Strangled Tree & Thermal Crenulations

I've shot this tree at Mammoth Hot Springs a ton and I took some more shots last Friday at sunrise. I tried it in B&W and several different crops and I'm interested in what people prefer, as well as call C&C on processing, the shot, etc.

1.
http://www.frigidlight.com/wp-conten...lated-tree.jpg

2.
http://www.frigidlight.com/wp-conten...ed-tree-bw.jpg

3.
http://www.frigidlight.com/wp-conten...ee-bw-crop.jpg

4.
http://www.frigidlight.com/wp-conten...ee-bw-crop.jpg

5. A new thing I tried - a square crop.
http://www.frigidlight.com/wp-conten...075-square.jpg

Very Beautiful photos!

My favorites are your first and last photos; the last one I especially liked for your square cropping.

Hi David,

I like the ice lead-in line in #1, but the trees are too small.

I prefer the colours to the monochromes, #3 was my next choice.

I think the square crop is closest to ideal (trees are bigger, we see more blue sky), but would suggest trimming some off the left hand edge, perhaps making a 5 x 4 (V x H) aspect ratio.

If you want to keep it square, crop 10% of left and bottom edges of #5 (I renumbered it from being a second #4).

Cheers,