>>2896674This photo shoot is the textbook classic mistake of photographers who don't have confidence in their ability to make strong portraits, so they compose the shot to include rocks, water, trees, etc to compensate. Unfortunately, that almost always makes the portrait worse than if the photographer had just opened up the aperture and blurred out the background altogether.
Anytime I see a portrait of somebody leaning against a tree or a brick wall, I automatically assume the photographer isn't a photographer at all, but merely a PWC. (person with camera)