Help me pick a submission for Ogden 52

I need some help picking a photo for my Ogden 52 Photo Submission. The city of does this Ogden 52 Photo Shoot. 52 photographers are given 1 of 52 divided up areas and they need to shoot a picture in their designated area. By luck of the draw I could not have picked a more vanilla plain area of Ogden. The only thing that stands out is a church, but that was shot the last time around. This really left me in a pinch as I have been trying to find something of interest to make my submission. Today, there were kids playing in the puddles as kids do. I photographed two different children jumping in puddles. There were the two I liked best with slightly different edits. For me, one is clearly the stronger of the two, but I want others input because in the end the 52 images are put up for auction as a fund raiser to help nurture the arts in the local community.

Please choose one and if you feel like it add your thoughts below.

First



Second

On the second photo the red spot should be away.

As nikonpup nothing linked to Ogden

It doesn't have to say or have anything identifying, just shot from the assigned area.

I like the splashes better on #2, but #1 looks more like a kid having fun. I like #1 slightly better. It has a little more of the kid in it as well.
It has more color and some movement too.

Michael Jaeger said:

On the second photo the red spot should be away.

As nikonpup nothing linked to Ogden

Click to expand...

Thanks for the input on the red spot. It's from the little girls coat. I debated whether it helped to show this was a child or if the little legs alone did it well enough.

The red spot, I think, doesn't direct me to a little girl. The feet doe their job well to point out that is a child. I like the portrait format. I think if the second is portrait is great.

The first one shows action as well, so it comes to live, which I think makes the photo stunning beautiful

First one for me,it shows just a bit more of what its about

Also voted the first one. I like the more detailed pants and like @mikew says, it shows a bit more then just 2 legs.

Thanks for all the input, keep it coming. I bounce between the two for many of the same reasons. The second shot had a much older kid so there wasn't as much of a little person to get in the shot, but I absolutely did not want to have a child's face in the image.

I voted for the second image. I like how simple and clean it is (once you remove the red spot). The "splash" is also more defined and is the focal point of the image.

Remove the "red bit" from the second shot and I like it best.

Leave the "red bit" in place and I prefer the first shot.

#1 for me for sure - for me it's more 'dynamic' and you can almost feel the fun that's being had splashing in the water!

Second shot for me clone the red out splash is sot on

One for me. I can feel the splash!

Thank you for all the input and feel free those that haven't commented. I'm really surprised how split the preferences are.

IMO:
#1, more dynamic, believable.
#2 looks more posed, less spontaneous. Even the shoes look more like adult ballet-type flats

#1 for me.
I like the hands in the frame.
I think the design on the pants adds a lot, too.

I am curious, what were the children's reaction to being photographed?
Were they enthusiastic?

Rob ~ still introverted in Indiana