Learning how to design: Feedback needed

[robertonotte]

I'm learning how to design and looking for feedback to improve my skills.
I'm sending the before and after of a plant I just modeled. Kindly give me your opinion, including tips on what could have been done differently.

 

[caffeinated]

It's rather hard to see the structure clearly with the lighting, shadows, and background noise. Maybe if you got a photo with a better flat, solid color background it you'd get more feedback.

 

[Shibui]

My eye is drawn to the 3 way join at the first fork and just gets stuck there so it is hard to even see the rest of the tree.
3 way forks are always a problem in bonsai. Check both and consider which could be removed or maybe converted to jin.
Looking at the before pic shows that 3 way must be right at the front which will definitely block the trunk flow even if 1 is gone. Check for a better viewing angle. Look at roots, trunk, branches, features and faults then try to find a compromise that shows each of these as best as possible to try to find the best viewing angle.
Try to remember you don't need to use the entire trunk nor all the branches in a bonsai design. Sometimes it is better to remove some parts. That's why we have branch pruners and saws.