Wow, I like Jonathan’s work a lot. Thanks for the introduction.
Here’s my try on your pic. I used Darktable v3.5 and sharpen in GIMP.
_CTW1680.nef.xmp (13.3 KB)
_CTW1680.nef.xmp (13.3 KB)
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I tried to keep the gradation in the trunk of the tree.
With Filmulator:
- Highlight Recovery 2
- Auto CA Correct 1
- Exposure Comp -2/3
- Shadow Rolloff Point 0.0258
- Highlight Rolloff Point 0.943
- Film Area 38.8
- Drama 40.18
- Black Clipping Point 0.0515
- White Clipping Point 0.50
- Shadow Brightness 470
- Highlight Brightness 796
- Monochrome On
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Curious, what makes you feel that way? Personally, I find it serves only to distract from the subject (the tree), except where it has some context (@kakashy).
You can find more samples of his work in this book - https://uk.bookshop.org/books/masters-of-landscape-photography/9781781453209
Also in there is another of my favourite landscape photographers, Joe Cornish - Joe Cornish - Limited Edition
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the background interested me, and it helps to create the tree in its context, after that remains my point of view.
@kakashy Sorry, I didn’t express myself well in my previous comment. I was identifying your edit as one where the road had some context due to the rest of the background also being visible.
@mikae1 had said that the winding white road is important for the composition, but kept the background very hazy in their edit so it was not immediately obvious that it was a road. So I was asking why mikae1 felt that the road was so important. And to be clear, I don’t mean that as criticism, I’m just curious!
I don’t take it badly I understand curiosity ^^
I’m just very opinionated when it comes to dead space. Applying the rule of thirds and leaving large parts of image inactive does not sit well with me. The tree down in the left adds some balance, but I think attenuating the road makes for an even more balanced composition. I did not do a very good job with attenuating it. I’m just at DT noob. 
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