Washout Blues

How do you shoot a white on white or, a tone on a tonal backround without getting a washout effect that is just bland and oh so vanilla while also keeping the subtle color variations?

This was shot at 11:30 this morning with the sun diffused by disiduous sugar maple branches.

Using the Tamron lens with no filter today:




I shot this one at what I would have shot a colorful backround in the same lighting.

f/4
1/125
ISO-100
WB-shade
70mm

I am wondering if I had used the warming filter if this shot would have popped ?




I shot this one with a little tweaking which I think came out better but I would have liked a little more Sparkle to the picture. It lost a little lustre while picking up the shadows, color accents in the sunlight and details in the ice itself.

f/6.3
1/400
ISO-100
WB/sun
70mm