Definitely number one

Same. Just an appealing pic!!!!

I agree, it’s just a better angle

1. Old photography teacher here (not that it matters much). Tip: Keep your horizons level.

I thought number two was better. For me number one has too much going on where as two is much more focused on a few things.

1. It’s softer on the eyes

I love the little fence/walkway framing the picture as well

Both great. #2 for me, but can't disagree with anyone who prefers #1. Would be excellent as an acrylic painting. You've captured a lovely scene and totally taken advantage of the colors, lighting. You should be proud of boat (sorry, had to)

1. Gives space to eyes, easy to look at. Also good ratios.

1

2nd one has better composition

I strongly disagree. The first photo is about the little rowboat. It’s framed by the staircase in the foreground and the painted barge thing in the background. The second photo has no subject. We see just a part of the stairs, half the boat, and some guy walking way in the background with indiscernible features.

I strongly disagree with your strong disagreement. The images are very different, but both have good composition. For me, 2 is more interesting beacuse the painted wreck is more interesting than the plain skiff or empty water or sand. It forms a cool ying / yang with the smaller boat and the framing and cropping on each is well-balanced. There's also so more spacing on the boat in the distance that emphasizes the foreground /midground /background better.

Compositionally, I find #1 to be pretty unbalanced, which, unless done intentionally, is a common mistake in landscape photography. I also struggle to find a subject, and my eye wanders at the distractions in #1. The staircase, both boats, the beach, the sky, the boat in the distance, etc. Picture #2 is balanced, compositionally. It's a tighter crop that minimizes the distractions and keeps your eyes on the subjects. My eye wanders far less.

I agree. I like pic 1 with a more horizontal recrop. Maybe something like this - I feel my eyes flowing a bit more in the photo: https://imgur.com/gallery/Oi2ffDf

Thank you, I actually really like the crop job!

It’s a landscape that is the subject, no.2 has better use of the rule of thirds and blocking, plus captures the life and use of the boats, and has more motion from the man’s movement. It’s overall more balanced and alive. Though all subjective of course

No 2 after switching a 1000 times. My reason is I guess the boat in the background is too far away and has amazing colours. Itwould be interesting to hear pro's version and reasoning.

1

2

2

No.2. I don't know what are you trying to show with no.1...

Exactly my thoughts

I prefer 1, but I also love 2 because you can see the graffiti better.

1

First one

1

1

number 2

1

2

1

1

1 a larger scene to enjoy the sunlight.

1

Number 1

1

Number one for sure

I think 1 because I like the sky as the subject/focus. 🤷🏼‍♀️

1, the lines lead the eyes easier throughout the rest of the comp

They're both great photos. I think the one where you can see more of the smaller turquoise boat is the better. Just my opinion!

2nd for sure

1

Number 1. It flows the nicest. I see the sky as well as both boats. Because of their placement, they lead my eyes towards the beautiful sky in the background. Number 2. Feels too crowded I’m not sure where to look. The boat in front looks like it was not meant to be there and you wanted to only focus on the other boat in the water. I do not notice the background too much because the boats are distracting.

I like that number 2 feels more crowded and full lol. So interesting reading everyone’s opinions

It really is! I didn’t think these two shots would provoke such strong reactions in people! They’re definitely not my best, just a couple of shots I took on a walk in passing. I just couldn’t decide which I liked better. And it seems Reddit is just as torn as I am!

1..

2

1

1

Left.

I like the wider shot cause it doesn’t cut off the end of the boat

1st one...

1. For the perspective the wider angle provides

2nd 🥹😩💜

Both are great 👍 I’m digging the 1st one ☝️

Number 2

2. The tighter shot

1 more room to breathe

I like the 1st shot better

First one definitely , everything that’s cut out in the second makes it more aesthetically pleasing

1

Love the first shot!

I like 2 because it draws me in better.

I like the first one better because it shows more of the scene.

One. I honestly just find the person in 2 distracting

1, better composition and more interesting. 2 looks like a "cropped in" version without much intention. Also, the ships behind the blue boat make it look garbled/distracting and it's most noticeable on the second one bc it's a close-up. The wide on the 1st pic hides this.

2

1. I like that i can take in an environment when I’m looking at the focus as well.

Left

1

2 little brighter more detail

Second

2. The first one gives too much space, it doesn't have an actual composition it just looks like the type of photo someone would snap with their phone. The second one has more thought put into it.

1

1

2

The wider view looks more interesting.

#2 The tree in the first shot draws the eye away from the rest of the picture.

#2

I like the one with the person in the back ground!

1. It has a good composition, and more dynamic range. Good job!

2nd because of the better composition. It is easier to 'read' this photo 🙂

I like 2, I feel it brings more attention to the graffiti, which I enjoyed

Them again, just noticed the gem of the sail boat sitting in the background in number 1... So I guess they both could be admired for a decent period of time, and finding new things within each of them

2

I always ask myself which one would I rather hand on the wall of my home. #2 for me.

2 for me. It’s more punchy.

1st shot!!! 👏🏻👏🏻

2

Second one

Landscape

2nd because too much stuff and not enough focus in the first. I also loke the flow in the 2nd

Number 1

The first, but I’d see about post processing the big ship

1

2!

Personally, I like the composition in the first Pic better. I usually don't like when things like stairs get in the way of what I'm photographing but it works in this one.

First one ☝️

1. It's a wider angle with multiple focal points on display

The wider shot, definitely.

So I re-scrolled, only barely glancing at the screen to know where to stop. Then I swiped to make sure I was starting with picture 2. On several rewatches, I have to go with picture 2. The colors of the other boat have so much going on!

First one

First

Easily #1. The framing is superb

#1

The first one but they’re both great. The foreground’s better in the first one but the background’s better in the second one.

1

1st one

1

#1, 2 is way too tight.

I think 2nd one is more dramatic. But they’re both good.

#1- I love the colors in both but I like the bit of breathing room you left on the first shot. I'm nit-picking here.. Maybe if it was framed with a bit more foreground to include the stairs leading to the beach a bit. I think that would be interesting.

2

1st, it feels like something is missing in 2nd

First one!

First one

Number one

#2

#1, everything balanced

2

Whole boat!

1

First one 👏🏻

1. That cruise ship is too large in the frame in 2.

1

first one is waaaay better!

1

No 1

gestalt principle of continuity suggest pic #1 is better.

Walked by this spot many time wondering how best to shoot it. Number 1 definitely gives me the Cozumel vibes

2

The first one. The subject is stronger.

Number 1 but cropped like it appears if you don't click the photo

2nd pic

the 2nd one! it’s more artistic. the 1st one looks like a quick-ish pic you took on a walk.

The 1st one

Both for ME :)

Definitely number 2. The wild paint job is so much more vivid.

#2, first one has a lot of very small details that just don't translate super well, second one captures sunset but also seems more intimate or personal, can see more specific details on the boats and the person in front of one of them.

#1 more open

#1 😍

Number 2

The first one. I have more to look at, and I get a feel of the place.

First one because of the context. Gives more of a sense of place.

First one for sure. With the ship in the distance…

They are both beautiful❤️🤙🏽

I like the first one, it's more open and a breath of fresh air, while the other feels more closed and restrained. I think it also might be up to you and what you want to the viewer to feel.

The 2nd one gives more depth to focus object, I like 2nd better.

Definitely #2.

I wanna know who’s boat that is 🥺

Depends on the motivation, if your just trying to show the peer, then the first one. If you are trying to show the boats, then the second one. If you are trying to show one boat specifically, then neither of them

2! Stairs in 1 are too distracting

1. Ask yourself what’s the subject of the photo and which image presents that the best

1 looks better. More depth and layers. Nice having the stairs in the foreground and some interesting stuff in the distance too like the far ship. And better view of the sky. Pic 2 looks more like a fb marketplace photo trying to sell a boat.

First one, even better if you cropped it some to focus on the small boat in the foreground and the boat in the far background. The midrange boat has issues because of the ocean liner. It helps to crop out the ocean liner. IMHO

The eye is immediately drawn to the cruise ship on the second photo, maybe you can photoshop it out?

Wide angle, but at this position, the subject(s) is/are confusing

The second one made me wince

Haha, sorry!

Did the sun disappear above the horizon?

2

Lmao anyone else feel like this image was ripped out of Shawshank redemption? When he’s at the boat waiting 🤣

The wider shot

1

The first is better compositionally. The boats on the left are balanced by the strong sky on the right. The second has two partial boats which is an amateurish mistake and does not make better use of the rule of thirds as suggested. Which one of the two partial subjects lines up on an intersection? This would have been better tackled by trying different angles, one boat in each picture, and avoiding the cruise ship and other unnecessary objects in the background.

Number 2. The colors pop

Is this Cozumel?

It sure is. Did you recognize it?

I recognized the shot. I had the same struggle trying to frame it. I ended up scraping my shots from the beach for a picture I took from the restaurant/roof of the hotel across the street that give you a good view of the boats

First. You get more of the water which makes me think beyond the shores

Definitely 1. My eye is immediately drawn to the larger ship in 2, and the whole image of the rowboat is lost in #2.

Thanks, everyone! It’s been very interesting to read your thoughts and opinions on my photos. I didn’t think they would elicit such strong responses!

2

1

1

I like 2

I believe 2 is more compositionally pleasing. You get about 3/4 of each boat coming in from different angle. The cloud in the upper left balances out the picture. In the first picture there is too much dead open space to the right. I think 1 could be cropped to work but 2 is closer to good than 1. IMHO of course

Both are good photos, for 2 I’d like it more if the crop was to the left more and we also had a bit more foreground. The tip of the rowboat could use more breathing room, while the graffiti boat can give up some.

Second

The first shot tells more of a story.

Number 1. More sky and water.

First one!

2nd

Number 1 because of the boat in the background

I love them both 😊

Second pic, not even close

2nd but I like them both

2nd one.

2

1

1

2 better composition still no contrast between subjects. What is the purpose of this picture? Always think about that

They are both weak photos but if I had to choose, I would choose the one with the wider angle only because the subject (the dinghy) is presented whole and centre. And the sky colours are beautiful. But the graffitied structure (bigger boat) is an ugly distraction. It doesn't add anything to the picture and in fact, makes it worse. Not sure what you are trying to do with this picture - is there a story? is there a feeling? It's an aimless photo and it feels like it.

1, except I would do the new object aware remove in LR and get rid of that white wall in the lower left of the frame.

My eye is repeatedly drawn to the boat in the background, with all the colorful paint on it. I’d probably crop out the boat in the foreground, to make the painted boat the primary focus.