Under close study, snow proves to be one of the earth's truly malleable substances. Its density ranges from weightless powder to solid ice, its forms can be soft and subtle, or as jagged as a serrated blade. While temperature, humidity, radiation and time all work to constantly change the snow, perhaps no force has greater power to effect sudden change than the wind. A single hour of wind can completely transform a smooth snowscape into infinite sweeping lines and feathered edges, eventually sculpting the snow into hard masses of endless subtle design.

This series of VAST photos by artist Scott Rinckenberger explores the beauty of these principles.