In my last post I talked a little about how the things that you leave out of an image can change the impression given to the viewer. Here’s an example of going the opposite direction. I first made the shot of the RSA office tower in Mobile, AL, that appears on the left. It’s a clean shot. Simple. Nothing extra. But there is no context. The building could be anywhere from Mobile to Moose Jaw. I took a few steps to the side and took the right-hand shot, framed by some palm fronds. Now the viewer has a little extra information. Climate. You’re somewhere warm and tropical and more of your senses are engaged.

I’m not saying either of these is a great shot — I’m just trying to give an example of how including one extra element can sometimes provide a lot more information to those viewing your photos. While I agree that it’s generally best to edit a scene as much as possible and include only those critical elements in your frame, don’t go too far and eliminate something that can add a little context.