Good work Phillip!
Both have good points, first shows the middle of the swan without blowing the core.
The second shows the fainter out lying nebulosity.
Are you into layering and blending yet?
If so layer and blend the first into the second.
Here's a link to Louie Atalasidis page on processing tutorials for photoshop if your using it.
http://www.atalas.net/
Cheers,
Justin.