What Makes a Good Photo?

So... I've been trying to figure what will make a few good photos to stick on one of my walls showing some things I personally like about Barcelona.

The first one...


Is near of of the Ports of Barcelona, and while very nice to look at while you are passing, and is potentially a nice shot, I think it will look a little empty as an A4 size photo on a wall. Any suggestions as to how I can make it more interesting in Photoshop, or what I should have done in the first place to capture a better shot. The camera I used is a Canon Digital Rebel.

The second one...

Is of a typical medieval alley in Barcelona City Centre, again a nice place to walk, but not sure if the image will look so good hanging on a wall.

Does anyone else have a opinion...

Hi rich!

I think the second one would look better on a wall.
The first one is a bit simple or something, the second one leaves something to ponder about.

In the first photo you sliced a boat in half on edge to the right.
Also I find it hard to find out what the subject really is.
I see that you've put the boat on an interesting spot according to the rules of the thirds, but because of the diagonal line of the boulevard my eyes sort of end up in the middle of nothing.

I like the second one. It's a bit mysterious, and the composition is nice.
Maybe it could have been a bit brighter, just a bit though.
Too bad the sun wasn't shining, now you get the dull, grey sky.
Maybe you could go back on a sunny day, or at sunset...?
It would be particulary great if the sun would fall right into the alley...

Hi NL,

Thanks for the comments. I ended up printing both to A4 size. They both look pretty good, but the second one of the alley does look better by far, and when people have commented, that has been the one they have preferred too.

In the first, I suppose I did not really concentrate on what was going on on the right, just really trying to get the boat on the left in. It looks nice... but a little boring.

I do plan on going back and trying to get some more shots around Barcelona soon.

Cheers,

Rich