Great image! Congratulations.
It would have been helpful to see the original to compare the two, but I’ll just use my imagination and critique your composition instead.
For starters, your technical composition is fantastic. The tree in the middle of the photograph is really interesting. This tree could be interpreted from a technical standpoint in a couple of different ways. It could be considered negative space although it still contains a lot of texture and is integral to the photograph. That being said, this object is gradients of 1 color and takes up a substantial amount of space.
It’s also interesting because it effectively provides your top horizon line which allows you to ensure this image abides by the rule of thirds. It also helps organize and simplify an otherwise chaotic image. It provides a sense of center, simplicity and weight that really helps tie your photograph together.
The action below the photograph is also fantastic. Seeing the men read the paper gives the tree the symbolism of the “tree of knowledge”. You often see this icon represented as follows:
http://www.davidmacaluso.com/gall_tok2.php
There is a lot going on in this image, but you’ve managed to tie it all in together and create a great photograph. Wonderful work!