Leading the eye

Here's another view of the set up. I needed something to hang the flags from, so I used the fan as it was the only thing around tall enough. When I look at the photos, I just ignore the fan.

I wanted to have a dramatic perspective, but wasn't quite sure what I meant by that. A view from the top? A very close up of the figures in front?  I thought I would start with the flags. Not only can a show depth of field, with far away ones being smaller and the larger ones being close by, but I'll also use them as a way to guide your eye into or around the picture.

The first one here shows that flags coming in almost over your head and receding almost straight back.  It's not giving enough information  - first, you're trying to figure out what they are, and second, they're not helping to define distance. So it's just acting as a distraction to the rest of the picture. 

This next one doesn't do much

 for either perspective

 or leading the eye.

Now, the one on the left is definitely a possibility. The big guy catches your attention, and the flags lead you back into the picture.

The diagram below shows where my eye travels. The blue line on the left is about where the edge of the picture will be. The flags take me out of the picture on the right, but I travel back in through the middle figures, helped by the leaning position and the direction of his gaze.  An unusual point is that my eye stops toward the center of the picture. Usually you want to lead into the picture, have your eye travel around, and then lead out. Here I'm using the dark areas just outside of the compositional triangle (described by the green line) as a pathway for the eye to travel out.