The first ever photographs of snowflakes | Wilson A Bentley

Wilson A Bentley photographed 5,000 snowflakes in his lifetime and never found any two alike
Photograph: Public Domain

At the age of 19, Bentley had pioneered the technique of photomicrography
Photograph: Public Domain

He managed to hook up a microscope to a bellows camera and spent much of the rest of his life perfecting the technique through trial and error
Photograph: Public Domain

He captured more than 5,000 snowflake images during his lifetime
Photograph: Public Domain

'Under the microscope, I found that snowflakes were miracles of beauty ...' he wrote
Photograph: Public Domain

'... and it seemed a shame that this beauty should not be seen and appreciated by others'
Photograph: Public Domain

'Every crystal was a masterpiece of design ...'
Photograph: Public Domain

'... and no design was ever repeated'
Photograph: Public Domain

'When a snowflake melted, that design was forever lost'
Photograph: Public Domain

'Just that much beauty was gone, without leaving any record behind'
Photograph: Public Domain

In 1931 his book Snow Crystals, containing more than 2,400 images, was published
Photograph: Public Domain

Later that year Bentley died walking home through a blizzard
Photograph: Public Domain