Gorski kotar

It was late November when a heavy snowstorm hit the region of Gorski kotar. I saw the perfect opportunity to welcome winter and the new ski touring season, so I headed to the small village of Tuk. Overnight, almost half a meter of fresh snow covered the forests and fields. I put on my skis and made a short loop through the surrounding woods and toward Matic poljana, just enough to feel the first breath of winter after a long summer and autumn.

For this trip I brought my Leica M4 from 1970 loaded with Ilford HP5. I chose a classic black and white film because in the middle of a snowstorm there are hardly any colors to begin with. Instead, I wanted to focus on the contrast between the bright tones of the snow and the dark silhouettes of the spruce trees. I also knew that the natural grain of the film mixed with the falling snowflakes would enhance the mood and give an even stronger sense of cold and motion in the air.