Daniel Zvereff is a freelance designer, illustrator and photographer. He travels to the far corners of the world documenting his journeys through images and journals.
Harbin is the tenth most populated city in China. Located above the 45°N latitude, the winters are bitterly cold and long. I traveled to Harbin in January, when the city was experiencing its coldest winter in 43 years. Temperatures in the day dropped below -34°C, and I was seriously unprepared. This experience completely transformed the meaning of the word “cold” to me. With every breath I took, the hairs in my nose would freeze, stab me from the inside and then defrost upon exhaling. Life here requires 24-hour maintenance to keep the city moving — everything freezes, and cars barely run. There’s a constant and tireless mindset of maintenance and preparation that keeps this part of the world from being completely enveloped and lost in the winter. Although many people visit Harbin for its stunning yearly ice festival, I found the daily life to be much more spectacular.

-Daniel Zvereff
To learn more about Daniel and see more of his work, please visit his website.