Got sent to work for a job in Northern California and had no idea I would be going through a Redwood Forest on the way, so it was quite the pleasant surprise. Feeling pretty good about these photos so I thought I would see what the group thought about them or had any suggestions. Canon 5Dm4 with 24-70 f4 lens. Light trails shot with a 3-stop ND to get me around a 3-4 second exposure.
I'm not much of a woodland photographer so this is something I have heard from those who are. Unless the sky is a deliberate part of the composition of a forest scene, it is best excluded all together. It tends to be the brightest part of the image and, therefore, draws the eye away from the subject. I suggest you clone the sky out of the first image and see if you like it. Personally, I would probably crop it a little tighter so the redwood really dominates the frame but that's just my preference.
Thanks, your comment made me go and seek out woodland photos and I see you are correct. I tried a little clone and stamping but was not happy with the result. I'm thinking maybe a little dodging just to make sure the brightest part is the trees. I definitely see what you mean about the cropping. I was just so happy with myself framing the ferns into the bottom of the image. Perhaps next time I find myself wandering in a Redwood forest I will shoot it a little closer with a sharper angle up to fill the frame.