[JMitchell]

Not sure that I'm having trouble per se, just that I am not certain you are grasping the direction I am coming from with these shots. Probably a personal thing, and I'm certainly not unwilling to learn, but I can see as well as you can the things that are wrong with the image, that is part of the reason I posted it!
Perhaps it's your method I am having trouble with, the whole "waiting for feedback". I do that with all my other images, but with these ones in question, I purposely put the 'story' with it, and that is what I don't think you're getting.
And for the record, the macro thing was mainly a joke, an endeavor to which I know you are not averse, and I suppose to a degree I am slightly disappointed you seem to view me as not having an open mind....