This image from Lancaster County, Pa. was created with a layer of 2 shots – a softened version and a sharp version.  I layered the softened version on top and with a layer mask painted through the 2 trees in the foreground so that they would appear sharp while the rest of the image is soft.  There is also a little Topaz Simplify added as well.   A little snow on the fence and branches would have been a nice touch, but while we had snow at home, it was all melted in Lancaster County the day I visited.

I love rural landscapes and set out to photograph them whenever I can.  Barns, silos, animals, farm equipment, etc. all appeal to me photographically.  In my mind this scene works because it’s winter and there are no leaves on the trees.  While I was shooting, I imagined this composition with full leafy trees and I can’t see it as having the same draw for me.  The silos and barns were in the fog, so the dark tree trunks and branches really stand out against the haze in the background.