Autumn Illumination
by sweetpea

Comment by LanceW:
Meets Challenge: 3
Lighting/Processing: 3
Composition: 3
Overall Impression: 3
"WOW" factor: 1

Average Score: 2.6

Only YOU can prevent photos like this!
by sweetpea

Comment by mssnare:
Maybe shooting from street level to give the duck a little larger look. I like his fire outfit though :)

Only YOU can prevent photos like this!
by sweetpea

Comment by BigK:
LOL! Had a good laugh at this. Very cute!

Only YOU can prevent photos like this!
by sweetpea

Comment by GrayGhost:
Nice idea. The duck is simply too small in proportion, consider getting as close and as low as possible for a more dramatic photo.

Only YOU can prevent photos like this!
by sweetpea

Comment by CNovack:
Overall the composition needs improvement. First off, your main subject, the ducky, is so small in relative proportion to the surrounding environment which makes up the photo. The ducky makes up only 2% of the photo and is lost in its environment. It gets literally gets lost amoung the street scene. You posed it next to the a sign pointing to the Fire Dept which shows me you tried to insert an element that would strengthen the connection or make a connection of a setting for this Firefigther Ducky. What was needed was to get a closer shot of your Ducky, such that it makes up 35% or more of your shot. It needs to be much more visible. And since you wanted to include another element that would nod to an environment or workplace of a firefighter something other than the sign that allowed you to get closer to your main subject would have been better. One suggestion is that you could have poised the duck next to a red fire hydrant. A close crop or zoom that has a portion of the hydrant that is still recognizable and the main subject,the ducky, dominating the scene could be a good composition. My next suggestion is do not be afraid to approach someone on location if it will help your composition. They might be more friendly than you might expect:-) Of the five different rubber duckys I saw at the store I almost purchased the Firefighter ducky (I didn't purchase the ducky for I had an idea of what I wanted when I walked into the store and stuck with my idea). Had I purchased it I would have taken it to the local fire station, told them my story, and asked if I could pose the duck on the grill of the fire engine or next to the fire hose mounted on the truck. The worst that they could say is "No" Another idea of a background assisting the composition setting is perhaps using a firefighter's helmet and posing the duck next to it. You could borrow it from someone you know has a child who has a firefighters helmet lying in the make-believe box or even purchase a inexpensive one at the halloween supply stores. Any object that can act at a backdrop to help set the scene that allows you to get close to your main subject will be a big benefit to your overall composition. The biggest problem with the photograph as it stands now is that you really need to get closer to your main subject and make it the focal point of your composition.

Only YOU can prevent photos like this!
by sweetpea

Comment by Jaded_Housewife:
nope I cant prevent them. I take dorky silly shots daily. :P very cute.

Only YOU can prevent photos like this!
by sweetpea

Comment by whitewolf:
Not sure what the photo is about. The size may be a part of the problem.

Only YOU can prevent photos like this!
by sweetpea

Comment by sfalice:
..but then we wouldn't have any giggles!

Cute one.

Only YOU can prevent photos like this!
by sweetpea

Comment by ionelpop:
the title means that I should vote low? ;) or to comment it?
i would have waited for the sun to go down or to wait for a cloud

Only YOU can prevent photos like this!
by sweetpea

Comment by Postgate1:
The title is funny, the shot may have been better if you had the duck on the curb and the shot was from as low to the ground as you can get, trying to look up on him with the sign in the background, maybe he could be sideways walking up the sidewalk . JMO.