Need some editing help

[mherwood]

I've been working on this photo but can't get it right. Any suggestions would be appreciated. I'm going to post the original and my current state. I am having problems with the water at the far end of the lake. I've been trying to replace the color because I think the highlights are blown out, but it doesn't look natural. Also there seems to be a haze that I can't seem to get rid of - on the far side of the lake. I keep on making the picture darker(using levels), which helps, but the picture has turned very moody. Which is ok. I guess the thing that was important to me was to get the sky right. I'm using CS4. Am I going about this the correct way?
I can accept the fact if there is nothing that can be done. I'm just looking to be pointed in the right direction. I hope I put this in the correct forum and sized the jpegs properly. Taken with an xti and 24-105 lens at Castle Rock, NY.

[ED Altares]

IMO, I do not think you should change much of the wather on the far end of the lake. As it is the reflection of the brighter part of the sky. My fix here would be on the colors and contrasts. I worked on it a bit. Here's what I came up with.

[rw2]

I cloned a piece of the lake out from another area.

[sue.t]

Here's my take on it ...

http://suethomas.ca/images/Misc/20100201_mherwood.jpg

[Meanderthal]

A pleasant scene, thank you. Liking the world much the way it is, my edit would be very modest, really like having used a polarizing filter. Or did you?

[Secret_Squirrel]

Here's my take.
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4028/4324637590_f2a356821b_o.jpg

[PhotosGuy]

First, your edited image is in the aRGB color space, instead of sRGB, so it's going to look a bit flat (low contrast). Also there seems to be a haze that I can't seem to get rid of You should expect some haze in a shot like that. I keep on making the picture darker(using levels), which helps, but the picture has turned very moody.
The problem seems to be that you're making changes to the whole image, instead of just parts of it as needed. Adjustment Layers are one answer. Post #9:
Airport runway shoot (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=117950)

Masks & Blend Modes are another:
For those needing help making selections in Photoshop (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=701268)

Here's my edit of your edit:

426038

426530

[GorgeShooter]

The road in the foreground kills it for me

[mherwood]

Thanks for your reply's. Back to the drawing board for me. Meanderthal, I didn't use a polarizer, but I did use a 2 stop soft ND filter. I will post when finished. This is one of my favorite hiking spots in the Adirondacks.

[Meanderthal]

Beautiful scene, great shot. I'm looking forward to your final art. And thinking of, reading up on of GND filters :).

[MJA24]

Here are my two quick takes. Great shot to start with!

[PhotosGuy]

I added a circle around "Linear Dodge", in case you missed it. ;)