of the bottom branch – the central branch should be longer than the two side-branches. Regardless of how it happened, this snowflake is very unbalanced.
As are most snowflakes. Perfect symmetry in snowflakes is not normal. There is too much chaos and randomness to allow this to be more common. You’ll see symmetrical snowflakes in my series (and in snowflake photos from other photographers) far more prominently than they actually exist in nature. Everyone chooses to share the more aesthetically pleasing crystals, which happen to be the more symmetrical ones. I discard thousands of imperfect snowflakes in search of balance and symmetry, but sometimes I get lucky with snowflakes like this.
To understand how snowflakes grow into such beautifully unusual shapes, and for the complete guide to snowflake photography covered in the same book, pick up a copy of Sky Crystals: skycrystals.ca/book/ - you’ll find it fascinating!
For something to put on your wall that embodies the overwhelming beauty of winter, check out “The Snowflake” print: skycrystals.ca/poster/ - this image contains over 400 separate snowflakes all placed in relative size to one another. No small feat, this took over 2500 hours across five years to produce. I hope you’re curious enough to take a look! :)