The composition is flawless but I disagree with all the others preceding me... I feel the dodge and burn was a bit overdone. The photo is fantastic on its own without the unexplained backlighting that seems to only hover near the (?)heart(?) of the tree.
Again this is a great photo but I'd really rahter see less manipulation.
The sky is so cool - how did you do that? I'll have to make this a favorite - it's the kind of shot I've been trying to get for ages (unfortunately without success :-) ... so I'll just fave yours and lay off off my own attempts at "lone tree photography". I hope you can write a comment or send a PM about the sky. Great job.
This emotes loneliness. It is stunning. I really appreciate the monochromatic theme. The sky is almost dreamlike. I love the single bare tree. Perfect composition!