Oh good grief! A beautiful shot, crisp, clear, artistic and a darker area in the shot kills it??? Actually, I think the shadow kind of "frames" the shot every well and adds to the movement within the footprints, drift marks of the wind on the snow. It all works. And, you're right...the footprints would be NO different if the shadow weren't there ROFLMAO!!! *SIGH*
Great composition. The shadow up top adds a nice graphic touch and DOF is perfect with nice detail in the foreground fading away as it trails towards the top.
I do rather wish the dark shadowed area was not there. I think the footprints would have more to say just fading off into the distance without the distracting dark area. But all in all, nice.