Describing Folds

I well remember a painting teacher telling us to utilise shadows to help to describe the landscape over which they fall. It struck me that snow is a perfect situation in which to use that technique. Otherwise it can appear flat and uninteresting.

I found this spot amongst the reeds where snow had accumulated in folds, driven in there by wind. The reeds cast their shadows in stripes, distorted by the mounds of snow into a swirling pattern.

Initially I thought a tighter shot would focus attention on the pattern, but it wasn't defined enough close up.