Curvemeister Forum

The tree can, potentially, add a contrasting graphical element to the rest of the image.

Fixed that for you

You can enhance the texture in a number of ways -- easiest, for me, is in Perfect Effects: HDR effect, Dynamic Contrast. (first image)

I also like, in PS, Filter Gallery, Grain - Speckle for this one (second image).

You might consider using a different, or no, texture on the steel girders than the one used for the sky. I think allowing the texture to cover both background and foreground gives the image a more prominent "applied texture" effect and also reduces depth.
What do you think?

Art

That was fun! (image 2)

Thank you Martin -- some interesting material here....

Looks good!

(Maybe a little more contrast?)

Maybe decreasing the red with some selective dodging helps?

Yes, I think I see the problem. If you make his face less red, and presumably "natural" -- at the half-way point between R and Y on the Hue Clock, it actually takes on an unnatural brown/beige color. Interesting phenomenon...

On my monitor his skin colour is too red -- in CM, the hue clock also is right on red.
But others see it as realistic. Hmm, not sure about this