Snowflakes

[Sorpa]

'Tis the season.
Olympus macro 38mm f/2.8, snowflake( first picture) around 1mm in diameter and probably around 1/5th of human hair thickness, barely noticeable and yet at that thickness there are protuberances

on it.
Truly mindblowing.
Magnification 4:1
First time I'm seeing this particular star formation ( first picture).

 

[DavidWatts]

What do you use as a background(s) for these?

 

[Sorpa]

It's a piece of glass spray painted black.
The ones in middle only.

 

[Ecc233]

Any chance of showing us your setup for this. Like how you stop the snowflakes melting and manage to get a single isolated flake?

 

[Sorpa]

Here you have my work station
That's a 15kg steel plate. The focusing unit is from a BHMJ microscope. Collecting plates are pieces of glass or aluminum painted black.
Everything but the camera goes outside at least 1 hour before shooting.
Most importanly is the temperature : at least -10 C. And you have to be fast.
Lower than that they'll start to melt winthin couple of seconds from impact. While falling they get some kinetic energy that's transformed into heat at the impact. ( my theory)
The colder it is the longer they last.
Wireless trigger is a must

 

[Lester Wareham]

Amazing work, the variety must be endless.