In Toronto, most of us see our first Canadian snowfall when we're infants, but one young photographer captured her 24-year-old friend experiencing the natural phenomenon for the first time during our spring blizzards.

Elle Dhanani works as a photographer, primarily taking concert photos, running her own business called Elle Marie Creative Services.

Her friend, who likes to remain off social media and preferred to use the pseudonym Esther, arrived in Canada from Korea for the first time a couple weeks ago to visit her.

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"We have been pen pals since the beginning of the pandemic and found each other on Reddit to cure the lack of connection that we felt during long periods of isolation," Dhanani tells theGentries.

She quickly got to work showing her all the quintessential Toronto/Canada sights where you'd take anyone to give them a great picture of the city and country.

"We went to the CN Tower and Niagara Falls, but the true Canadian experience happened when we were sitting at my kitchen table. Out of nowhere, she squealed with delight as big snowflakes fell from the sky and started to accumulate on the ground," says Dhanani.

"She grabbed a big wool blanket and ran into the backyard. My camera is always an arm's length away, so I grabbed it and started shooting. I hate winter, especially when it's unseasonable, but that moment has changed the meaning of snow forever. She couldn't stop smiling and neither could I."

The photos show Esther's absolute childlike wonderment at the magical snowfall, as well as Dhanani's skill at bringing out the inner radiance in her subjects.

"I want to make connections, show the beauty that exists beyond filters, posed photos, and shame," says Dhanani.