Enough Negative Space?

[Hill Country Hack]

I took this yesterday afternoon on a mostly cloudy day. This capture is cropped for an 8x10 print. I also left some vegetation at the top of the frame on purpose as I feel is adds to the capture. My intent was to give the impression of the ducks moving across the water.
1. Do I need more negative space in front of the ducks?
2. More space behind the ducks to show the movement of the water caused by the ducks?
3 Combination of #1 and #2?

Any other C&C welcome.

Canon Rebel XS
Shot in AE
f6.3
1/320
Evaluative metering
ISO-800
75mm-300mm
focal length 300mm

[nmajmani]

I like the capture here, but I think instead you should probably crop up the bottom so that the ducks sit nearer the lower horizontal third of the image. Right now your focal duck is dead centre, and it's distracting. I do like the foliage at the top of the image. As far as left and right, I think you've got enough space on the right in front of the duck, but it possible I'd like to see the whole duck on the left. Half a duck is unsettling to my eyes when there are only two in the image.

[Hill Country Hack]

Originally Posted by nmajmani

I like the capture here, but I think instead you should probably crop up the bottom so that the ducks sit nearer the lower horizontal third of the image. Right now your focal duck is dead centre, and it's distracting. I do like the foliage at the top of the image. As far as left and right, I think you've got enough space on the right in front of the duck, but it possible I'd like to see the whole duck on the left. Half a duck is unsettling to my eyes when there are only two in the image.

Thank you very much. I do see your points, but cropped at 5:4 I had to include that much water below the ducks to include the foliage. I'll do a freestyle cop and include the entire 2nd duck.