This week’s photo was a tough choice for me. I couldn’t decide if I liked the photo above, or the photo below better. I shot the first photo as I came upon the scene, exploring the best angles from which to capture this waterfall. I loved how the roots of the bush on the left seemed to break the granite into small slabs, so I moved in close to simplify the scene, resulting in the second photo.
After much deliberation, I chose the first photo as my favorite for several reasons. Firstly, it is more of a layered photo, with several foreground elements stacking up to lead the eye easily to the upper waterfall. Secondly, it accentuates the fall colors a little more than the second photo. There are more trees included in the background, and since it was shot from a higher vantage point, there are more fall colors reflected in the pool between the upper and lower waterfalls. The second photo holds more tension because the root system really makes the eye travel around it and up the creek. Either way, I like them both.
As with any art, there is no “right” answer in photography (although there can be many wrong answers!)