This is a great example for this assignment. What you’ve decided to do with this assignment is take an otherwise boring object and frame it in a relatively distracting manner. On your second shot however, you’ve moved in closer, re-frames your object from an interesting angle and used a shallow depth of field to help isolate your main object and provide a sense of depth. These are all very good enhancements.
The most noticeable enhancement is the cleaning up of your 4 walls. In your first photograph you have parts of a sink and parts of a counter that are amputated (cut off) by the bottom and left wall of the frame. In your second shot, your 4 walls are clear of any distracting amputations. This is the biggest enhancement of your second photograph.
However, although there is a noticeable improvement from your first photograph to your second, it is not simply because you moved in closer. By moving in closer you simplified the composition process. It should be noted however, that this process of simplification can be achieved without moving in closer to your object as well. It’s not as easy, but it is possible. What I want you to notice about your own photograph and others, is that it is this process of simplification (through the removal of unnecessary objects, clean edges of the photograph, limitation of colors, limitation of objects and depth) that help give images their pizzazz. That being said, you don’t need to move to macro photography to achieve this.
I draw this to your attention because it’s important to recognize that composition is easier when you’re close up, but it’s possible to do from further away as well. We’ll explore this more in the upcoming assignments.
Great first assignment!