Talking to a sea-gull

[ali_mama]

This is a photo of my son Ali (one year and a half) getting acquainted with a sea-gull.
1- I like the boats and ancient ruins in the background but do you think this background is too distracting? Is it taking away from the main subject ( the kid and the bird) or it is complementing it? Do you think I should have used a bigger aperture?
2- Do you think I should crop the picture? Do you think I should crop the foot of Ali's anxious father or it is adding to the picture? Maybe if I crop it the picture will not look that natural?
Thank you in advance for any additional critique as well.....
EXIF:
Camera: Canon EOS 450D
Exposure: 0.025 sec (1/40)
Aperture: f/11.0
Focal Length: 18 mm
ISO Speed: 200
Flash: Off, Did not fire

[Chip]

My 2 cents:

(1) I do think the background - while beautiful - is distracting. A wider aperture would've helped minimize that distraction; and

(2) I think that Ali and the gull aren't prominent enough in this photo. Cropping it, and cropping the part of his father's foot, should help with this. I think a closer crop would look natural. Why not try a few different crops and see what you think?

Beautiful spot. Do you mind me asking where this was taken?

[ali_mama]

Originally Posted by Chip

My 2 cents:

(1) I do think the background - while beautiful - is distracting. A wider aperture would've helped minimize that distraction; and

(2) I think that Ali and the gull aren't prominent enough in this photo. Cropping it, and cropping the part of his father's foot, should help with this. I think a closer crop would look natural. Why not try a few different crops and see what you think?

Beautiful spot. Do you mind me asking where this was taken?

Thanks a lot for the feedback! I really appreciate it.....
The place is Nessebar - a town on the Bulgarian Black sea coast.
What do you think about this crop? Is it any better?