Morning light - composition advice?

[echoyjeff222]

Hi all! I hope everyone is well. I was hoping to get some feedback regarding the inclusion of the foreground grass in this landscape. I initially started editing the one without the grass, but after my initial edits I found the one with the grass and was debating whether or not I wanted to continue my edits on the one with the foreground grass instead. I thought it added a touch more depth to the photo, though it potentially disturbs the simplicity of the reflection itself. I'm mostly looking for thoughts on which composition to continue editing, but if there's any other comments on other aspects of the photo, I would welcome that as well as I'm just now getting back into editing photos from a backlog of photos from the last several years! Thank you.


_MG_8387 by Jeffrey Lee, on Flickr



_MG_8391 by Jeffrey Lee, on Flickr

 

[terri66]

This is one of those situations where it's really your call. You'll have to decide what you want the main focus of this shot to be. Is it about these perfect reflections? You may want to remove any distracting elements like the foreground. Is it about showing the depth and distance of this landscape? Leave the foreground; it provides it.

Both have value and the composition is the same otherwise. Photographer's choice. Do both if you want to practice editing.

Very beautiful area!

 

[denum151 177]

I prefer the one with the grass foreground. Truly a gorgeous scene.

 

[echoyjeff222]

Thanks for the thoughts! I'll go ahead and keep editing the one with the grass, then.

It was actually happenstance that I came across this particular scene. It had rained the night before and it created this mini body of water that contained the reflection. I was planning to walk past this area to another area I had scouted out - glad I stopped!

 

[IpseLux]

The grass seems to give the image proper scale. It makes the scene a bit more grand in scope and distance, at least to me.
Beautiful sight.