Cold Mountain in Alum Creek

As the year winds down, central Ohio has seen more snow during the month of December than all of last winter combined. Yesterday I awoke to another fresh layer covering the ground and knew that I would be venturing out into the white abyss to see what I could capture.

While the snow makes for a beautiful sight, I find it to be a challenging subject to capture properly. The snow covered ground with an overcast sky resulted in many washed out shots. I made my way around town and eventually headed north to Alum Creek State Park. I knew what I was looking for: A snow covered path with trees lining either side. If I could capture that scene, I knew I could create the rest of my vision once I was home. I had watched the movie "Cold Mountain" a few years ago. (No, I haven't read the book.) I fell in love with the movie. Not sure if it was because of Jude Law or just how heartbreaking and yet beautiful the storyline is. 

In the movie, black crows are referenced a couple of times and foreshadow the climax where shots are fired in the snow covered wilderness followed by crows flying. As they disperse and the echo of the discharged firearms travel farther away, the realization that something horrific has happened becomes apparent. Not sure why, but that scene has always stayed with me.

This is my best effort to pay tribute to "Cold Mountain"