Japanese photographer Ryota Kajita explores the unique beauty of ice in his abstract photography series Ice Formations. Now based in Alaska, Kajita has spent the past seven years exploring remote areas of the state. Using his medium format camera, he sets out on expeditions to discover the intricate patterns and details made by nature.
His masterful fine art photography embraces the ephemeral nature of the environment and is a testament to his keen observational skills. With his camera, he crystalizes the precise instance when the ice formation has reached its peak, only to know that seconds later its beauty will transform. While many of us enjoy the wonders of winter, Kajita takes this love to a new level, using it as a way to explore the subtlety of nature.
“The patterns are mysterious and wondrous, delicate and ephemeral. They form quietly, change quickly and disappear while I find only a few,” Kajita writes. “Each pattern is unique, and every season of ice formations is different. Going out and spending time on the ice over the past seven years, I feel the dynamic cycles of seasons as well as the changes in climate. I awaken to earth’s changes. The beautiful ice patterns are not intended for humans or other creatures to appreciate. They happen in nature.”
From ice covered in delicate snowflakes to air bubbles that look like frozen jellyfish, the breadth and variety of the patterns captured are astonishing. Ice Formations is a call to slow down and observe the small details around us. Above all, it's a reminder that art is everywhere, if you look closely enough.
Ice Formations is an incredible look at the abstract, ephemeral beauty of nature.
Since 2010, photographer Ryota Kajita has explored remote areas of Alaska in search of these unique ice patterns.
