Thank you all. All your comments were varied and just what I was hoping for.
Buddha, thanks for moving this to the appropriate location. I should spend more time exploring and learning this web site's bells and whistles.
None of these 3 images were of my greatest works, but I had some "untrained" criticism - both positive and negative - so I thought I'd post these to get more "expert" input. I puroposely did not describe what I was trying to capture in any of these, so not to bias the viewer/critic. Its interesting that most of you caught on to what I was after.
Quote: I love the shadows of the trees in the snow.
This was exactly what impressed me about these scenes, and is what I was trying to capture. The third image shows the shaddow being so crisp in its outlines and contasting so nicely with the snow. The first two images try to show the long tree shaddows reaching out and almost wanting to pull the observer back into the trees.
Quote: Something about that lonely tree across the lake from the others, adorned with the backlit shiny ice/snow on its branches and pristine snow in the foreground.
These were exactly the elements I was trying to capture, along with, and especially the lone tree's striking shaddow.
Quote: The first 2 images however have the horizon bisecting the image leading the eye in no distinct direction. Are you focussing on the trees, or the shadows in the snow?
Yes, thanks for noting his. I'm glad you brought out the 1/3 rule. I originally composed the image as you suggested, but at the last minute decided to try to get more of the tree as well. I'll experiment with different crops to see how the effect is. I was mostly after the shaddows, but loved the sun eclipsed by the trees. There was some heavy frost on the trees that did not get conveyed in the image.
Quote: my honest opinion: The first two just look like a picture of a row of trees by some snow taken with a wide lens.
Thanks for the honesty. I don't know what it is exactly about the first image, but to me, especially when viewed form a bit of distance and on its own, it tends to draw me into it. Perhaps it the direction of the shaddows and branches all radiating out from the center where the sun is. I somehow feel mesmerised or pulled into the scene. I was just wondering if anyone else got that feeling or effect from #1. Perhaps it is somewhat lost in a smaller image, crowded with two others below it.
Buddha did mention the 1/3 rule as related to the horizon. I was wondering if having the lone tree in #3 and also the large tree in the first two images centered from left to right was at all a negitive factor in the compositions. Would they be better or worse if the trees were moved off center?
Thanks again, I will definintely take all your comments to use. And will gladly place more images here in the future!