Okay... for the wires, I did notice, and it's very good indeed.
As for the darkened bottom, well, you're the artistic owner
;)
so I won't judge, but I don't find that it deepens the feel in fact because it lost all the details (snow and mud carvings) that would have, if still present, give the depth of field.
What did you want to achieve, doing this FX?
I don't get it very well, here... The shot is cool, but I'm sure it was okay before the manipulation too, right?
The first was to get the layering of the telephone wires. A remarkable repetition that draws the eyes in, especially in the larger version.
The second was to actually darken the lower half and create a deeper contrast between the sky and the earth; deepening the feel.
As for the darkened bottom, well, you're the artistic owner
;)
so I won't judge, but I don't find that it deepens the feel in fact because it lost all the details (snow and mud carvings) that would have, if still present, give the depth of field.
My only 10 cents, here, of course... :)