Panoramic Mountain View sketch. Suggestions for the actual shoot?

[tameigh]

This is the view from in front of a local country store. I would like to take a picture that I could sell printed and framed of this view, and I would appreciated any comments anybody might have.

First off. I shot the pictures for this first "sketch" hand held, and so the photomerge seems to have made a dark line down the center. I am assuming that is because I torqued the camera while shooting. The actual keeper will be shot from a tripod.

There is a hockey rink in the foreground, so I would like to maybe get some skaters in the picture.

That red dot is a buoy frozen into the ice, it adds nice color, but it is so small that it really only shows up on the screen, not sure it will show up on a print.

The time of day is a great time to shoot the mountains, view is east, sun is low from the west, but it looks like the foreground suffers from the low light.

Anyway. Any suggestions would be welcome. The owner of the store is open to selling prints, they carry other local photographer's work, but I need to do a professional job of it. I was planning to get the prints made at a local shop that does really nice art prints.

I will probably reshoot a couple more times before doing the final version, so if I can get some suggestions, I will post the next draft here.

Thanks for looking at this.

[jeeperman]

Other than the things you have pointed out, I would edit the bouy out if it is not large enough to make an impact. I might try and shoot this directly after a snow as to eliminate any disturbances in it. If you could get some nice clouds and or color in the sky that would help. The trees I am thinking might need to be either more prominant or gone altogether. I would shoot severl angles and see which you like best. G/L

Laptop was at the wrong angle and I did not see your sky for what it is. Not bad, but I would try and get a little stronger there.

[MiniChris]

Not sure what is beyond the trees at the left, but I think you might have a better shot without them there as all your good imagery is at the far right sort of leaving the far left nekkid. If the tree line forward idea isn't practical, then perhaps shoot more from the far left to include a stronger presence on that side. Pretty mountains. Is that anywhere near Mt. Baker?