I like to show what a person is looking at rather than have them staring at the camera and showing the viewer what they were stood in front of. To me, showing the person looking into the picture leads the viewer through the photograph, it shows the viewer what was taking the attention rather than shouting out "look at me - I was here!".
1. although the figure in this picture takes up a third of the shot, he doesn't overwhelm it. The viewer looks at the person and then through the shot and can easily see what was taking his attention - the veiw across the plains to the mountain range.
2. again, the figure takes up a lot of the shot but remains secondary to it as you can't see his face staring back at you. You notice him but then the attention is taken to his surroundings. The small amount of light in the picture shows everything you need to know - it's obviously somewhere with a South Western USA feel and it's Christmas.
3. again using people to show something beyond themselves - something bigger than themselves. The figures here give scale and add interest to a standard shot of a high viewpoint looking down at a city.
