When it’s all about the top, who needs the bottom?
Ok, I know it’s Autumn Color Season so now once you’ve found some examples of it, the question becomes how much should be included in an image. These two examples are the extremes of the range. When there is a large batch of color, just go for it. Yes, it’s ok to truncate the tree by not including the trunk.
Other times, just a bit of color can be just as effective in the camera frame. When composing, think of it as a solo act.
Small subjects have a great impact through color.