Gaetan - You got an interesting concept, but the execution doesn't quite deliver. To wit: the image is significantly underexposed, leaving the foreground as a near-black mass that fails to support the scene or guide the viewer's eye.

In fact, your attempt to frame the sun between the tree branches feels unintentional because the tree branches don't form a clean window, ergo, they compete with the subject. I can't help but feel the image feels caught between two ideas-a silhouette study and a sunset landscape but it's neither fish nor fowl.

Also, the centered horizon is a no-no in most cases and does not help this composition.

Nonetheless, if given the opportunity to strengthen the image, I would open shadows enough to give the foreground some presence and detail. Then simplify and commit to a single visual idea: either reposition to cleanly frame the sun within the branches in a graphic way, or separate the sun from the tree so each element reads clearly (I suggest the latter.) As noted, avoiding a centered horizon would really help. In short, clarify your intent and let one dominant idea carry the image.
  Posted: 04/01/2026 19:58:18

You could consider a large crop, using the sun and dead tree and eliminating most of the rest of the Image. You could then play with the foreground if you have enough pixels.   Posted: 04/11/2026 21:52:08

Hey Gaetan. Well spotted but some limitations in execution as stated by Butch. I have tried to strike a balance between what you wanted to see and what Butch suggested. A stronger silhouette of a subject, a lighter background....I am not sure what he meant when he stated "cleanly frame the sun within the branches in a graphic way".   Posted: 04/13/2026 19:55:07

I had a play with this image before reading comments, as I could see there was a really good image in there which just needed bringing out. So I messed around with the Light sliders in ACR (I think Lightroom is the same) to reduce highlights, raise shadows and adjust black and white points. I then copied this layer in PS and put it is a Screen mode, opacity 90%, over everything but lightly masked out around the edges to make a vignette. I then brought back the original tree to make it dark and more separate from the background. I rather like it....!   Posted: 04/16/2026 09:20:22

Great idea to center the setting sun between the branches of the small tree. It also has good exposure and depth of field. The image should be cropped to make the tree larger in the frame. I like what Hoshedar did the best, but his is a little tight and should have left a bit more at the top and shown the bottom of the tree. I also like his exposure the best.   Posted: 04/18/2026 15:27:50