Hmm...looking at the image close and far, I think one thing I'm having trouble with is the battle between the bright areas on the image. My eye fights between the white at the top and the bright areas at the bottom, but there's no easy transition between them. By darkening up the Southern portion a bit, I think your eye will naturally go to the top, then flow down the page, only to be pulled up again as it reaches the bottom...at least that's what happens in a lot of images like that.