SUMMARY
Wilson Alwyn Bentley, a Vermont farmer, achieved the first photograph of a single snow crystal in 1885 using a bellows camera attached to a microscope. He spent the next 46 years photographing snowflakes, making over 5,000 attempts to capture their intricate designs. Bentley's work, which involved meticulous handling of crystals in cold conditions, aimed to document their unique beauty and prove that no two snowflakes are identical. Despite accusations of retouching, his photographs revolutionized scientific documentation and established the idea of unique snowflake patterns.
TAKEAWAYS
Wilson Alwyn Bentley took the first photograph of a single snow crystal in 1885.
He spent 46 years photographing snowflakes, capturing over 5,000 images.
Bentley's work proved that no two snowflakes are alike.
His methods involved using a microscope and camera in cold conditions to preserve the crystals.