The images we have of Christmas in the West is of holey, Christmas tree, lights, family, carols, food, drink, presents, amongst other things …. and snow. In Canada, it’s hard to miss snow at Christmas. It’s something that’s taken for granted.
But is snow really all that important at Christmas?
It depends really on what you expect and want at Christmas. Many countries never see or experience snow. Many do.
I feel rather ambivalent about snow, which may sound strange considering where I come from. Snow can be beautiful and pristine when it first falls, but can quickly turn into slush, and become dirty. After months of snow, it can becoming a bit tiresome, unless you’re into winter sports like skiing or sledging.
That said, I don't mind getting my fingers frozen and nearly frost bitten to capture the beauty of snow. It’s character is quite contradictory. It can be fluffy, and yet also have a crispness and frostiness to it.
It’s character is so dependent on the weather and how the air is at a particular time. In many ways, it reflects what the atmosphere feels like.
I can quite happily photograph snow in either black & white or in colour. Snow itself can be a bit bland so I am often finding myself trying to find some contrast. This can take shape in playing with light, or finding a leaf on the ground or in a fence.
Snow gives you a very white and blank canvas to let your imagination run riot.