Photographs are the polar opposite of inkblots...my opinion, of course.
One of the main purposes of a two-way critique is to find out what those reasons were that lead the photographer to choose to make and present the photograph, how those goals (reasons) were achieved, and where it can go from there. Critique can be a great educational tool. And they bring the photographer in touch with their audience (if one shows one's work, one is putting on a show). If we put our audience to sleep, it is nice to have them be honest enough to tell us instead of thumbs-ups, silence and an occasional snore.
IMO, I think the most daring crop for this particular image would be no crop at all.
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