Arches and Distractions

[myfotoguy]

I took this photo and want to make it better.

What I like: DOF, the line of the bridge right to left, the size of the bridge on the right seems powerful to me.

What I don’t like: Some of the distractions in the image (buildings, poles, what you see through the first arch.

I originally shot it this way because I like the top to bottom inclusion of the bridge starting at right, but now I am considering other alternatives. While that is nice, it also means including things that might offset the “weight” of that “powerful” start on the right side.

Original below, followed by a crop. I have a few alternatives (including a square option) at THIS LINK. I put labels beneath each image in an attempt to make it easy to refer to a specific version.

Thoughts?

ORIGINAL


ONE of the ALTERNATIVES from link posted above. This is the one noted "Crop 2 - Lighten Shadows". One thing I personally like is not seeing the width of the arch (bridge) leaves the viewier with an impression the bridge is more massive than it is.

[samhail]

I personally like the first one better. The view through the arch is not a distraction for me. If anything is a distraction in my eyes its the yellow sign and the red car. Maybe you can clone them out or crop it from after the yellow sign. The light pole is not a distraction and I think it adds to the photo because of the curve of it in relation to the archway.

[sbunting108]

I prefer the second one personally because I find the arch in the first photo a big distraction. Thanks for sharing

[myfotoguy]

Thanks for your comments, I appreciate it.

[Beatriz Rodriguez]

try crop it only on the left.to see the curve of the arche in the right (i love the prespective).
and i prefer the shadowns in the 1st photo.