Request C/C on Composition

Canon T1i with 50 mm 1.8 MkII
Av 2.8 (priority mode)
Tv 1/800
ISO 400
Center AF point
No crop. Edited to remove a blue dumpster growing from wife's head and slight color adjustment in Canon's software.

Second picture for comparison. Same details.

Folks - Appreciate some C/C on the composition and POV of camera (elevation, angle). The fence was beautiful and so was the forest, but I couldn't quite figure out the best way to incorporate both into the pic. Next time I'd go with a smaller aperture to get more sharpness out of the photo, and looking back now, could have used ISO 200 without a problem. Many thanks,

HOSTED PHOTO
please log in to view hosted photos in full size.

HOSTED PHOTO
please log in to view hosted photos in full size.

I agree the fence and forest are nice, but maybe it would be better to just get one or the other in the photo?

Also, the model and dog are under exposed and could use some fill flash to make them stand out.

In both cases I'd try to get the model to fill some more of the frame. F2.8 is fine for this shot. You want some background blur so that the eye focuses on the model (who should be in sharp focus).

I think there is too much going on around the subject and would prefer a tighter crop. Also the background is well lit but the subject is underexposed, flash was def needed imo. Also a bit out of focus?

10-4. Perhaps a case of trying to do too much. And appreciate the reminder on fill-flash. A lot of my shots from that day would have benefited from it.

Go back and reshoot it if you can. It's definitely a great setting.

Agree, closer for sure, and watch out for those trees and her head I like the fence better, she can lean...look more relaxed.

I would agree a tighter crop would help and sticking a little closer to the rule of thirds. When I did the crop I would crop out more of the fence and favor the trees they are further out of focus and less distracting from the subject. Some fill flash or a gold reflector would help as well to brighten and warm up the subject. I took a quick shot at it just to show what I mean.

HOSTED PHOTO
please log in to view hosted photos in full size.

Here's an alternative take on the first image.

HOSTED PHOTO
please log in to view hosted photos in full size.

There's a photographic composition rule called "simplicity". I think that may help this picture.

Here's some examples:
http://photoinf.com …mposition_simpl​icity.html

The real question is what is the story or statement being made. What is the relationship between the woman, dog, fence, and trees? What is the story or intention in making the image?

In general the more isolation for the subject the bigger the subject appears in the viewers eye even if the subject is small in the frame. In this case the blue dumpster was removed but the fence is awkwardly placed in the frame (in my opinion) and behind the woman. I want to believe it's there for a reason but I have no real understanding of the relationship between the various elements. Sometimes understanding the statement being made is pivotal to understanding how the various elements should be arranged in the frame.