Much of northern Europe has been experiencing a prolonged cold spell over the past 4 weeks. Here, on Ireland’s temperate south coast, snow is a rarity even for a short time. But what is it about snow that makes both passionate and casual photographers alike spring into action? I think that the welcome brightness of fresh snow and it’s immediate visual impact on everyday mundane scenes – along with it’s temporary nature makes us want to capture it in camera.

During this early morning walk to work, almost every person I encountered either had a camera or phone in hand. The fleeting nature of the scene was short-lived indeed – six hours later the snow had completely melted, only to be replaced with grey storm clouds, wind and rain.

Carpe diem – sieze the day. Sieze the moment.