Hi Michael,
You did a nice job with the shadow areas.........you have detail throughout. The shapes also work on this one. I've been debating with myself whether I like the tumbleweed. Is that a cactus also??? It does add a FG element....so that is a plus therefore visually keeping you in the image. Yeah.......it works........Nicely done!
Roman, not sure what that thorny thing is. I think it's one of those seed pods that sticks to you if you hike out there in the desert. As you know during last year's floods, the canyon was under water for a while so who knows what the flash flood dragged in ..