“I enter the forest trail, branches bend and bow, forming a cathedral-like arch above my head. In the silence of the new fallen snow, I find myself in reverence to the beauty of nature. A walk in the woods becomes a spiritual experience once more.” – Ed Lehming

This is how that wonderful day in early December started out. Only a few steps from the trailhead, this scene of wonder greated me. It truly felt like those first few moments when I enter a great cathedral. The quiet grandeur and majesty of the columns and high vaulted ceilings humbles me and puts me in a place of reverence.

It’s so very difficult to fully explain this to people who are not connected to nature. There are times, like this, where the beauty is simply overwhelming. I have found myself standing, nearly breathless as I simply drink it in. Places and scenes like this sustain me through my lows, reminding me that peace and beauty are still very present.

On that December morning I was a bit nervous about my ability to successfully capture that beauty. I have found that when everything around me is so startlingly beautiful it become difficult isolate sections. But this time, it seemed that no matter what way I turned to compose an image, there simply was not a bad shot. A few of my photos are not as captivating or interesting as others, but they are all beautiful in their own way.

As I look back on this particular photo I can still experience that incredible feeling of peace and wonder, watching wisps of snow swirling in the air on the gentle breeze, the only sound I could hear. Just writing this and looking at the image brings peace and calm to me and I look forward to entering this place once more.

iPhone 12 Pro @ 6.0 mm
1/1916 sec, f/2.0, ISO 26