Resting on the Prairie + repost

Although my trip to take sunset images at Pawnee Buttes was a bust due to rain, I salvaged the trip with a least this image of the Keota Cemetery. Although I didn't have much time to compose this image, the wicked sky was amazing.
Actually, I didn't add much contrast to pop those clouds...they simply were that dramatic. However, for some interesting mood to the image, I did add a NIK duplex filter. It appears there is some lens distortion from the wide angle, but was not able to correct it. I do know they certainly weren't standing perfectly straight.

Hi Ken,
Interesting image. The horizon doesn't appear to be level (though that may be the true angle, it does catch the eye).

The headstones could be a little sharper (they look a little soft to me). Overall, a nice image.

A dramatic image, Ken. I like color and detail in the sky you brought out here. For me the tonalities between the sky and landscape don't seem to match. And even the colors from the two don't seem to go together. It feels like their should be more red in the landscape from the sky. You may have done this for dramatic effect, so dismiss this if that's the case. Artistic license! The Orton is a little strong for me, too, but that's a personal preference. Love that sky! I can't buy a sunrise or sunset right now. Nothing epic in months.

This has so much potential, but the extreme processing (HDR?) is a bit over the top for my taste.

No doubt my attempt for this image was to create a dramatic and eerie cemetary feel. And to answer your question Morris regarding why the foreground was more red, I believe it was because those dark clouds were blocking a majority of the sunlight. If fact, the whole image has a bluish cast. When I corrected the RAW image for white balance the foreground was then quite neutral.
I suppose I consider myself in the camp of photographers that create my images instead of just taking them. Thus, I sometimes use quite a bit of creative license with some images
So, it does come down to personal taste, as usual. Just for kicks, I'll process the image again with less extreme editing for comparison.

Here is another version that is fairly close to the original scene.

I think the revised version looks more natural, but lacks the drama of the original version, I think it's maybe a bit too bright, but I do like the contrast in the second on that the original lacked, especially in the foreground.

That really is a killer sky! When we were out there a few weeks ago, I noticed that little cemetery! I think my preference lies somewhere in the middle of the two processes. The horizon still feels sloping down to the right to my eye and I do not like the left headstone lining up with the horizon. What a fun image to play with! These are the kind I process over and over again!

I prefer #2 as well. It could stand a touch of darkening and maybe a light vignette, but the first image was too HDR for my taste.

I also greatly prefer #2 and agree that darkening the foreground to more closely match conditions post-sunset would be an asset.