That is an outstanding photo. There are a lot of things that just drew my eyes to it and then kept them there.
The dark foreground, yet with the plants there lit sufficiently to make out their detail. The dark sky balances the foreground and helps to pound in the feeling of desolation, isolation and frigid cold. The brighter middle ground and side lit tree line contrast the feelings from the sky and foreground. The light/white wind blown looking snow though reminds that it would be a bitter trek across that open ground to get to the trees.
I wonder too about how the b&w conversion was done. Was the sky filtered with a red filter, like we used to do with B&w film. I admire folks who get up early, even if not so early in the winter, to take a shot like that. Big assumption on my part, based mostly on the snow on the branches in the grove of trees. Wind picks up during the day and blows snow off branches, as does a warming sun. In these Spring days south of the Finger Lakes has reminded me a couple of times that I could not wait a shot, as I did, til I came home from work since the snow scenes revealed in the morning light disappears sooner and sooner.
I admire this shot greatly. Thanks for posting it.
Dave Ralph