Here is a picture that I took when I was at a friends house. I think I should have cropped the top of the photo a little. Please let me know what you think.
Dear Steven, even if I don't understand why someone rated the shot without commenting it, I must say that I cannot find a dominating subject, I mean something on which the observer's look is lead; this must be one of the main goals in photography. From the title, I know you were attracted by clouds but they seem too flat because of strong lighting on them. Probably, you should have exposed on them in order to put in evidence the lights/shadows games they often offer. The trees in the background are good but the house and the sign in the foreground have nothing beautiful to show and I would have removed them. So, the sky, the trees and a small piece of ground; these objects may have been enough but for the composition but, again, lighting conditions are very difficult as there's a strong contrast between light and dark areas. The conclusion ("at last!" you may think :)) - Look for a subject that attracts your attention and "put" the focus and the exposure "over" it; then, try, if possible, to add some other elements that may add depth, or a natural frame or something that has to do with the main subject and "place" it in the composition keeping in mind that it doesn't have to distract but it must enhance the main subject (eg. the classical silhouette in front of a sunset). These are the general rules I use to apply, hope this may help you. Wow!...what a poem! Please, consider this comment as an advice; I didn't absolutely wanted to offend you. We all are here to improve...me in first place and this can be achieved from constructive critics, from looking at the other comments and photos, continuously "grabbing" ideas and techniques here and there; not to copy, but to have a basket inside which you can find the bricks to construct your own style. My best regards and...sorry for my English! :\
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