Pipestem State Park, eh? Never been there before! Looks like a classic WV setting. And it’s neat that you found a nice overlook facing west with a foreground element to include! It effectively anchors the scene; makes the image feel “deep” and expansive.
Thanks for sharing the step by step editing process. It’s interesting you moved the rock up a bit, because that’s something I wanted to comment on. In framing the picture, I probably would have positioned the rock on the right side of the picture for three reasons: the rock naturally seems to be “pointing” left (to outside the frame right now), it would serve well as a filling element in the grass on the right (the amount of grass is greater in width on the right than it is on the left), and I think it would also counter the weight of the dark trees on the left. Having it even higher in the frame somehow (like closer to the bottom right crosshairs of the rule of thirds) would give it more prominence as an intended element in the composition.
As for editing, it’s important that foreground elements that protrude above the horizon are consistent in brightness below the horizon as well. So, in this picture, the dark trees on the left I think should stay dark below the horizon so that it isn’t easily noticed that an artificial gradient has been added above the horizon.
Like you said, “right” is a matter of opinion, but in my opinion the HDR effect in your shot here is a little too strong. I’m more of the opinion that it’s ok that the foreground is a little too dark and the sky not as vibrant as possible in order to hold to what the eye does not initially question as natural. Am I applying an HDR effect to the attached image?
