I need $$$...

Thanks Greg. Will try both suggestions.

One thing that often seems to happen with applying contrast is that I often want to go back and lighten shadows, kind of a tough thing to weigh correctly, though more contrast often helps lifelike appearance, as in this instance, I think the shadows are now slightly too dark in the redo 2. Complements on the shot, cool place and scene.

Thanks Nick. You have stated exactly the kind of problem #1 is facing.
I appreciate the feedback and kind comments.

Thanks everyone.

It was a great learning exercise especially with #1 that needed just a tiny bit of sharpness and contrast.

For #2, it was originally processed as Greg had said but one of those landscape "rules" crept in about a bit of foreground. It is back to what it was originally.

Here are the final edits. Please see if there is anything else that needs fixing.

Thanks.

1c.
http://i61.tinypic.com/2hfnfr9.jpg

2b
http://i61.tinypic.com/4l4r4i.jpg

Regarding the three versions of the first one, I prefer "Redo 2". It provides the best detail (without overdoing it) in the birds and nests and a more natural color balance. The strong orange cast in the other versions doesn't work for me because those tones would exist only in the sky, not on back-lit surfaces.

I'm using a profiled and calibrated monitor when making those determinations about the color cast.

Thanks Mike. I appreciate the input. #1 is important to me because a friend wants a print. Will get 2 small prints of 1b and 1c and see which is better and then decided.

#2 is an educational issue and I will retrace my processing steps and see where the problem came from.

Hi, Bobo. You surely need no $, neither advise/inputs. Two great images, of a place I would love to be with my gear! Very nice light. The final versions are, IMHO, a bit better due to the sharpness and LCE, but the originals are already almost as great as the edits.

Thanks for sharing. Cheers,

Thanks Otavio. You are being kind. hehe

The second picture looks a lot better to me now, bobo.

I'm not bothered by the 'cast' in the first one: the golden light of sunset reflecting off clouds will bathe the subject in warm light. In any case, only you know what the scene was like, and whether you want to reproduce it faithfully or expressively. But there appears to be some yellow-orange-ish patches in the clouds that might be the result of oversaturation.

Thanks Greg. Yes I noticed that too and seem somewhat distracting. I am going to redo the shot from scratch and hopefully the lessons from here will be better translated.