Certainly has a wide tonal range which brings out the texture nicely but apart from that it is not doing a lot for me. The idea is good as a starting point and some experimenting with different compositions would be worth trying. The inclusion of a bug/ spider etc would change things considerably.   Posted: 10/08/2024 03:48:37

I like the textures in the bark and the form suggest to me something human. I would make the negative space to the right of the tree all black.
  Posted: 10/12/2024 13:52:39

Good spot, Jerry - I missed that. It's like proof reading your own writing, the mistakes are hard to spot sometimes.   Posted: 10/12/2024 14:26:13

I love bark and you have captured great detail in this image. I would remove the white spots in the top right of the image as Jerry also suggested.   Posted: 10/14/2024 13:44:26

Stuart....wonderful texture in the bark. I think Jerry is spot on about the negative space.   Posted: 10/14/2024 16:51:12

Thanks again. I've edited the image and posted it again here. I found a few artifacts in the other smaller negative spaces, too, and removed them as well.
I suspect these came from my processing. The "difference" is it has a posterisation layer which restricts the shades of grey to 4. It makes a surprising difference.   Posted: 10/14/2024 17:20:34

Here is is without the posteriation layer, FYI   Posted: 10/14/2024 17:23:03

The textures in the bark are wonderfully captured, with a strong tonal range that emphasizes the natural patterns. I agree with Jerry's suggestion about making the negative space to the right completely black to enhance focus on the bark. Don's point about removing the white spots in the top right is also spot-on, as it would help eliminate distractions. Overall, this is a solid start, and experimenting with composition or even including a small subject like a bug could elevate the image further. Great eye for detail!   Posted: 10/26/2024 08:49:11