This image received an honorable mention in a photo contest. I thought it deserved better than that, so I entered it in a different contest where it was awarded a first place ribbon. The eye of the beholder I guess...
Beautiful image. I usually don't like color but this is outstanding. Only quibble is the branch on upper left - it suggests something taller than the subject tree.
The colours are perfect, kind of a split toned look. I have to agree with Mark in that the road is distracting. This is a great image in it's simplicity and removing the distractions including some of the sky will concentrate the attention on the tree.
This photo has wow factor and I can see how it could be judged quite differently.
Cheers, Tony
the road is wrong as mentioned, but it's more a question of the perspective is not right, the angles are wrong and the branch/other tree intruding on the left is distracting