Need help with a photo

Hey everyone. I was looking through some of my recent photo and decided to try and retouch one of my favs. I wasn't happy with the photo because it looked a little flat to me. I started from scratch from the RAW photo and came up with a new version. I really cannot decide on which I like more. The original, it looks a little bit dull, but it flows well. The second, jumps out much more, but I is the sky to over exposed? The first is the original. Thanks!

and the revised version is

http://leibowitzphotography.com/lunde2.jpg


I actually like the second more, I think its more honest to the scene, but I don't know if they sky is toooo overexposed.

I like the revised version better- more color in the foreground. However, the blue gets pretty strong in the clouds and on the mountains.

I second the second one.

I like the second one except the white area seems a little hot and clouds a little unnaturally contrasty. Personal taste maybe, but everything else about the second photo seems more pleasing.

I also like the revised version John, that is quite a capture! Reminds me of a render from Terragen actually, especially with that lighting in the distance. Like this http://www.planetside.co.uk/gallery/v/tg09gallery/McDonald3.jpg.html

Hey Jon - my thoughts mimic Roger's. I like the second version; the first definitely looks flat. Using more selective adjustments would let you enhance the brightness/contrast without blowing out that hot spot in the sky. From there, a reduction in the blue cast throughout would make it sing!

Yep Second One is awesome to me, I really love the composition of it. Which version of PS are you working with? There are a couple VERY Minor tweaks that you can try if you like, totherwise i like it as is.

How about you keep everything about the second one, but erase the changes made to the sky? (if you used adjustment layers, just paint over the sky on the layer mask with black.) Might make the non-sky elements pop a little bit more even.

wow...these suggestions are waaaaay over my head. I'll see what I can do.

Hey Jon--real cool photo! The second is way better than the first, and i think the sky issue is pretty minor. If any cropping was done to the original RAW, i have another minor suggestion: the mountains to the left are uncomfortably close to the top of the image (the top of the mtn meets at a tangent to the top of the photo) I think it would look better if the top of the mtn showed (as it is implied to show in the reflection). if you wanted to stick to your 'thirds' arrangement, you could add to the bottom of the image (if possible) and it would improve the composition, IMO.

well, I understand what ya mean, but it isn't a crop!! So, no fixing that problem :)

I really like the second shot. Very nice.

both are great but the second is best...the overexposed part doesn't bother me at all, makes it look even more dramatic.