I disagree. I don't know how you processed it nor do I care. However, the end result is, IMHO quite good. I like the colors, the sky, the black, green and yellows in the reflection. Maybe a bit of rotation counterclockwise but otherwise and very good shot, actually a great wall hanger.
I see what you were going for. The processing supports it well. However IMO the mostly leafless tree in the right half of the frame detracts from the effect. The water is really lovely. Did you do more with that while at the location?
Count me as a fan
IMO that one fits your title better. Very dramatic. Nicely done.
Pic #1 is well composed and is a winner, now pic @2 is just pop'n with great range in the colors and very well done.
Kathy: In #1, I see a couple of trees; in #2, I see a tree "standing alone ... but surrounded in color." While I prefer #2, both images are nice work!
I like #1 better...for some reason it is more subtle to my eyes than the bolder colour of #2. Just mu opinion...
You could try cropping the sky out of the first one.
When I saw the first photo I thought the water was a lovely part of the picture but wasn't appreciated as the eye was drawn up to the sky.
Then I realised you had already the composition that I envisaged in the second photo.
Congratulationa a lovely shot. Love the colours
Very nice.
Thank you all for the nice comments and for allowing me to look at photo #2 in a different way.
Kathy
Kathy - I'm with the group that likes #2 much more than #1.
Crop out the sky in #1, and I think you'll find that you have a much stronger composition. It just doesn't add anything to the image and in fact is a bit distracting. Do that and I think you're first image will end up being the stronger of the two.
I'm not not liking #2. In fact, I like liking #2 as much as I liked liking #1. To me #2 is a different image, stands on its own and is as good as #1. Perhaps I like liking #2 a bit more than I liked liking #1 but how much I like liking either is insignificantly small. Could I be clearer than that