As I'm sure you can tell with just a quick glance at my work, I am absolutely in love with the many wonders that Mother Nature presents to us. Snow is no exception to this adoration and, for the first time ever, I was lucky enough to have equipment that allowed me to attempt to capture its beauty. Just last week, I impulsively decided to rent a 100mm lens from Creve Coeur Camera and I am thrilled that I did! On the last night of the rental, flurries began swirling about and I was quick to grab an old wool hat, set it outside, and open the window to take some images of the stunning snowflakes that were falling.

I acknowledge that these images are not perfect but I love them and the tiny details that they capture. As I stood in my kitchen with my window open and my camera set up, waiting for a nice flake to land, I was surprised by the intricate details of each flake and my mind began to wonder deeply about what it is that determines the shape and form of each individual flake. I became increasingly interested in the asymmetrical snowflakes as my mind had been trained to envision snowflakes as perfectly symmetrical formations. As time passed, I noticed that some of the flakes had slight imperfections that caused their shape to become asymmetrical, and I began to wonder what exactly could influence this occurrence. As it turns out, snowflakes are symmetrical by nature but the turbulent atmosphere through which they must travel before they arrive to the ground can cause some imperfections that usually go unnoticed.

Another common theme that can be found in my work is pattern - I love observing patterns, especially in nature, and capturing them to the best of my ability. One fascinating thing that I have noticed is that the hexagon seems to be a staple pattern in nature and rightfully so - it is a shape that allows for optimal space for a large group of objects, whether they are honeycombs, pistils, or bubbles. If there is a large quantity that needs to fit in a small space, the hexagon is an ideal shape. But why for snowflakes? I found this concise article that answers that very question and found it quite satisfying!

I first noticed the hexagon pattern in nature when I began photographing flowers. The pattern soon became clear to me in many of my works and I became increasingly interested in the hexagon and its many implications - scientific and spiritual. The shape and pattern became so important to me that I actually tattooed them on my skin in the form of two stippled mandalas and to this day, they remain two of my most meaningful tattoos. 

If you haven't looked into the hexagon and its role in nature, I encourage you to do so! It's pretty intriguing! I hope you have enjoyed these images as well as my musings about hexagons. 

Happy Winter!