Oh, how I wish you had taken three steps to the right and chose THAT point of view for this photo... I find that bit of background behind the slope of grass quite, quite distracting! And the nearest table leg inside the frame (as a whole) would have been nice!
I did start there but none of her face was visible. I went to the side so I could get at least a little of her face. When at a reenactment I never ask the people to move for a better shot. It's how I got caught with a shoulder in a shot as well.
The museum is on about half an acre of land so there are roads and people in modern dress everywhere. I have to clone every picture I shoot there but I cant make the same images anywhere else.
What I try to do it capture a bit of life, not shoot postcard images. Its a real challenge. I do think you are right the shots are all meatball photography, but it's what I do. I'll always be just a hack but I kind of like the things I do, when I take the time to do them these days.
Now I'm not being defensive, just trying to explain what this kind of photography is like. I usually change my position several times before I pull the trigger. I seldom make more than one shot of a scene so I am sometimes guilty of not trying more than one position. My composition is always a compromise.
I rest my case lol... Thanks for taking the time to comment I appreciate it..