I posted this a couple of days ago but only got three respondents
one of whom declined an opinion. So here it is again. edit: I just had another look at the other thread; 3 more respondents.

Imagine you are a judge in a photo competition and you need to
select one of the images over the other

The theme: Leading lines.

Remember that a theme and how close the image complies with the theme is not normally "The" key criteria in judging a photo. An esoteric compliance with a theme is ok especially if the theme is artistic, as is leading lines... as opposed to a technical theme such as slow shutter speed.

Important criteria (imho) are artistic and technical competence and how easily you could live with the picture hanging on a wall at home or in your office.

These days of a dodecasquadrillion cameras
and the fact that some sort of camera is carried by most,
we are flooded with images we've seen a thousand times before.
So originality in a photo, being harder to achieve now than ever before, could be a criteria too. So originality may or may not be a criteria
depending on the judges (your) view point.

This is kind of important to me as I've relatively recently joined a camera club, I entered one of the photos above and it came second to the other... that was submitted by a long standing member. I think I was discriminated against possibly on the grounds of "seniority". And I reckon
pictures should be judged on merit, not on seniority of club membership.

I need confirmation though, that I'm not looking at my work through my own, possibly biased eyes and letting my ego make a fool of me.

So I appreciate your input. Please vote for the better picture.

I wish I'd had my good camera with me, but at least I had my P&S. These were taken from the passenger side window. The ducks were just cute sitting there. The Canada geese were bedding down for the night right next to the driveway out of the mall with heavy traffic! They were both lying down but one got up before I could shoot. And the little ground hog broke my heart! They're cutting down trees again around our apartment and chasing wildlife away. This little guy was running frantically right across the parking lot in front of our car. I talked to him and he stopped for a second and looked at me. I feel sooo bad for all the birds and other little animals. (And there isn'lt one tiny bud on the tree in our courtyard that they pruned so drastically!).