This initial capture is flat, and lifeless and small. It is also centered, which usually a no no in photography because it makes them look bland. Think if tic-tac-toe on your picture, you want your subject on the lines, or even better the intersection of the lines. I shot this centered mainly because when I shoot wildlife that could jump at any second, I use the center auto focus and try to put it on the eye of the animal.

If I have enough time, I'll do either manual focus or setup an alternate focus point.

There is enough resolution in my Canon 5D mk II that I can re-crop and get a better composition.