Big Leaf Maple & Friends

Hello Flora!  Ok, I think going back a number of years Bill has encouraged and coaxed me in to posting in Flora!  Well, I saved this image from our Yosemite trip just to make Bill happy.  

So it's interesting that this image was really a result of basically a field test I was performing. As some of you may know, this was my very first outing with my new DSLR.  I had done some resolution tests with my lenses before leaving so I knew the best apertures, which lenses were soft on the edges, etc. etc..  Well, I as hanging out with Preston in an area dominated by Big leaf maples and granite boulders the size of houses.  The granite boulder that was covered in the moss was literally the size of my house (a meager 1600sqft.)  This side of the boulder was literall straight vertical and probably extended 10 or more feet over my head.  anyway, there were leaves clinging and lots of pine needles all hanging naturally - but I must confess this leaf was placed.

Anyway, I did this because I thought it would be a good setup to test my lens and take images at all the apertures, which I did. Very shallow depth here, so I thought it was be a good test.

Long story short, I kinda liked how this came out so I decided to process it.  It is a slight crop and a small bit of cloning.  I was surprised, but for this lens, the best choice was at f/22.

Thanks for any comments or critiques?  Too static? Obviously placed?  Oh, I picked a leaf that was still green and not perfect so as not to be too obvious... ;-)

Nikon D800E
Tamron 24-135mm @120mm f/22

Thanks!