This was an attempt at really manipulating shutter speed, and having to use my polarizer to darken things a bit to allow a longer exposure. Certainly an interesting learning curve for this.
How is the composition and post processing on this? Should I have left the leaves more subdued or is the pop of color on them alright?
Wow, deja vu. Someone just posted this same fall a few weeks ago. I think you’ve brought out such a glow on the scene that it’s quite inviting and rich. Not crazy about that nearest leaf though I like the trail of them through the foreground. Nice leading element. The view the other person showed had more of the tree trunk showing and yours doesn’t. I feel like it’s a more competing element with this crop…a stronger presence in some ways than the water itself. I do like that we can see the river bed. Lots of texture there. I’d be tempted to bring it up as well as some in the ferns and trunk. Nice scene for sure, and a popular one!
I think your comp works quite well here. I do agree with Kirsten about the forward leaf causing a bit of a tangent along the center bottom edge of the image. I don’t mind the pop of color because you have the leading leaves in the stream about the same tones and colors as the background leaves. The only thing I see that you could improve upon a little more is in the waterfalls. It’s a little too blown out. Other than that, I’d still hang it on my wall as is.
Wonderful scene here… it feels a bit left heavy for me so perhaps a slight crop would work… or you can go recompose it… lol 
There’s nothing really holding the right third, especially at the bottom. Cheers.
Gorgeous scene very well presented!! I don’t feel the colors are too strong at all. I love the depth from the FG leaves back to the fall. The detail in the stream bed is a lovely element tying things together. The fallen trunk appears massive and works for me as a counterpoint to the peaceful scene below it.
I find the two orange-ish leaves at bottom center and low on the left edge pull my eye too much. I also wonder if there is a bit more detail in the fall. I would also consider burning down the leaves at top center and below the fallen trunk on the left – they are lovely but again command more attention when they should be supporting cast. If they were darker it might minimize some objections to the trunk?
I really like this, I like this composition alot. That said, I see where Matt is coming from with the “left heavy” observation. It does feel just slightly off kilter. My other suggestion is to not push your blacks quite so far.
Otherwise I think this processing looks great and really fits the image.
First off, this is a beautiful scene. That fallen tree is the star of the scene. Having said that, I find the waterfall pulls my eye. It’s too bright and I also like more texture. If it’s possible to burn down the falls a little bit maybe there is some more texture to be found as well but I think the shutter speed was a little too slow. That’s just my taste though and a personal preference. I agree with @Matt_Payne about the scene being left heavy. The right third of the image doesn’t have much going on in it. If you can get back to this scene and reshoot it I would step to the left a bit to have more of the foreground elements sweep over to the right side of the frame. Not a big deal. These are simply little nits in an otherwise beautiful scene. Lastly, the orange leaf on the left edge in the LRC and the orange leaf on the bottom center of the frame are a little bit distracting, I don’t find the pop to be too much. I kind of like it. Again, beautiful scene, Kyle!
