Hi Wavelength. Nice detail in your subject. For some reason I want to see either more luminance or color or saturation or vibrance in this image. I can't tell without actually playing with it. I just want it to pop a bit more and still remain natural. What do you think?
karm
Very fine picture!
And yes, as a small point of CC I would like to see a bit more light in the face.
#2: much better!
Try leaving the background as it was in the first version. Then try treating the animal somewhere between your first and second version.
Whereas you seem to have adjusted the entire scene, I think you'll like it better if you adjust only the animal. Whatever you did to the animal (brightness, unsharpening, etc.,) seems to my eye to be overdone. If whatever you did can be adjusted by lowering the opacity, that would be the easiest way to dial it back.
I have only limited knowledge in handling things in photoshop thank you very much