Drawn into the Rice Paddy

[travelpat]

On a recent trek through northern Thailand I came along this path through a rice paddy field. I wanted to take a shot where the path leads the viewer into the picture but I'm not really happy with the result. Somehow it's not working for me.

Here's the original shot:


And this is an edited crop.


I took away the sky (not really a beauty anyway) and made the hut appear a bit larger. Yet I think this poses a bit of a problem as the hut creates a focus point in the right part of the image while the path leads to the left.

What do you think, which crop works better? Maybe a completely different one?

Feel free to post comments on the general composition and angle as well.

[tlcphotog]

I personally like the first one, without the crop better because I like more sky, as opposed to more mud. Also, what you described does apply. My eyes are led by the path to empty space rather than to the hut. But that's just my opinion.

[Kaylabelle]

I love the first shot. I think the only other way it could have been better is for the photo to have been taken with the path directly down the middle of the picture but I like it. My eyes are literslly led down the path up into the sky

[milosh]

I prefer the cropped version since the original is much less dynamic and effective in leading the eye. I think you did accomplish what you mention, the path leading the eye into the frame, but I would like to see those interesting subjects at the end of the path just a bit bigger.

[travelpat]

Thanks for your feedback

Milosh, with "I would like to see those interesting subjects at the end of the path just a bit bigger", do you mean you would have walked the path down a bit farther before taking the picture?

[Mso]

I scrolled photo 2 down my screen and feel it looks a lot better without the bottom half, and the path then does (for me at least) lead into the picture.