Composition - opinions please

I think I made a mistake by cropping the top of the tree in the camera?
What do you think? C&C is welcome.

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Indeed, I feel that its a bit weird by losing the top of the tree. Can we see it with it?

No I cropped it off with the camera.
I think I will go back to the same location and try again.

When you go back also try a vertical shot. The horizontal shot is great, I just thought I would suggest something different.

Thanks Mike, yes that is a good idea.
John

With my eyes, the cropping is fine.

The shot is not a shot of a tree. If it were, then the problem would be the fact that the tree has no detail or texture. But, as a silhouette, it becomes a somewhat abstract composition of shape and color rather than a representation of what a tree looks like. An idea, rather than the thing.

So, taking it as a composition of shapes - not things - I have no problem that the dark shape touches the top edge. In fact, I rather like that it does. It almost looks like rivulets on a map merging together then flowing out to sea on the bottom.

Where I see weakness in the shot is that there seems to be too much uninvolved space on the left of the frame. Cropping the left would work, but a much better solution would be in a re-shoot. If you can, move the camera to the left of where you took this, placing yourself on the other side of the tree's shadow. Doing this would allow the sun to be on the left of the frame, rather than the right. The symmetry you would create would be a small, concentrated, very bright thing, balanced by a large, spindly, dark thing.

My 2¢

Rad

First off, this is a great shot! As for the tree, I don't think the fact that it's cropped off at the top matters because it's not the main focus of the picture from what I can see. In one of our conference rooms at work there is a picture similar to this and the top of the tree is cropped out as well and I never even noticed until I had looked at it several times.

Thanks for your help everybody.

The space to the left of the tree adds nothing to the shot. If possible try and recompose with your tree at the left 1/3 of the frame.

I went back today.
Here is the result. I think it looks a lot more balanced.

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I like them both equally to be honest, they both have their charm. Nice job.

I like the composition of the 2nd quite a bit more, but I dont like the lighting at all in it. Somewhere I'd love to see a combo of the two that would be a stunning shot.