desert sunset

This is my first attempt, please comment on what it needs to be better.
I used Photomatix and some dodge and burn in CS2.

That's a sky!!
I would select the foreground (easy for this shot) and try to add some local contrast and sharpen if needed.....leave the sky as is. I realize those are hills in the back but I would rotate counter clockwise a bit to straighten.
Dodge n burn - 2 of my favorite tools.

Spike44 wrote in post #12924416
That's a sky!!
I would select the foreground (easy for this shot) and try to add some local contrast and sharpen if needed.....

I would do this if I knew how! What is the easiest way to do this?

Make a duplicate layer, use rectangle selection tool or gradient mask to select ground and delete the sky, change blend to soft light, lower opacity to taste, flatten. Make another duplicate, select ground only again and sharpen using whichever method you prefer, lower opacity if need, flatten.
After rotate, should look like this approx:

oldbmxer66 wrote in post #12923656
This is my first attempt, please comment on what it needs to be better.
I used Photomatix and some dodge and burn in CS2.

Great stuff!!

Spike44 wrote in post #12926137
Make a duplicate layer, use rectangle selection tool or gradient mask to select ground and delete the sky, change blend to soft light, lower opacity to taste, flatten. Make another duplicate, select ground only again and sharpen using whichever method you prefer, lower opacity if need, flatten.

Thanks. I will give it a try.

here's my shot at it

Subtle but flowers do pop more...and straighter.
Good job.

Spike44 wrote in post #12929268
Subtle but flowers do pop more...and straighter.
Good job.

Thank you Spike44. I really appreciate the members of this forum, always someone willing to take their time to help.