Jon,
This is not the first time you've mentioned washed out colors to me... the shot was taken w/o a UV filter on the lense, do you think that is a contributing factor? Thanks for your comments, they're very helpful.
-Pete

I agree with Jon, and no the UV filter should not affect exposure or saturation any, if at all. Conventional wisdom is that you will loose a quarter stop or less, but the exposure meter is looking through the filter so it should not effect the exposure metering.

Beamer,
Okay, Thanks:-)

I don't have much knowledge about washed colours and everything. My comment is that I'd love to see the construction worker's face. If you did photographed that way, it would be obviously what's the actual subject. Now you can't see it, partly becouse of the helmed and it's shadow and partly becouse of eyes staring at the ground (angle of the neck). I would also crop a tiny bit on the left, just make the beige/grey waterpump invisible.

Furthermore, I like the construction worker's composition on your photo. The 'ugly' background gives it a story.
Maybe it's a good idea to use selective saturation on the helmed?

Greetings,
Tamara

Pete,

Sorry not to have responded more quickly, but I see that Clyde has stepped up to the plate for me:-) In any case...what he said! Keep shooting, mate.

Jon

a cartoony affect almost. I like!

Never use standart PS filters!

Sorry but I don't really like what you've done here. I know it's a photo manipulation but it's more distorted then anything else. Maybe a lighter effect would be more visually pleasing.

The best way is to rephoto this flower. Make an interesting photo. Use language of light and shadows. Now flower is flatten. Try other composition and focused on center of the flower!

misu has already said most of it. I would say try another angle, focus on the center and mayby go up in aperture.
/Jan :-)

Mikhail and Jan, Thanks. -Pete

Don't forget to show us results, better results ;)

Okay! :-)

I think this shot has a lot of potential. The composition could be stronger though, and I think a wider range in tones would help too, it looks a little gray.

Well, in the interest of encouragement: your composition is a little static - find a more interesting approach to and for the subject. Was it a deliberate choice to have no foreground? Suddenly we are right in the middle of your tree! You have centered your beautiful tree and this, of course, usually promotes little in the way of a dynamic. Move around a little bit - experiment with different framing and cropping ideas. Spend time looking at what others have done with similar shots. There is a world of great photography available to be studied and admired - much here at Vazaar!

Keep shooting - this isn't a bad shot, but could be much more interesting and engaging with a little more work.

Best to you,
Jon

Brennan and Jon,
Thanks for your comments. I'm sure you can tell I'm new to this. I will keep your advice in mind when taking future shots. Jon, it's my neighbor's tree and I was shooting over a stockade fence. That's why there's no foreground... Bad choice on my part.
-Pete