110821 White Mountain J 2 172 CS5 M

For that kinda image, you have to make a story, a drama, and  isolate the background as much as possible. The right side of the tree is  very dramatic, like a hand, an open hand in an agony, shooting to the sky for a rain. Because of that, you have to highlight better, by moving slightly to the right to include the whole brach. The left side of the tree branch, not as much dramatic as the right brach.  With a wide angle lens, widest as you have,  I would crawl closer to the tree, much closer  and shooting upwards from grand level, I meant, really from ground level, and trowing a way the background further a way, you would  have  better  effect, impact on the composition. IMHO. The foreground burned log has no play in the composition, or the story. I know, you wanted to highlight this, but doing so, you lasted the real subject.

Cheers;

Bela

Isolating the background would be good, but honestly that is not a big deal.  It looks a little overly processed and unnatural at the bottom.  Maybe a little less shadow recovery?  Great picture though.  Very dramatic.  best, j