Russian photographer Alexey Trofimov calls Lake Baikal “the gem that does not need to be cut.” It’s the oldest, largest, deepest, and clearest freshwater lake in the world. Every winter, as temperatures plummet to well below zero, the crystal clear lake water forms brilliant gem-like ice that glimmers in the sunlight.
The beautiful structures are formed as the lake freezes unevenly across its surface, causing some blocks to be pushed up onto the surface of the frozen lake. Trofimov has made a number of trips out to the lake to capture these “gems” in all their beauty.
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