Love the colour of the tree in the shadows. Love it also how the back tree is in the shadow and the new one is in the bright sunlight, it makes sure the main focus is on the NEW element of the photograph.
4 - Looks like good potential, especially with the varying strong colors (red bark, blue flowers). Perhaps a slightly sharper angle, more space to the sapling(?) and it highlighted/showcased more, for the Challenge, may have made this better in my opinion. The lighting looks nice, and fairly well 'placed', but overall there are exposure issues, in my opinion. Not sure on the frame.
This shot would have worked better for me if you'd cropped about half of the tree trunk. The focus of the picture (the brightly lit undergrowth in the foreground), is NOT in the shadow, by the way. A 6 that might have ended up a 7 or more with different cropping... Lovely photo.
I just love this! The hilights on the bark of the tree are perfect, the lighting of the background is perfect, the little tree is awsome, the only thing i could wish for is that the grass up front wasnt quite so bright but i still love this.