Amazing images of snow crystals show off nature's beauty

You don't need a fancy camera with a paparazzi-like lens to shoot great photos of nature. Just ask Alexey Kljatov. The Moscow resident used a point-and-shoot camera (with a few extras) to capture these amazing images of snow flakes and crystals. Then he shared them on Flickr.

Kljatov, who told Yahoo News by email that he is not a professional photographer, took all the photos from his balcony in Moscow. He said he used a Canon PowerShot A650 with a Helios 44 M-5 lens and a Canon Hacker's Development Kit, which "greatly enhances camera functionality."

Even he was surprised at how well the camera's built-in and external lenses worked together.

"Before I started shooting snowflakes, I thought that this would be too difficult for any beginner and would require some expensive equipment," he told Yahoo News via email. "Now I know that this is completely wrong. Anyone with just simple point-and-shoot camera can take good pictures of snowlakes... Only patience [and a little practice] is needed."

"When I started to shoot snowflakes 5 years ago, I can't imagine how different and unusual they look like," he said.

For more of his amazing photographs, check out his Flickr set.