Ha! Speaking of forced, that's some snow load!

As for the dio pics, those are both great examples of placing the viewer with the intent of creating a different effect.

To me, the first, with the deliberate cropping to the left, and hiding the background figure's face, increase the spontaneity of the shot: no one is sitting still for the camera; the viewer is pulled into the scene as it unfolds... and therein lies the magic! They are, after all, static lifeless objects, frozen in one position - but the framing of the scene would lead us to believe otherwise!

The second one, well, as you say, emphasizes the grade in the road... as a viewer, I feel I am cresting that rise and come upon the group chatting.

The standing figures have subconsciously kept to the side of the path to leave room for the bike; but they are still close enough for me to believe they are engaged in a conversation.

I'd like to think that you planned a lot of this, but also that you discovered interesting angles and shots, camera in hand, after the fact.