As far back as I can remember I have always been fascinated by snowflakes. I think a lot of people can probably relate to this. When the winter arrives, we usually anticipate snow falling. Many people associate snow with family holidays, playing outside on cold days and lots of other fun things we generally associate with snow. But it is snowflakes, themselves, that are still a mystery to most of us to this very day. We always hear about each of them being totally unique, and thoughts of these tiny, crystal creations of nature can often leave us feeling like little children again.

It was with these types of feelings that I decided to order a book called ‘Sky Crystals – Unraveling the Mysteries of Snowflakes’ by Don Komarechka. I have been familiar with Don’s work as a nature photographer for some time, and counted myself as a fan. So when I saw the announcement for the release of this hardcover book filled with some of his work, I admit that I was ready to order it on the spot. So that’s what I did. And after waiting with great anticipation for it to arrive, it finally did! Now that I have had a chance to look it over a few times, I am ready to offer all of you my honest review of this book.

I happened to be home when the delivery truck arrived with my copy of Sky Crystals, and I could not wait to get my hands on it. The book was packaged professionally, which made me feel almost embarrassed about ripping it open like a kid on Christmas morning. But these kinds of books really do get me going, so I tore into the packaging with reckless abandon, while still taking care to not damage the beautiful book contained within.

My First Impressions of the Book

Okay, once I got the book out of the packaging, I relaxed a bit. Yes, I get a bit excited when new camera gear or photography books arrived, but I still know how to be calm enough when I have to. And I am glad that I did calm down a bit, because my first impressions of the book really did leave me impressed. I will tell you from jump that the first thing I did was thumb through it to check out the photographs. And I don’t think there is a subpar photo contained within the entire 300+ pages. Every photograph is sharp, clear and detailed as can be; as is suiting for a subject as visually stunning as snowflakes.

The photographs alone more than justify the cost of this book. It is definitely one that I will be proud to keep on the coffee table for guests to look at. Even people who are not certifiable photo enthusiasts, like me, will certainly be mesmerized by the amazingly detailed photographs contained in this book. It is very easy to get lost in the imagery and to spend several minutes gazing at a single photo that Don put into this book. Hats off to this pro for choosing some downright inspiring photographs to place throughout this book.

What Impressed me the Most?

It’s easy for me to go on and on about how much I like the photographs in this book, but being as I am a macro photographer at heart, and really enjoy the little details, I want to give you a quick list of what really impressed me the most:

– The overall coverage of the different types of snowflakes. There are over 60 pages with different photos and detailed explanations of the different types of snowflakes that one can view/photograph.

– The detailed instructions for photographing snowflakes. To capture great photos of snowflakes, you will need to use the right macro photography techniques and gear. And in this book, I found everything I needed to know – in detail – laid out in the various chapters on technique. This information includes important steps to consider for proper adjustments, image sharpening, and cleaning up mistakes. There are even case studies that walk photographers through editing workflows to enhance their snowflakes photos.

I could go on and on about the things that I found most impressive about this book, including the high quality hardcover that binds this collection together. Suffice it to say, though, that this is a book that people will not only enjoy looking at, but will also learn a lot from in the process of enjoying it.

Who Should Check out Sky Crystals?

I never say that any book or product is for everyone. We all have different tastes in life, and that keeps things interesting. Who, then, should purchase/read this book? Well, I would say that anyone who really enjoys/admires snowflakes will certainly get a lot from just the pictures and scientific data included in this book. By the time one finishes reading this book, he/she will definitely feel like somewhat of a snowflake expert!

On that same note, I think that parents may want to purchase this book to answer questions that their kids might have about snowflakes. You know how kids can come up with some of the craziest theories about the origin of snow and they almost always make fun snowflake crafts during the winter months. Parents can really break down the science of snowflakes, while sharing some inspiring photographs with their little learners when they use this book as a teaching aide.

Finally, it is certainly macro photographers who want to take better snowflake photographs who will reap the most benefits from this book. No, you can’t learn everything there is to know from a single book, but you will certainly learn some tips, tricks and techniques that you probably never considered before. So if you are looking to shoot some unbelievable snowflake photographs when winter rolls around once again, this is a must-have book!

I’d like to tell you more about this book, but I am just about to crack it open again for another look. I plan on taking some of the best macro photos of snowflakes this year, and am going to put this informative, beautiful book to good use to assist me in achieving this goal. I think you will probably enjoy it too, whether you plan on curling up next to the fire and learning more about snowflakes or if you are seriously contemplating heading outside in the crisp, cold air to get busy on adding some snowflake photographs to your portfolio. No matter what your goal is, I certainly hope that you enjoy this book as much as I am enjoying it right now!

To grab your copy or to see more amazing photos by Don Komarechka, visit the official Sky Crystals website –  www.skycrystals.ca

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**** GIVEAWAY ****

We Are Giving Away ONE autographed Sky Crystals Book (RRP $50)…

We were so impressed with Don Komarechka’s Sky Crystals book that we are giving away a copy! This 304 page book contains macro photos of snowflakes, explanations on how they are formed, photography tutorials and tips on how to capture your own snowflakes and how to enhance your snowflake photos! We will even get the book autographed for the winner! We are running this giveaway on our Seeing in Macro Facebook page. It’s easy to enter… all you need to do is to head over to our Facebook page before May 5, 2014 to get started –

1) Go to Seeing in Macro’s giveaway Facebook page to find out how to submit your entry! (CLICK HERE)