Winter Magic, Magnified
Photography By Angie Payne
Photographer Angie Payne visited Salt Lake City on the hunt for snowflakes and other wintery scenes. “There was a fair amount of uncertainty involved with planning a trip around the idea of photographing fresh snow,” says Payne, “but Utah came through.” (Read: "How to Photograph Snowflakes — Nature’s Fleeting Work of Art")
For Payne, it’s the impermanence of snowflakes that speak to her most. “These little pieces of beauty fall from the sky and grace the world with their mesmerizing presence for a few moments before melting away or being buried under other snowflakes and incorporated into the chaos. On the rare occasion that I get to enjoy and photograph the intricate beauty of a single flake, it feels like time stops for a brief moment. There is a focused awareness and excitement that comes in those few fleeting seconds before the flake, in all its individual and absolutely unique beauty, is gone forever.”
Meet some of Utah’s fleeting, but precious, tiny ones.
"There’s a unique feeling that comes when you view something that’s truly one-of-a-kind, something that exists for only a few moments in the vast continuum of time and space. A certain bit of enigmatic something can be encapsulated in that tiny little miracle of nature, and that something is the closest thing to magic that I’ve ever found."
– Angie Payne
Because snowflakes are small (really, really small), photographer Angie Payne uses a macro lens to capture the intricate details. A true macro lens offers a 1:1 magnification ratio, meaning that the size of the snowflake in real life is the same as the size of the image projected onto the camera’s sensor.
"I realize I have an abnormal obsession with these little pieces of frozen perfection, but I swear there’s just nothing quite like these miniature works of art," says photographer Angie Payne.
"From the highest peaks of the Wasatch Mountains to the sidewalks of Salt Lake City, spectacular frozen works of art drop from the sky anywhere it snows."
– Angie Payne
Working with these teeny tiny frozen works of art is incredibly frustrating, because micro movements, a rogue breath, or any amount of wind can instantly destroy the scene. Luckily, the payoff is always worth it, and every once in a while a shot works out.
Fuzzy wool fibers catch flakes and keep them elevated for easy viewing; the wool also acts as an insulator to keep the snowflake from melting immediately.
When it isn’t snowing, look for other forms of frozen microscopic beauty, such as ice crystals and hoar frost that forms on plants when the humidity is high and the temperature is low.
About the Photographer – Angie Payne
Angie Payne discovered her love of photography while exploring nature and traveling the world as a professional climber. Countless days spent in the mountains of Colorado, and subsequent climbing expeditions to Greenland and French Polynesia, opened Angie’s eyes to the magnificence of nature and her desire to capture photos of it. Her early photographic pursuits involved an iPhone and inexpensive magnetic lenses. This simple setup was enough to ignite her iterest in pursuing photography more seriously, and in 2012 she purchased her first digital camera. Her current work is mainly concentrated in the world of macro photography, as she is especially obsessed with the tiny worlds that exist within bigger landscapes. Angie currently lives in Boulder, Colorado.
Winter in Utah
Here in Utah, winter is a beloved season. As the snow falls, our spirits rise. We gleefully anticipate frost on our cheeks, powder on our ski runs and a blanket of white spread across the mountain ranges. You don’t have to be from here to belong here. Welcome to Utah’s famous winter.
Read the stories
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11 More Utah Winter Experiences Outside the Ski Resorts
Written By Matador
6 minute read
No matter your level of adventure, you will find good reason to save some time for a day away from the resort.
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A Utah Ski Vacation (or Two) for Less
Written By Paula Colman
6 minute read
Shop for ski gear like a local. Get discounts on lift tickets. Learn everything you need to know for a cheap luxury ski trip.
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A Winter’s Desert: Visiting Southern Utah in the Slow Months
Written By Brinley Froelich
7 minute read
Experiencing the peace of canyon country in the winter is an attraction of its own.
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AndShesDopeToo's Insider's Guide to Ogden
Written By Visit Utah
5 minute read
AndShesDopeToo is a worldwide adventure community of women run by Jennifer and Taylor Killian from Ogden, Utah. This insider's guide video highlights their unparalleled access to both the outdoors and the city's "fun counterculture vibe" at the foot of the mighty Wasatch Mountains.
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Another Day in Powadise
Written By Austen Diamond
4 minute read
Join ski cat driver Kevin Irons on a day's adventures to Lightning Ridge at Powder Mountain, complete with pizza bribery, remote access and lots of powder.
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Bear Lake Monster Winterfest
Written By Ben Whisenant
8 minute read
It all started decades ago with the “Cisco Disco” and has grown to include a polar plunge, chili cookoff and winter festival known as the Bear Lake Monster Winterfest.
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Best Après Ski Bars in Park City and Beyond
Written By Austen Diamond
4 minute read
Want to master the art of après? Here’s your guide to the best après-ski bars in Park City and the Wasatch Front.
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Best Hikes in St. George During Winter
Written By Matcha
5 minute read
While Utah's Greater Zion offers a few hundred trails, we’ve highlighted seven of the best hikes in the state's southwestern corner, from deep canyons to high peaks.
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Best Spots to Get Olympic Spirit
Written By Visit Utah
Just because the Salt Lake 2002 Olympic Winter Games are in the past doesn’t mean that the Utah Olympic spirit is has been snuffed out. Athletes still train here, and ski schools in Utah resorts might be the start of a future Olympian’s career.
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Beyond the Lake
Written By Ben Whisenant
4 minute read
From snowmobiling to skiing, snowshoeing to sledding and fishing, Bear Lake in the winter is everything you’ll want from your next winter vacation.
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Explore the Tushars on Snowshoe
Written By Jeremy Pugh
3 minute read
Ready to experience snowshoeing in Utah? Eagle Point is a Utah favorite location. Check out this snowshoe excursion then plan yours today for fun and adventure.
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Family and Budget Guide to the One and Only Ski City: Salt Lake
Written By Kristen Pope
6 minute read
With 11 family-friendly resorts nearby, Salt Lake City skiing, dining and entertainment options make Utah one of the best ski destinations in the western U.S.
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Find a Winter Refresh in a Utah State Park
Written By Rosie Serago
4 minute read
The best Utah state parks will entice you with ice fishing, white sand and snow-dusted scenery. Take a winter break to refresh with a visit to a few of these places.
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Gravity and Water: Mark Making in a Winter’s Desert with Anne Kaferle
Written By Brinley Froelich
3 minute read
Finding Helper at a time when she “needed it the most,” landscape artist Anne Kaferle has put down roots in Utah, thanks to plein-air painting and the healing power of time alone in the landscape.
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Harnessing Passion: The Arctic Rescue Sled Dog Team
Written By Sara Hobbs
Maren and Racer Gibson of All Seasons Adventures in Park City, Utah rescue "unadoptable" Huskies and Malamutes. The dogs participate in a dog sledding operation to help find their purpose. Book a dog sled tour with the pups and witness their story as they pull your sled through the area's snow blanketed open spaces.
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How to Backcountry Camp Responsibly
Written By Arianna Rees
Four tips on how to camp more thoughtfully and responsibly in Utah's backcountry.
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How to Camp on Utah’s BLM Lands
Written By Sara Hobbs
Read these insights and tips gathered from a novice’s first-ever camping trip on BLM and public lands to gain the confidence you need to recreate happily and respectfully on Utah’s public lands.
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Ice and rock, snow and splendor: Winter in Southern Utah
Written By Jeremy Pugh
10 minute read
For an extraordinary adventure, plan winter hikes in Utah’s Zion National Park. Winter rewards hikers with stunning sights of stalactites and snow covered mountains.
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Insider's Guide to Park City
Written By Sara Hobbs
3 minute read
Kaylin Richardson, Olympic athlete, and a friend share their favorite Park City experiences to encourage you to add the city's culture-enriched valley, scenery, food, art and access to all-season adventure to your bucket list.
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More than Downhill Skiing
Written By Matcha
4 minute read
Winter in the Ogden Valley showcases some of the best of Northern Utah, from backcountry trails to downtown eats and events. No matter what kind of winter adventure you’re looking for, you’re sure to find it in Ogden.
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Park City Area: 1 Destination, 3 Resorts
Written By Kristen Pope
4 minute read
Park City offers access to three state-of-the-art ski resorts, world-class dining, luxury lodging, music, film screenings and so much more.
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The Fly Girls of Park City
Written By Whitney Childers
7 minute read
Kick off your ski trip by visiting Utah Olympic Park and reliving the fight for gender equality in the Olympic Winter Games with Park City’s very own women changemakers.
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The Lowdown on Ice Climbing in Maple Canyon
Written By Matcha
4 minute read
With routes ranging from approachable to challenging, Maple Canyon is one of Utah’s most beloved ice-climbing destinations. Take advantage of the variety of climbing available to enjoy this scenic winter climbing destination.
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Winter in the Bryce Canyon Area: Hiking, Cross-Country Skiing and Snowmobiling
Written By Jeremy Pugh
4 minute read
Learn more about why Bryce Canyon and the surrounding areas are the perfect place for winter hiking, cross-country skiing and snowmobiling.
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Winter Road Trip: Where to Stay, Hike and Eat When Traveling from Capitol Reef to Bryce Canyon
Written By Jeremy Pugh
Need winter break ideas? Take a road trip from Capitol Reef to Bryce Canyon and enjoy the best of Utah landscapes during its quiet season.