Lost River Range near Leslie, Idaho. We almost never find a scene that is already perfectly composed. YOU are the creator here, and there is no need to copy any part of a photo or scene because "that's the way it really looks."  Elements from several photos or sketches can be combined to form a better design.  Make something that is uniquely yours by deciding what you want the viewer to experience when he sees your painting.  Choose the objects and elements that best express that experience, moving some things around and discarding anything unrelated to that message.         For example: the mountains in the lower photo are more impressive, but the upper mountains give more depth.  The lower foreground is too small in proportion to the mountains__ and the viewer's eye path into the scene is blocked by the line of bushes.  We might use one photo's foreground (less the railroad track) and add trees and a larger barn__ perhaps some of the bushes and a larger fence__  from the other photo.  [But avoid placing the barn at the point formed by the "V" at the bottom of the mountains.]          And oh, yes... the fence post in the lower right hand corner is too distracting.                                                                      Keep It Simple!