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A beautiful composition with very nice lighting, Wolfgang!

With best regards,

Ruud.

The fine detail and textures are a joy to view in the larger format. I like the repetetive patterns that the snow covered horizonal bare branches make near the bottom of the trees.  The composition is bold and central, but it works!  It doesn't lead the eye in any specific direction, but rather creates two paths either side for the eyes to explore.  The sky looks a bit stark and white and although this is prbably considered a typical winter sky, I think a tad more grey would make it more moody for me.

Very well done Wolfgang!

Best Regards

Alf

I like the composition where trees are " framing" trees ... the triangled middle is very beautiful,as well as the title! that  can be understud  to different dirctions...Very nice winter landscape.

Quite a daring composition this is -- I wasn't quite sure what to think of it when I saw it first... After viewing it a couple of times (larger sized), I have to admit that I got past the prominent central feel of it, and actually started almost liking it for its graphic impact... (the snow-covered branches, rendered practically in monotone here). The fact that there are two leading pathways is quite interesting, as it leaves ( & keeps) the viewer deciding which way to go,  while wondering what lays beyond in the distant mist... (I guess hence the title..?) Intriguingly observed & rendered with just the right kind of subtlety, Wolfgang...

Mesmerizing detail, when seen large as it should be.

It's funny that, at the small size, the compositional aspects seem to take over for me and so the somewhat still, centered feel has a lot of impact. When seen large, the details and texture come forward and the composition is of less concern to me.

I was just looking at your bold, centered birch tree against the green grass and pastel blue sky. This is a softer companion piece in terms of composition to that. Side by side, these two photos I refer to make as bold a statement as that one does individually. Not that I think they go terribly well together . . . I'd keep them separate . . . but they do seem to be in a dialogue of sorts with each other. 

Interesting.

Nice work.

many thanks for your kind words.

@Fred: you've observed my portfolio very well - in my landscape photos I often try to identify patterns and shapes and for some (probably unconscious) reason I find myself being often attracted by strongly centered and balanced compositions (maybe it's a quest for revealing some underlying order or laws of nature?).

@Marjolein and Pnina: besides centered composition I liked the perspective with two vanishing points almost mirroring each other (yes, hence the title: the viewer has the choice...).

@Alf: good hint to consider a less bright sky - I just played a bit with the highlhgts and from first impression a tad more grey supports the atmosphere better.

Did you line up the trees like that? Its so beautiful.