Credit: Smithsonian Institution Archives, Image #SIA2013-09135A scientific approachBentley's experiments began with a microscope that his mother bought for his 15th birthday. In 1904, he approached the secretary of the Smithsonian Institution , Samuel Langley, with 500 of his best images. "And Wilson Bentley -- in the fear that his photos might get lost in the fire -- wanted to make sure that they were well preserved." While the underlying techniques have changed little since Bentley's days, snowflake photography is increasingly accessible to amateur photographers. "He was under-appreciated during his lifetime, but with the surge of the internet, people have come across Wilson Bentley and learned about him," she said.

Source: CNN December 25, 2017 01:08 UTC