It's not very often that we get a considerable amount of snow in the UK that lasts for more than a day.
Most recently, in late 2024 and early 2025, we had 2 rounds of snow that managed to stay around for a fairly decent amount of time. Naturally, it made for some great opportunities for some film photography...
Most recently, in late 2024 and early 2025, we had 2 rounds of snow that managed to stay around for a fairly decent amount of time. Naturally, it made for some great opportunities for some film photography...
Roll 1 - November 2024.
Nikon FM3a, Ilford HP5+ (pushed to 1600iso)
Harrogate, North Yorkshire.
My first thought when we had some snow was obviously that black and white film was the best pick for the job. To take it further, I decided to shoot HP5 at 1600 to really give it a boost in terms of contrast. I figured it would give me a bit more flexibility, while also helping to avoid the possibility of the photos being an endless sea of muddy grey tones.
I love these photos; the grain is surprisingly tolerable, and the contrast with pushed HP5 is magnificent, giving the images a really distinct, punchy look. Beyond the technical aspects of the film itself, I also just love the scenes depicted here; the empty parks and untouched snow paint a wonderful picture of a day where no one wants to be outside, staying inside to keep warm instead...
Roll 2 - January 2025.
Nikon FM3a, Cinestill 800T.
Harrogate, North Yorkshire.
Snow once again returned in January. This time, I was determined to try something different with the snow and avoid just repeating myself with more black and white film. This time, I decided to go with Cinestill 800T, for a couple reasons. My first thought was obviously that some colour would help to give it a different aesthetic to the photos I took previously. However, two other factors played a big role. Firstly, the tungsten balance of 800T I thought would be a smart move. Given that I was intending to be the first person out of the house to get the snow pictures while it was almost entirely untouched, I was looking at being out before it really got too bright, so I would be relying on artificial light a lot. I also found that the cooler tones of tungsten balanced film really worked quite nicely with the snow, accentuating the blue tones in a way which really give it a nice "cool" look. The standout reason for me was almost certainly the signature feature of re-rolled Kodak Vision3 stocks without the remjet layer - halation. For the unaware, halation is the reflection of bright points of light off of the film's base and/or pressure plate, causing a "glow" in the overexposed highlights on some images. When done right, the halation from these stocks can look absolutely wonderful, and I thought this would be the perfect opportunity to really lean into it.
Based off of these photos, I think I made the right choice. I absolutely love these images - the halation looks beautiful, and the cooler tones of tungsten balance really help give the images a cold feel to them which really enhances the atmosphere.
Cinestill 800T really is so cliché in the film photography world these days, with endless photos of nighttime scenes of gas stations and streets in Japan. But I think staying away from that and choosing it for this scenario really helped to make it feel fresh and different for a change.
Roll 3 - January 2025.
Nikon FM3a, Ilford Delta 400.
Saltaire, West Yorkshire.
Finally, I had a day out with a friend where we decided to enjoy the last remnants of the snow in a different location. Saltaire has some lovely walks, and I thought it would be a nice change of scenery in order to have a different location to Harrogate. The mix of former industrial areas in Salts' Mill and the walk along the canal helped in giving us a bit more variety in our scenery, and it was also a nice chance to visit the village once more after not having been there for a while.
I really like these photos. Much of the snow had melted by this point, and I quite like the contrast with these images as a result to the ones from Harrogate; the untouched snow in comparison to the worn and rough remaining snow after a week had passed. Delta 400 worked quite well here - I wasn't necessarily wanting the extreme contrast of pushed HP5 again, and I like the tone of these images at box speed just fine. Changing it up with a slightly more industrial, and "lived-in" location also provided a nice change of scenery - the difference between the picturesque Valley Gardens in Harrogate, vs the slushy streets, muddy pathways and cold cemetery of Saltaire was a good way to mix it up. Not all snow photos have to be capturing perfectly clear and untouched scenery!
And with that, the snow was all gone following these 3 rolls.
This was a really special experience. Having the opportunity to have some snow last long enough to really make the most of it picture-wise is something I always look forward to, and this was no exception. Now we just have to wait until next winter and hope it comes again...
This was a really special experience. Having the opportunity to have some snow last long enough to really make the most of it picture-wise is something I always look forward to, and this was no exception. Now we just have to wait until next winter and hope it comes again...