I just liked this part of the park and the challenge to get it right in the image. I think I succeeded .
Do you like it as I do. All feedback is more than welcome.
lens 70-200 at 145mm , F8, 1/60, iso 640, handheld
I really like what you’re doing here, Ben. As is typical in most of your images, it’s all about the light. My one question is, why include that tiny strip of leaves along the bottom? I find it distracting to the essence of the image. I mean, I know that the sapling isn’t floating in the air, so why do I have to see the ground? For me, when you remove that bottom strip, the image balances much better and the reason why you took the image in the first place is that much more evident. Without that bottom strip, you have the glowing yellow leaves in the upper portion of the frame against the cooler, shaded greens in the lower portion with the three saplings creating a sense of order. Alternatively, if you want to keep the bottom strip of leaves, I would be inclined to clone the trunk of the central sapling a hair so that it goes off the page rather than just squeezing it in at the bottom. Or maybe I don’t know what I’m talking about. 
This looks great, Ben. I agree that you succeeded. The brightness at the top contrasts very well with the darker woods below. The thin strip of fallen leaves at the bottom adds well to the context of a beautiful day for a walk in the park.
The white balance here has some room to be cooled down. The shadows feel too warm and it has a yellow color cast. This will give you some more separation and a more interesting color palette!
@Kerry_Gordon , @Mark_Seaver , @Eric_Bennett , Your comments prove that interpretation of an image is rather personal and by the experience of the moment of making and developing . The viewer finds his own way in the image. Therefore your comments are so nicely different.
@Eric_Bennett ,I did a remake for cooling down the white balance just a bit. I like that.
Thank you all so much !!
I think I like the original warm version more.
Again, very nice. I would also have included the strip at the bottom, although I would have darkened the brighter part on the left a bit to keep the eye from going there first. I like how it adds other luminosity values and another color and texture.
I also like the original warmer tones more. I can understand what Eric says but this is really a question of taste and what mood Been wants in the photograph.
I really like how the light changes from top to bottom. Thanks, Ben.
An image that triggers an interesting discussion. I agree with @Eric_Bennett that cooling down the color balance gives better separation, but I prefer the original, warmer color.
If you include the bottom strip with brown leaves, I would like to see a bit more of it.
