I like this Conrad, and exactly for the same reasons you do as well. Its definatly got potential and its a perfect image for a greetings card or as you say Country Living.

A couple of little niggles and they are only slight. It would look great in Portrait format or a square one (sorry, its the greetings card whiz coming out in me ) This way you would get the table legs and a little bit more of the chair, more of the background directly behind the table too.

You would lose the stuff from the sides that dont add to the image.

Also, I would make it so that EVERYTHING was in focus and not just use selective focusing.

Im sorry Conrad if this is really strange crit, but Im looking at it from a point of view of an image for a greetings card.

Have a nice day

Lee

This is my thing. I just love details like this on old door.

I like version 2 better but thats just personal preference cos I like "Natural" & "Authentic"

The composition is spot on and I love how you have gone in close, would have prefered it to be a bit lighter and as Mike says have more punch, maybe thats why I like version 2 better, cos its lighter.

The blown highlights do not bother me and I didnt really notice them before you pointed them out.

Great detail and well done for looking for the not so obvious.

Lee