Where to crop

I did a square crop on this photo because I liked the vegetation poking out in the top right, because I liked the gap in the gate at the top, and because I liked where this placed the posters in the frame. However, I think there's too much featureless gate at the top. The question is where do I crop - assuming that is there is enough interest in the shot (I think there is but by all means say otherwise, if you think so)?




I did try this, but I'm still undecided (and yes I can see now I've accidentally oversharpened this in re-sizing - more noticeable in the large size):

The last one for me, the posters are more in the focus points and the empty space above it in the first didn't add a thing for me.

The second one for me by a long way, I might go even further and lose the grass at the bottom, its fighting with the red in the posters. I'd also be inclined to de-saturate a tiny bit.

I can see what caught your eye here but I dont think the plant is strong enough to make a contribution to the image, perhaps selecting just the plant and boosting the saturation a little to make it stand out more, you could also try a portrait format crop keeping just the one poster and the plant.

As for your second crop I agree with Ken, lose the grass.

The problem is that if you crop the grass that you also need to crop more from the top again or else the poster come in the middle of the frame and that does not look nice I believe.
When you desaturate a bit and keep the red just as red then I don't see the grass being a problem at all.

I agree with Ken's suggestion of desaturating a bit even if it's only teh green although if you leech some of the grey out as well it might help.

Mike

Thanks for the feedback. I figured people would prefer the second. Stefan's right, though - I wasn't happy with where the posters end up in the frame. Had kept the grass in the first for some context, but you're right it doesn't work at all in the second. Re. desaturation - I've already desaturated it quite a bit (you can perhaps tell from the rather faint blue of the poster in the top left) - but those posters are extremely red.

The second for me too. I guess I'll be the lone detractor here and say I like the grass. I believe the picture loses depth when you crop it out.

Also, there's blue, red, yellow, and green here, creating a staircase of primary color that the eye registers even if you don't realize it. And the red and green are complementary colors, which can promote healthy competition of elements, but here I think it gives balance with the other primaries present.

Just my opinion of course. I place a lot of importance on color sometimes. Think my fine art background brings this out in my critique of photography, but being well versed in color theory is a good thing.

Another vote for the second pic from me too, and I also agree with giving tree about the grass.

For me the little bit of grass at the bottom gives it some grounding.

Regards
PaulM

Thanks Emily, pnjmcc, for muddying the water! I think I'm probably going to go for a compromise solution - cropping some of the grass off. Will try this later.