They are from a series called 'Hommage to Wilson A. Bentley', 2005-2006 - honoring the pioneer of snowflake photography (born in rural Vermont in 1880), who took thousands of photos of snowflakes
in his lifetime.
Inspired by a Breughel winter paiting, in 2003 Obata went to Hokkaido, one of Japans northernmost islands, to photograph speed skaters and other wintery scenes, and got particularly involved in trying
to capture the snow itself.
Take a look at his fine book 'Wintertale' right here:
http://www.photoeye.com/BookteaseLight/bookteaselight.cfm?catalog=ZD657&image=1
Had to google a bit more about old Wilson A. Bentley. And here he is.
Wilsons interest in snowflakes started in early boyhood when his mother gave him a microscope.
It took him years of experimenting with camera equipment and general inventiveness, before he
actually managed to capture the evasive flakes.
His approach was scientific and systematic. Apparently he numbered his flakes. Patient guy.
I found this lovely montage of the flakes 889-900 - and a large single perfect snowflake.
As they all are, of course.
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