Maybe, looks to lose a little detail in the trees on the right. But, I don't find it interesting at all so it's hard to decide if there is a problem with the contrast.
Yeah I think your intuition is right on this one. Ease up on the contrast. I find myself a wishing the composition was a little different, maybe with the camera lower to the ground and angled
up slightly more.
Yeah, it is a boring photo. You didn't know there was a pot of gold at the end of the road though I normally photograph people, but going through some personal stuff, and found myself listening to the Beatles "Long and Winding Road," over and over again which inspired me to take this photo.