My monitor is too bad, I'm afraid, to really critique this photo, for I see too little. The dark patch in the front is almost featureless for me (it may not be so for those who have high resolution screens, which I don't have). Therefore I don't like that big, black patch and am wondering where the oasis might be. I'm sure I'd understand things much better if I saw them any better.
Sorry about the nasty scan LaFoto, I'm sure it doesn't help your monitor problem -- scans usually come out pretty dull and contrasty, so I don't really do them all that often.
PoorContrast, maybe due to your scanning, the snow looks milky... has a very dark moody feel.. and dont like the crop on the bottom it leads the eye out...
Well, now I'm seeing this thread again, and now things have changed on my desk (I threw a party for it the other day ... and no, not the 2K-party): I have a good monitor now.
And guess what?
I see the reflection in the puddle.
I even seen now that it IS a puddle in the first place. No more black blobs. No.
A wintery wood with a puddle that is not entirely frozen. Hence the "oasis"-thing? (I doubt that sbalsama has come back between posting that photo on 1 Jan and now......)