Sidewalk Cafe

This is another recent painting from our trip to Maine.  As I was walking passed them I snapped this photo...they had no clue I did this.  I like to do that because if I stop and ask permission they start to pose and the casual spontaneity of the moment is lost.  I have been known to ask them afterwards if it would be ok to use their picture but I generally do not ask.  When I finally paint the scene it doesn't look like the real people anyway so why bother.

When I took the photo of the painting I didn't realize that the translucent pigment would glisten from the light source.  I try not to use a flash so this glare was from the sun and the angle of my camera.   I will retake the photo so it doesn't show but it was interesting enough to take notice.

The original size of this painting was a bit wider but during critique it was brought up that the white area took away from the importance of why I chose to paint it. It was too big of an area of white and made the center of interest an area that wasn't interesting at all.  I guess I have to agree that the focus changed when I cropped the left side.  I also redid her facial features ... the face just wasn't right. That part seemed to take longer than the painting itself.  I extended the window behind the tree limb so it didn't become a part of the tree anymore.  I do think all the changes made it worth the effort.  Critiques can be very helpful, their impartiality makes it easier for them to take away what doesn't work.  
What do you think?