donkom.bsky.social
@donkom.bsky.social
This was such a fun conversation. Give it a listen!
February 16, 2026 at 6:11 AM
Electric Spice:

www.flickr.com/photos/donko...

Shot on iPhone 15 Pro Max. UV fluorescing mustard!

If you want to know how to get the most out of your phone for macro work, I've also got a workshop coming up soon: princetonphotoworkshop.com/classes/phon...

#iphone #macro #science #ultraviolet
Electric Spice
Enjoy mustard? I love the seeds as a spice, the greens as a salad, and the view of the plant fluorescing under ultraviolet light. I especially love that they are so vibrantly fluorescent, such images ...
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February 9, 2026 at 5:21 PM
Spiral Staircase:

flickr.com/photos/donko...

I keep a Rhytidoponera metallica (Green Head Ant) colony as a pet. They work wonders in front of the camera too!

#entomology #insects #science #macro #macrophotography #refraction
Spiral Staircase
Rhytidoponera metallica: the Green Head Ant. One of the most beautiful ant species in the world, native to Australia, and packing a venomous sting akin to a yellowjacket wasp. I happen to have a colon...
flickr.com
February 8, 2026 at 4:23 PM
Reposted
Had such a time chatting with Kersten Luts for this week’s Camera Shake Podcast (@camerashake.bsky.social). Check it out here, or wherever you get your podcasts.

youtu.be/IlRDucURNHM?...
When the Light Works AGAINST YOU as a Photographer with STEVE BRAZILL
YouTube video by Camera Shake
youtu.be
February 6, 2026 at 8:36 AM
Snowflake 977

flickr.com/photos/donko...

This snowflake was photographed two days ago on the Black Sea coast of Bulgaria. The conditions rarely allow for such things to form here, and I'm pretty happy about it. :)

#snow #snowflake #ice #sky #macro #microscopy #weather #science #physics #Bulgaria
flickr.com
February 4, 2026 at 5:02 PM
Snowflake 976

www.flickr.com/photos/donko...

I'll call this one a "cascading dendrite". Read the post over on Flickr to see why! They're truly beautiful things.

#snow #snowflake #science #physics #weather #meteorology #hydrology #ice #water #frozen #balance #symmetry #macrophotography #microscopy
Snowflake 976
While not a “classically defined” snowflake type, I’ll refer to this one as a “cascading dendrite”. The central spokes here have a unique quality: they cascade their thickness to lower levels closer t...
www.flickr.com
February 1, 2026 at 4:11 PM
Snowflake 975:

www.flickr.com/photos/donko...

I've never seen this many layers in a snowflake this tiny. There's a lot going on here - read the full post over on Flickr.

#ice #snow #snowflake #weather #meteorology #science #physics #fractal #hexagon #symmetry #microscopy #macrophotography #water
Snowflake 975
Layers of ice. This tiny hexagonal snow crystal has a lot going on, despite its simple outer footprint. Rarely do you see these small hexagons with so much internal detail! We’ve got inward crystal g...
www.flickr.com
January 30, 2026 at 11:54 AM
Crystalline Connections: Freezing Soap Bubbles

www.flickr.com/photos/donko...

Here's a brief tutorial on how to get started with shooting freezing soap bubbles. Here's a full and comprehensive tutorial in my book: www.amazon.com/Macro-Photog...

#snow #ice #winter #winterstorm #frozen #water #soap
Crystalline Connections – Freezing Soap Bubbles
Cold is gripping much of North America. I checked the temperatures in my hometown of Sudbury, Ontario this morning, and it was -32C / -26F. With these horrible storms set to arrive later today and wit...
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January 24, 2026 at 12:39 PM
Snowflake 974:

www.flickr.com/photos/donko...

Check out the center on this one, too! So cool how this forms, as well as how the bubbles form on the branches.

#snowflake #weather #meteorology #ice #sky #science #physics #microscopy #water #frozen #crystal #macro #macrophotography #Lumix #GX9
Snowflake 974
A lot of America is about to be covered in countless trillions of these. I personally find them beautiful individually, but there’s a snowstorm of the century arriving and I hope everyone stays safe! ...
www.flickr.com
January 21, 2026 at 5:57 PM
Snowflake 973

www.flickr.com/photos/donko...

The center of this one features a "skeletal form"-type crystal splitting, it's really fun to just observe how the #physics works.

Read the full post over on Flickr, the character count here doesn't do it justice. :)

#science #ice #snow #weather #macro
Snowflake 973
A simple star snowflake, but with a very interesting center. Notice that the very center is solid? That’s an odd and wonderful feature that leads to layers! Imagine a hexagonal prism – it has a hexag...
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January 18, 2026 at 1:19 PM
Prismatic Crystal - Snowflake 971

www.flickr.com/photos/donko...

A different view from the previous snowflake specimen that really focuses on the hidden colours - made much more visible when thrown out of focus.

#science #physics #snow #ice #snowflake #weather #macro #water #frozen #meteorology
Prismatic Crystal - Snowflake 971
This is something special. It may have been difficult to notice the prismatic colours in the fully focus-stacked version of this snowflake (seen here: flickr.com/photos/donkom/55032219125/ ), but here...
www.flickr.com
January 10, 2026 at 8:54 AM
Snowflake 971

www.flickr.com/photos/donko...

The colours here are really special, not often to we see this much prismatic colour in the branches! Read the Flickr post for all the details. :)

#snow #snowflake #science #physics #weather #ice #meteorology #sky #crystal #water #fractal #symmetry
Snowflake 971
This snowflake is special to me for many reasons. First, it’s a classic dendrite with a large geometric center. Secondly, it features a special type of colour in the branches that is always hard to ca...
www.flickr.com
January 9, 2026 at 1:50 PM
Snowflake 970

www.flickr.com/photos/donko...

One of the best examples of a thick snowflake causing inward crystal growth. There's a bit to unpack in the full description on Flickr, but this type of snowflake is one of my favourites.

#snow #weather #snowflake #ice #water #science #physics #fractal
Snowflake 970
This snowflake tells a very interesting story. Almost like the rings on a tree show its age, these rings radiating along this snowflake’s branches are a growth indicator. These are a function of thick...
www.flickr.com
January 6, 2026 at 1:34 PM
Snowflake 969

www.flickr.com/photos/donko...

Tough to find the words to welcome in the new year. Wishing everyone well, and hoping for a calm start to 2026. Happy New Year!
Snowflake 969
Happy New Year! I feel like I need a vacation from the holidays. Not that it’s a bad thing, not at all – many wonderful visits with family, friends, and traditions kept alive, new ones made (duck is ...
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January 1, 2026 at 10:36 AM
Ever seen a thirteen-branched snowflake before? Well, you have now (sort of): www.flickr.com/photos/donko...

The full description doesn't fit here, but these are effectively crystal clusters. Read on Flickr for more. :)

#snowflake #winter #weather #meteorology #science #physics #ice #water #frozen
Snowflake 968
Most snowflakes have six branches. Very rarely, one can form twelve. But how about thirteen? The mystery of snowflakes with more than six branches is about to be revealed, and it has a lot to do with ...
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December 24, 2025 at 9:35 AM
Snowflake 966

I’ve seen thin film interference everywhere from a cup of Turkish coffee to the meniscus formed around the lid of fountain pen ink. Ever see “Newton’s Rings?”; it’s everywhere if you’re paying attention. Even in snowflakes!

Full description:
www.flickr.com/photos/donko...

#snow #ice
Snowflake 966
Let’s talk about colour. Snowflakes are not flat, they have volume. That volume allows for air pockets to be trapped in the ice. Given the right thickness of the “bubble” and/or the right thickness of...
www.flickr.com
December 14, 2025 at 9:33 AM
Snowflake 965

There's too much to say about this snowflake here and not enough space - but you can read all about it over on Flickr: www.flickr.com/photos/donko...

It attempts to unlock some mysteries as to how pockets of air form in these gems.

#snow #snowflake #weather #ice #winter #water #sky
Snowflake 965
This snowflake offers up a few clues to ongoing mysteries as to how snowflakes grow outward and how pockets of air get trapped within the structure. The traditional logic was that such pockets formed ...
www.flickr.com
December 10, 2025 at 3:59 PM
Snowflake 964

This one has a ton of volumetric details. Not only did it start as a "split crystal" to allow for overlapping branches, it also features collisions with super-cooled water droplets that form their own crystals. Full write-up here: flickr.com/photos/donko...

#snow #snowflake #ice #sky
Snowflake 964
Happy December, everyone! The snowflakes return. This one is a crystal I never attempted to edit before because I knew it would be a colossal effort in editing, in part due to the volumetric surface a...
flickr.com
December 1, 2025 at 12:30 PM
Reposted
I just listened to a great episode of Photo Geek Weekly, with @donkom.bsky.social engaging @stevebrazill.com in a great photography discussion. You should check it out for yourself. podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/p...
Photo Geek Weekly Episode 193 – Post ISO Era
Podcast Episode · Photo Geek Weekly · 2025-11-30 · 1h 31m
podcasts.apple.com
December 1, 2025 at 4:55 AM
Macro lenses. Do you think I have too many?

Full write-up here: www.flickr.com/photos/donko...

I speak more at length of all of these options in the second edition of my macro photography book, which you can grab here, shipping in 11 days: www.routledge.com/Macro-Photog...
Macro Lenses
I believe it’s safe to say I own an unhealthy number of macro lenses. I shot this updated photo from my new book, now available for pre-order! Link: www.amazon.com/Macro-Photography-Universe-Our-Feet/...
www.flickr.com
September 21, 2025 at 9:22 AM
Second Edition is here! With free global shipping. :D

This is a huge deal for me. The publisher, Routledge, is highly prestigious with a focus on academic books and journals. To be included in their catalogue is an honour. And for the next five days, it’s 20% off.

www.routledge.com/Macro-Photog...
Macro Photography: The Universe at Our Feet
This new edition of an industry staple aims to cover every challenge that a macro photographer might encounter, from beginner problems like focus and motion blur, to more complex issues with magnifica...
www.routledge.com
September 20, 2025 at 12:58 PM
Snowflake 963
Finally, a chance to photograph a snowflake here in #Bulgaria! Problem is, it was melting as I photographed it. That leads to a unique set of challenges but also a rather unique look into the life of a snowflake.
January 17, 2025 at 1:19 PM