Winter photography is difficult! For one thing, it's really cold here. The camera can't see this extended tonal range the way the eye does. A lot of subtlety goes into editing, bringing the image to the level of perception experienced by a viewer, and not going beyond into the realm of fantasy. Nature is amazing enough. The scene has an infinite gradation of tones and the detail is sharp, but a bit of softness invites the viewer into the distance. Curves throughout the image provide design, a path into the scene and resting places for the eye. The complexity of the image and process becomes more apparent as one looks at it.
Contest Ref