Digital Manipulation - selections in a before and after image

I had another go with taking a selection from one image to mix it into another, because I wanted to improve an image with a larger selection...  I took the following 2 images and placed them into photoshop:

                                                  shutter 1/80 aperture f.7.1 iso 200 FL28mm

For the above shot I used the rule of thirds to place the main subject of the stump, because I liked its surroundings at the time and thought they should be included.  On reflection now though,  it may be thought that the stump is lost  in its surroundings.  Therefore I want  to try to improve on it and give it a bit of whizz.  For this manipulation I am going to centre the main subject and bring it upfront of the frame.

shutter 1/250 aperture f.4.0 iso100 FL 102mm

This is the second image I am using (bit of whizz)  in order to try and make the overall image more appealing.

I cropped into the stump image to get a closer view of the main subject, using the crop tool:

I gave it a more square look bringing it to centre frame, but still leaving enough background room to play with.

The following screen grabs show what I did next:-

I took a selection from the flowers image and using the history brush painted it into the stump image, all over the top section of the image working around the stump shape, but just cutting into it slightly at its back, in order to look like the flowers may be springing out of the stump. I wanted to bring it round quite low at the sides making the background the majority area of the frame, with the exception of the stump, in order to emphasize its form and texture and control of the scene.

I wanted the stump to have a sense of  the flowers  growing out of it, but also to show the type of habitat the stump was found in (a different one to what I had actually found it in).  I wanted the background  to look abit soft ( as in blurry) again to give more emphasis on the stump  and also to ensure the eye focusses on it primarily, instead of wondering around the background.  For these reasons I selected this flower image.

Then I used the spot healing brush to blend in the edges of where the flower scene (top portion) met the stump ground leaf (bottom portion) scene.

I noticed a small line of light at the left of the stump near to the joining edges and decided to blend it in using the  clone tool.

I tried a fade on the the use of the tool when I thought I had used it too heavily.

Flowery stump

 I love the colours together and think the background greens match in well and compliment the bright lit green of the moss.   The stump has a surreal  look,  being so close to the front of the frame, gives it a different perspective.  The high colour background helps emphasise its appearance making  Flowery stump stand out, so I achieved what I set out to do.  A 3D feel is given off in my opinion.  Now bright and colourful  this image is an improvement on the original,  which at first I liked, then decided it looked  plain and could be improved upon.  The scene shows colour, form, texture, perspective, perception lines and pattern.  It also makes me think about HD imagery and how I may give that a go in the future... this is an over the top image now,  but I like it.

Lighting:
I think I get away with the light and the way it falls on the flowers as part of the overall image because I have curved the right hand side ground leaves (the horizon) to give the perception of that ground going back with very bright light upon it as it goes back.  Therefore if the sun light is hitting from the low right  side angle it would also be shining bright on the lower flower drops just above the ground (right of image). I also told myself I could see necessary shadows lines accross the face of the stump from the flower stalk, and deep shadow to the forefront left and crevices right of the stumps roots, which also follows.