Here is a 9x12 field study of some reeds from the Salt River, in the Tonto national forest. With towering cliff walls surrounding the area, I decided to focus in on a more intimate scene...

In this sketch, the reed catching the most light is too close to the center. I made a mental note to fix that on the studio version. 

Here's the 12x16 studio version. What I changed: 

-I put more of an emphasis on the larger clump of reeds just to the right of center, and I pushed back the single reed a bit. 

-I added a bit more variation in the "shore-line" of reeds, making that line a little bit more irregular.

-I brought more chroma into the left side of the painting. Especially the yellows and their reflections.

-I added more stray reeds floating on the water.