Well, I don't know the colour version but I feel that the black and white really adds to the image. Don't you think so yourself? Texture of both log and the grass come out nicely ... and the still surface of the lake or whatever it is provides a very neutral background. Well seen, good decision to convert it.
I still don't think this log is photographed against the sky, I still believe it is the reflection of the sky on a water surface. Am I wrong or am I right?