It was just a mostly overcast day. With the light in the good place.
All feedback is more then welcome.
(If this is a composite, etc. please be honest with your techniques to help others learn)
Ben, it’s probably not fair to do this, but this image is so similar to your prior forest light post that the easiest way for me is to contarst this one to the prior post. I love the light and color in this image, it’s fairly similar to the prior post in that it creates a nice warm mood, and the light makes wonderful spotlit areas on the trees. Also like the prior post, I think your processing has done a good job of handling dappled light in a forest.
But this current image has less impact for me than the prior one. The prior image was relatively simple and direct. This image has a lot more complexity, which makes it harder for me to focus my attention on key elements. The log at the bottom is more of a distraction to me rather than being a framing element (the light on the log is partly responsible for this). The spotlit tree at the right edge pulls my eye away too much from the center.
Thank you again for all this attention, Ed. I am posting here for critiques. But indeed a similar image like this one I can maybe better post in image showcase. 
Not to quote the movie “This Is Spinal Tap” too closely, but it’s such a fine line between chaos that makes the image and chaos that breaks the image. In this composition, for my taste there is too much chaos with a theme, and yet still enough organization that it doesn’t take on that abstract quality that can make chaos attractive.
I do like the flecks of light dancing in the image, and the dark moodiness in the rest of the lighting.
I do like the light on the trees. The only thing is that my eyes stop on the two trees with the most light. I think there is to much other chaos in the rest of the image and my eye doesn’t know where to go.
I really like the light in this. The light hitting those trees is sweet.
That said, it feels too busy for me to figure out. I know I generally prefer simple comps over complex ones, but others may like that feature of this.
Good job of keeping the detail in the darker parts of this.
