An Ilkley Moor Engagement Shoot: Winter Sun, a Snowstorm and a White-Out
A cream bobble hat, a red tartan scarf, a puppy trotting through fresh snow and the rooftops below disappearing into a blizzard. Kate and Graham’s engagement shoot on Ilkley Moor gave us glorious winter sunshine and one of the craziest snowstorms we have ever been out in, all in one session.
Ilkley Moor: the moor from Yorkshire’s anthem
Ilkley Moor rises above the town of Ilkley on the southern slope of Wharfedale, and it’s the moor of ‘On Ilkla Moor Baht ’at’, the dialect song some call Yorkshire’s anthem. It covers around 676 hectares (1,670 acres) and is one of six moors that together make up Rombalds Moor. It has been in public ownership since 1893, it’s now owned and managed by Bradford Council, and there’s open access on foot across the whole moor.
It’s a protected Site of Special Scientific Interest, with heather moorland, prehistoric carved rocks and the gritstone cliffs of the Cow and Calf. For photos it gives you huge skies, scattered boulders and stands of pine trees, and in winter the weather can change completely in the course of a single shoot.
Sunshine, a snowstorm and shelter under the pines
Christmas always goes pretty fast for us, with family in Scotland and down in the Midlands and weddings either side. What time we did get, we spent thinking about what 2015 could bring: refining what we loved about the year before and continuing to push ourselves creatively. We must have done something right. As we drove to the shoot that morning, with a fantastic winter sun battling the occasional snowstorm, it all seemed a bit too good to be true.
We started in bright sunshine among the rocks, with snow lying between the boulders, Kate in her bobble hat and tartan scarf and Graham in a dark quilted jacket. Then the snow came in. Don’t get me wrong, it was pretty chilly at times. But even as we sheltered against the trunks of some pine trees, with the flakes streaking past, things just seemed to look great through the viewfinders.
A white-out over the valley
We headed back towards the cars once things settled down a little, but from up on the moor we could see the next wave of snow moving through the valley below. It didn’t take long before we were in the middle of a white-out again, with the houses below fading into the blizzard. A little black-and-tan puppy in a red collar trotted through the snow beside Kate and Graham as they kissed.
I’ve got to hand it to Kate and Graham, they seemed to enjoy the weather as much as we did. Lucky really, because we took those last shots running over to different spots for a better angle, with snow absolutely soaking our cameras and freezing our hands. We really could have stayed until hypothermia set in!
Why we love an engagement shoot on Ilkley Moor
If you’re thinking about the moor for your own engagement shoot, especially in winter, here’s our honest take:
- Don’t cancel for the weather. Sun, snow and cloud in one session gave Kate and Graham far more variety than a calm day would have.
- Dress warm, and in colour. Bobble hats, tartan scarves and mittens keep you cosy and look great against snow and grey skies.
- Use the trees. The pines gave us shelter in the heaviest snow, and a darker backdrop that makes falling flakes stand out.
- Follow the light. With open access on foot across the whole moor, you’re free to wander wherever the weather looks best.
Planning an engagement shoot in Yorkshire?
We love a shoot with a bit of weather, whatever the season. Browse our Yorkshire wedding photography, or get in touch to plan your own.
