Story highlights Wintry weather got you down? Get creative by capturing icy images

Macro photography involves getting greater than life-size photos

Share your up-close photos of ice with CNN iReport

As an ice storm swept the Midwest and East Coast this week, cooped-up photographers took the opportunity to take a closer look at Mother Nature's gift.

From branches coated in ice to snowflakes suspended in air, their up-close views revealed beauty you can't see from afar.

Some iReporters used macro photography, sometimes called extreme close-up photography, the practice of capturing larger-than-life versions of objects. It's like seeing the intricate details of a bee, or a flower, in a photo that's greater than life-size.

Another way to achieve the macro look is to use extension tubes. Landscape photographer Kristen Meister used these tubes, along with a macro lens, to magnify the image even more.