Making figures anonymous

I often choose to include figures in photographs of the places I visit. One reason for this is that I do not see much interest in pictures of buildings or landscapes which are devoid of people. Having a figure in an image can provide a useful point of interest, it can add some asymmetry, it can provide a sense of scale. In the foreground it can provide a feeling of depth.
I have chosen a few photos to illustrate use of anonymous figures in photographs of place.
Image 1: Dahlia Garden, Dunster

Lumix G3 14-42 mm at 14mm (equivalent to 28mm): Iso 200 f8 for 1/320th seconds
At the time of our visit to Dunster in September, the dahlias in this open garden were almost all in bloom, and the colours were attracting a lot of photographers. Many photographers were taking close-ups of the flowers, but this was not what I wanted. Rather I wanted to show this garden of flowers in the context of the church and town buildings in the background. The problem photographically was that the horizontal rows of flowers in the foreground would produce a rather static composition. Furthermore, there was nothing to lead the viewers eye into the picture.
I noticed this gardner who was deadheading the dahlias, and I moved into a position where he was close but off centre. He ignored my presence as he concentrated on what he was doing. I did not want to see his face, as the picture would then have been more of a portrait of him than a view of the garden. I waited until he looked down so that only the top of his head is visible.
I believe that his presence achieves my aim of dealing with the compositional problem. The gardner is a useful element in the composition that breaks up the horizontal lines of the flowers but the flowers remain the dominant visual element in the frame.
Image 2:  Surfers at Hendaye

Panasonic Lumix G3 14-42mm at 23mm: Iso 200 f16 for 1/250th seconds
Hendaye, on the Atlantic coast border between France and Spain, is a town with an enormous beach, very wide and flat. In early October, surfing was the main activity, but the groups of surfers were mere dots in the sea. We arrived at about midday, when the sun was still high in the sky.
I was looking for a composition which would serve as a record of the scene, but needed some foreground visual interest. I saw these two lads sitting on the wall with their surfboards close to one of the small trees along the promenade. They were engrossed watching the waves in the distance and they were oblivious of me behind them.
A photograph across the bay from this location would otherwise be rather dull. The fact that they had their back to me was an advantage as their individuality is not seen. They become part of the scenery.
The end result is an image which, I felt, conveys pictorially something of the character of the resort.
Image 3: Orbit and Olympic stadium

Panasonic Lumix 14-42 mm at 22m (equivalent to 44mm): Iso 400 f 7.1 for 1/400th seconds
As a volunteer at the Olympic Park, I had time to go around the park at various times of day to do some photography. It was in the second week, after having taken photos of the stadium and the Orbit from almost every angle, that I come across this viewpoint on some steps alongside one of the main entry bridges. It was gone 8 pm and the light was starting to fade, but it was not yet lighting up time.
I went out looking for interesting silhouettes against the bright sky and water reflections. It was the silhouette of the volunteer on the high seat which immediately caught my attention. I also liked the juxtaposition of the verticals of the Orbit and the high chair. I moved around trying various compositions of vertical and horizontal framing. I decided to include the two poles and the stadium in the right background as this seemed to establish a balance with  the Orbit structure on the left. These lines seem to converge on the umbrella on top of the high chair, which I feel should be the main point of visual interest.
Nevertheless, I consider this to be a landscape with figures, rather than a photograph of people. The figures in the high chair and the passers-by are important in the composition providing an idea of the purpose of the place.
Image 4: Romanesque entrance, Moissac Abbey

Panasonic Lumix 14-42 mm at 14m (equivalent to 28mm): Iso 200 f 7.1 for 1/30th seconds
In this picture, also, I believe that the silhouetted figure is making a valuable contribution to the composition. If he were absent, the viewers eye would naturally move to the light doorway. The figure, however, draws the eye and helps to counteract this natural tendency. The figure also provides an element of asymmetry in what would otherwise be quite a symmetrical subject.
Conclusions
One of the most valuable lessons I have learnt during this course is to recognize scenes where something extra is needed to make an interesting composition. Anonymous figures are very useful and they can function in various ways as illustrated above to make a better composition.