I went through the same dilemma because I kept changing my mind before placing my order. In the end I chose a photo of my golden retriever sitting in the backyard instead of a vacation landscape. I'm glad I did because the subject stood out clearly and the finished painting looked very close to the original. A friend of mine picked a city skyline full of tiny buildings, and while it still looked nice, some of the small details blended together. From what I've seen, photos with one clear subject and good natural lighting usually turn out the best. I spent about two weeks working on mine in the evenings, and it became one of my favorite things I've ever made.