Ice cream and feeding pigeons

[The_Traveler]

Perhaps you might explain why removing the easeeasell and the artist's copy of the painting would 'United's the picture.

Although everyone can have an opinion, the opinion would have more weight if it is supported by actual thought and rationale rather than just bare opinion.

 

[Donde]

Sure. The easel and stool with all of it's "stuff" and the copy is just messy visually and the only reason to include it would be to leave absolutely no doubt whatsoever about your story. However that area of the photo isn't necessary to reveal the story because anyone seeing the man holding the palette and brush looking intently at the original knows what's going on. I think if you try that crop you'll see what I mean and have a pretty nice image.

Regarding the one below it sounds like the shorts are very important to you to tell your story. I'm not a sports fan so I don't get their significance but cropped as I suggest you would have a very nice square framed image juxtaposing a human form against some clean geometry and block lettering. The two heads facing away from us work too. If you absolutely had to keep the shorts in for your story you could at least clean the image up by eliminating the distracting circle lower right.

 

[The_Traveler]

That's not an opinion based on any philosophy or concept of what makes a good picture, just 'looks good to me'.
I've spent a long time looking at photos and trying to extract some principles based on how people see, experience and understand photos from what I and others thought was 'good'
Without some understanding an opinion isn't based on anything but how one person feels at that moment.

 

[Donde]

I have offered you helpful criticism and sugestions to improve your images . You are evidently terribly uncomfortable with that, jumping through hoops to try to discredit my critique. That's too bad. My involvement in this discourse is now complete and I have no further suggestions for you.

 

[The_Traveler]

My involvement in this discourse is now complete and I have no further suggestions for you.

This wasn't a discourse.
I base my edits on a philosophy and a specific idea of how people see and understand photos. Your critique is based on your own opinion with no obvious transferable thought except 'I like it better this way.'
Getting a sharp picture with decent color is not the end point of photo knowledge.

 

[Roger Wade]

Well one thing is for sure, there is no 'right' way of doing something. Thank goodness.

Personally, I think it is great when someone offers me alternatives to my approach and opinions. I don't always agree but even thinking about it allows me to grow.

There is space for us all.